Corporate Social Responsibility Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Corporate Social Responsibility - Essay Example When determining strategies, it is important to integrate social issues as an element of a business’s social responsibility to further instill social realignment of businesses. A firm must implement those social business practices that have economic benefits. The business must carry out its operation in a socially responsible manner which reflects its commitment to corporate social responsibility. Do for the society which is legally required and also benefits the business. Firstly, the business must be able to make enough profits so that future costs can be covered and social responsibility met (Fred R, 2005. Corporate social responsibility can be defined as a form of corporate self-regulation incorporated into a business model. The concept first came into use after the advent of many multinational firms after 1960s. The self-regulated conduct of businesses must abide by the law, ethical standards and international customs. The goal of CSR is to basically endorse the firms to take responsibility for their actions and must not negatively impact the environment, consumers, employees, stakeholders and communities. The must make sure not to harm the public in any way and promote their interest by encouraging community development. It instills the concept of ‘triple bottom line’ that is; people, planet, and profit by including public interest in the decision-making of firms. The businesses have to bring some much-needed changes into their mission statements to comply with the social responsibility. Many businesses have started to introduce the concept of social accounting which emphasizes the need for corporate accountability, that is; developing appropriate measures and reporting techniques to those who the firm is accountable to. There are some standards and frameworks which the business can use as a guideline for their auditing and reporting like AccountAbility’s AA1000 standard. CSR requires firms to produce ethically strong annual fin ancial report and sustainability report so that their social, economic and environmental performance can be measured (Visser, 2008). A business might have to forgo short-term financial benefits when adopting CSR strategy, but there are many long-term advantages that help a business in future, other than financial ones. By adopting CSR, the recruitment and retention can improve. The recruits are more likely to enroll in a firm which follows CSR. The morale of the employees is also lifted when they are asked to participate in social activities like payroll giving, fundraising programmes and community volunteering. A company’s decade old reputation and goodwill can be easily damaged by socially irresponsible actions like corruption scandals or environmental accidents. Negative reactions from media, government, courts and regulators can affect the public image of a firm. CSR also helps build consumer loyalty by practicing distinctive ethical values. Successful businesses such as The Body Shop and American Apparel have a strong reputation for integrity and best practice and therefore maintain a strong brand loyalty. The Body Shop strictly opposes product testing on animals and support community trade with developing countries. Companies easily get a license to operate in many countries when they follow Corporate Social Responsibility. There is also a great argument of insincerity and hypocrisy attached to CSR. Some people

Service Learning Reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Service Learning Reflection - Essay Example With the experience and learning I gained, I am now more inspired to do my best and serve as a nurse where ever I am needed. Service Learning at Papakolea Garden Since I was a little kid, I have always seen myself as a nurse. Working in the hospital, wearing the coveted white uniform or scrubs, doing rounds, filling patients’ charts, handing out medicines, serving as the doctor’s or surgeon’s assistant. However, my view about what a nurse really is, and what a nurse can do was literally broadened after my 10 hour service learning at Papakole’a Garden. My service learning project was conducted from Saturday, March 09, 2013 to Saturday, April 06, 2013 at the Papakole’a Community Gardens near the neighborhood’s schools. The 60’x80’ plot of land was planted to promote food sustainability, but as the project continued, the produce kept growing and eventually the harvest may even cater to the local community kitchen. I was merely a nu rsing student when I started working in the garden. I didn’t see the connection of health and gardening right away. But as my time in the garden grew, a new image of a nurse started to form in my head – that of the community nurse. A nurse that has all the training and bears all the competencies of a health care professional but has a deep understanding of his/ her own culture, and a proud sense of community. I. What the community taught me about nursing I was born and raised in Kailua, Hawaii and though I don’t have any Hawaiian roots, I can claim that I belong and have a grasp of the state’s culture. Understanding your patient’s cultural background is essential in providing proper and sensitive care for them. The community of Papakolea is quite unique because in its community and infrastructure planning, the wellness of the kupuna as they age is given much priority and high regard. They even built a kupuna supportive living center to cater to the needs of the aging and their families. There are also schools in the area that have sound health and wellness policies and practices integrated in their curriculum. As is observed, the health and wellness of every generation is deemed important in this community. This initiative of the Papakolea government is congruent with the concept of Ohana or family that is a cultural identity for every person that resides in Hawaii. They have actually dubbed their health program as Ohana-health – giving healthcare services with a big emphasis on the importance of families and community relationships as an extension of the family. Being a nurse in this setting taught me about how big of a matter family is to the Papakolea residents and to the Hawaiians as a whole. Since family is central to their wellbeing, then care should be given with the family in mind. In this context, the giving of treatment may also be more effective if the patient’s family is involved as a support system for the patient during treatment. The garden in the community of Papakolea also taught me another integral part of being a nurse. The health of the land reflects the health of its people. The relatively small garden that the community maintains expresses their dedication for wholesome food that is sustainable for everyone in the community. Every resident has access to the community garden and although the produce is mainly allotted for the kupuna, everyone pitches in so that the land’s production is maximized and wholesome food will be available for all. This regard for the environment and the food source