原文:
The moral appeal---arguing that companies have a duty to be good citizens and to “do the right
thing”---is prominent in the goal of Business for Social Responsibility, the leading nonprofit CSR
business association in the United States.
A
An excellent definition was developed in the 1980s ‘‘Meeting the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” The notion of license to
operate derives from the fact that every company needs tacit or explicit permission from
governments, communities, and numerous other stakeholders to do business. Finally, reputation
is used by many companies to justify CSR initiatives on the grounds that they will improve a
company’s image, strengthen its brand, enliven morale, and even raise the Value of its stock.
B
To advance CSR, we must root it in a broad understanding of the interrelationship between a
corporation and society. To say broadly that business and society need each other might seem
like a cliché, but it is also the basic truth that will pull companies out of the muddle that their
current corporate-responsibility thinking has created. Successful corporations need a healthy
society. Education, health care, and equal opportunity are essential to a productive workforce.
Safe products and working conditions not only attract customers but lower the internal costs of
accidents. Efficient utilization of land, water, energy, and other natural resources makes business
more productive. Good government, the rule of Jaw, and property rights are essential forefficiency and innovation. Any business that pursues its ends at the expense of the society in
which it operates will find its success to be illusory and ultimately temporary. At the same time, a
health society needs successful companies. No social program can rival the business sector when
it comes to creating the jobs, wealth, and innovation that improve standards of living and social
conditions over time.
C
A company’s impact on society also changes over time, as social standards evolve and science
progresses. Asbestos, now understood as a serious health risk, was thought to be safe in the early
1900s, given the scientific knowledge then available. Evidence of its risks gradually mounted for
more than 50 years before any company was held liable for the harms it can cause. Many firms
that failed to anticipate the consequences of this evolving body of research have been bankrupt
by the results. No longer can companies be content to monitor only the obvious social impacts of
today. Without a careful process for identifying evolving social effects of tomorrow, firms may risk their very survival.
D
No business can solve all of society’s problems or bear the cost of doing so. Instead, each
company must select issues that intersect with its particular business. Corporations are not
responsible for all the world's problems, nor do they have the resources to solve them all. Each
company can identify the particular set of societal problems that it is best equipped to help
resolve and from which it can gain the greatest competitive benefit. Addressing social issues by
creating shared value will lead to self-sustaining solutions that do not depend on private or
government subsidies. When a well-run business applies its vast resources, expertise, and
management talent to problems that it understands and in which it has a stake, it can have a
greater impact on social good than any other institution or philanthropic organization.
E
The best corporate citizenship initiatives involve far more than writing a check: they specify
clear, measurable goals and track results over time. A good example is GE’s program to adopt
underperforming public high schools near several of its major U.S. Facilities. The company
contributes between $250, 000 and $1 million over a five-year period to each school and makes
in-kind donations as well GE managers and employees take an active role by working with school
administrators to assess needs and mentor or tutor students. The graduation rate of these
schools almost doubled during this time period. Effective corporate citizenship initiatives such as
this one create goodwill and improve relations with local governments and other important
constituencies. What’s more, GE’s employees feel great pride in their participation. Their effect is
inherently limited though. No matter how beneficial the program is, it remains incidental to the
company's business, and the direct effect on GE’s recruiting and retention is modest.
F
Microsoft is a good example of a shared-value opportunity arising from investments in context.
The shortage of information technology workers is a significant constraint on Microsoft’s growth,
currently, there are more than 450,000 unfilled IT positions in the United States alone.
Community colleges, representing 45% of all U.S . Undergraduates, could be a major solution.
Microsoft recognizes, however, that community colleges face special challenges: IT curricula are
not standardized, technology used in classrooms is often outdated, and there are no systematic
professional development programs to keep faculty up to date. In addition to contributing money
and products, Microsoft sent employee volunteers to colleges to assess needs, contribute to
curriculum development, and create faculty development institutes. Note that in this case,
volunteers and assigned staff were able to use their core professional skills to address a social
need, a far cry from typical volunteer programs. Microsoft has achieved results that havebenefited many communities while having a direct-and potentially significant-impact on the
company.
G
At the heart of any strategy is a unique value proposition: a set of needs a company can meet
for its chosen customers that others cannot. The most strategic CSR occurs when a company adds
a social dimension to its value proposition, making social impact integral to the overall strategy
Consider Whole Foods Market, whose value proposition is to sell organic, natural, and healthy
food products to customers who are passionate about food and the environment. Whole Foods’
commitment to natural and environmentally friendly operating practices extends well beyond
sourcing. Stores are constructed using a minimum of virgin raw materials. Recently, the company
purchased renewable wind energy credits equal to 100% of its electricity use in all of its stores
and facilities, the only Fortune 500 Company to offset its electricity consumption entirely. Spoiled
produce and biodegradable waste are trucked to regional centers for composting. Whole Foods’
vehicles are being converted to run on biofuels. Even the cleaning products used in its stores are
environmentally friendly. And through its philanthropy, the company has created the Animal
Compassion Foundation to develop more natural and humane ways of raising farm animals. In
short, nearly every aspect of the company’s value chain reinforces the social dimensions of its
value proposition, distinguishing Whole Foods from its competitors.
Choose the correct heading for paragraphs A-G from the list below Write the correct number,i-xi, in boxes 14-20 on your answer sheet
List of Headings
I How CRS may help one business to expand
ii CRS in many aspect of a company’s business
Iii A CRS initiative without a financial gain
Iv Lack of action by the state of social issues
V Drives or pressures motivate companies to address CSR
Vi the past illustrates business are responsible for future outcomes
Vii Companies applying CRS should be selective
Viii Reasons that business and society benefit each other
14 Paragraph A
15 Paragraph B
16Paragraph C
17Paragraph D
18Paragraph E
19Paragraph F
20Paragraph G
The implement of CSR, HOW?
Promotion of CRS requires the understanding of interdependence between business and society. Corporations workers’ productivity generally needs health care, Education, and given 21----Restrictions imposed by government and companies both protect consumers from being treated unfairly. Improvement of the safety standard can reduce the 22---of accidents in the workplace. Similarly society becomes a pool of more human needs and aspirations.
23-26
LIST OF COMPANIES
A general electronics
B Microsoft
C Whole foods market
23 The disposable waste
24 the way company purchases as goos
25 helping the undeveloped
26 ensuring the people have the latest information