Corporate Social Responsibility in the West (U.S. and West Europe) vs. East (China)

Corporate Social Responsibility in the West (U.S. and West Europe) vs. East (China)

Ruth Wolf
Copyright: © 2015 |Pages: 15
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-4666-8195-8.ch057
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Abstract

This chapter explains why Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is not widespread in some of countries, such as China, and how little effort towards CSR can create problems regarding a country's ability to trade with other countries that have national CSR policies and regulations. The chapter shows the strengths of organizations through the point of view of ethical social responsibility that actualizes itself in CSR. There is no doubt that the contribution to a community regarding the community's social, economic, and natural environment is impacted by different factors. A community is impacted by national policies as well as by the social perspectives and practices that exist in that nation. This chapter highlights the need to revive ethical values in the fields of society, economics, and the natural environment in correlation with the social and cultural norms in each given country.
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Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for kindness. – Seneca

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Introduction

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is accepted among many of the western societies. There are certain countries in which it is mandatory and set in law, for example in the United Kingdom (“UK corporate Governance Code of 2010”, 2010). However, CSR is not a priority in some countries (Kolk & Lenfant, 2013; Ramasamy et al., 2013; Fernandez-Feijoo et al., 2012).

This chapter will examine and discuss why CSR is not as widespread in some of the countries, such as China, and how China’s lack of CSR policies and regulations may create problems for China’s ability to export products in countries with CSR policies and regulations such as the U.S. and West Europe (Lu, 2008 ;Fassin et al., 2010; Park, 2008; Shafer et al. 2006).

Why Organizations Want to Conduct CSR

In the past couple of years, it is clear that donations to the community are not enough. While philanthropy and non-monetary donations to the community help weaker groups in society, you can't call an organization “ethical” if they donate money to children at risk while employing underage children. In the same matter, you cannot praise a company that examines its impact on the natural environment and does not take care of its own employees. CSR encompasses a broader view of a company that practices ethical behavior and acts with transparency towards the natural environment and to society.

Generally, CSR is actualized by actions in three dimensions: social, economic, and the natural environment. These actions are known as the “Triple Bottom line” (Ellington, 1998; Fry & Slocum, 2008). Today firms try to conduct CSR for their own empowerment and they only commit to CSR because of the legislation that gives the motivation to preserve.

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