Social Responsibility “Areas”• Risk

– Environment (local and global)• Sustainability

– Use / indefinitely• Protection

– Pollution (Air, Water, Ground)– Non-human life

– Human Rights• Child Labor• Slavery• Working conditions

– Safety

– Community Service• Good Neighbor• Philanthropy / Altruism• Healthcare

Social Responsibility

• Social “Obligation– Profit without breaking laws

• Increase shareholder wealth– Economic maximization

• Social Responsiveness– Satisfy stakeholders

• “Reasonable” – As established by government?

• Social Responsibility– Make the world “better”

Social Responsibility

• Eliminating corrupt, irresponsible or unethical behavior that might bring harm to the community, its people, or the environment

– Before the behavior happens

• Better to be proactive towards a problem rather than reactive to a problem

• Positive Action or to refrain from Action

– What we “will do,” or

– What we “won’t do”

Is it an “anthropogenic” issue?Industry

– Release of gases and dust into the atmosphere. – Waste disposal practices. – Air pollution, water pollution.

Agriculture– Conversion of woodlands into fields and pastures including slash-

and-burn techniques. – Diversion of surface and groundwater. – Ground water salinization due to inadequate drainage. – Pollution of soil and water by chemicals found in fertilizer and

pesticides. – dirty or unclean water

Mining– Removal of topsoil and creation of spoil piles. – Diversion of groundwater by mine shafts. – Surface runoff bearing mining wastes. – Release of air pollution by refining processes.

Transportation– Diversion of surface water flow by roadways. – Vehicular air pollution. – Roadway noise, aircraft noise and transit noise.

Construction– Removal of natural habitats by grading and building – Diversion of groundwater. – Filling in marshes, baylands, swamps, ponds, stream beds.

Habitations– Concentration of human activities in discrete zones. – Concentration of waste products, sewage, and debris.

Is it an “anthropogenic” issue?(cont)

Four Domains of Sustainability• Social• Economic

– Formal and informal economies• Environmental, and • Institutional

– Policy and capacity issues

Environmental Sustainability

“…meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”

(Brundtland Commission, 1983)

Environmental / Social ResponsibilityMoral Perspectives

• Environmental Ethics – Ecological approach

• Nonhuman parts deserve to be preserved for their own sake

– Deep Ecology• Blackstone’s Ethics of “Rights”

– Environmental approach• Right to a “liveable environment”

– Absolute rights• Utilitarian Perspective

– Market approach• External costs violate utility, rights, and justice

– Internal / External Costs

Environmental / Social Responsibility

• Three areas of concerns1. Pollution2. Depletion3. Poverty

• The Extent of impact and possibilities of recourse are economically correlated

• Prevention• Stewardship• ESI (Environmental Sustainability Index)

http://sedac.ciesin.org/es/esi/

http://www.eco-portal.com/

Also see top 25 “Green” Companies at: http://www.epa.gov/greenpower/toplists/top25.htm