Business Ethics Flashcards
What is corporate social responsibility
Corporate social responsibility refers to the idea that businesses have ethical responsibilities in their own conduct and to the wider community. This wider community refers to stakeholders
What is a stakeholder
A stakeholder refers to any person who is affected by the day to day activities of a corporation. This includes suppliers, employees, customers, families of employees
Who proposed ideas on how we can improve our CSR
In an important address known as “a blueprint for better business?’ Cardinal Vincent Nichols gave 7 commandments which show us what good CSR requires
- 7 principles
What are the 7 principles in the blueprint for better business
- human dignity
- the common good
- solidarity
- subsidiary
- fraternity
- reciprocity
- sustainability
Expand on human dignity
- human dignity refers to the idea that we should place the needs of workers and people above all other things
- based on the notion that we are made in gods image
- cardinal vincent Nichols said “a person can never merely be a instrument to be valued in terms of their usefulness
Expand on the common good
- this is the idea that business should strive for the common good
- this common good is a set of social responsibilities which people to develop individually and communally
- this is moving beyond profit and for the good of people
Expand on solidarity
- this is the idea that all people are interdependent on each other, we need and require each other and are responsible for each other
- links to donnes idea that no man is an island
Expand on subsidiarity
this is a notion discussed by pope pius XI
- Principle states that decisions should be made at the lowest level compatible with efficiency
- for example, when deciding whether a village needs a new bench, those who live in the village should be the ones to make that decision, not a central body who knows nothing abt the needs of the village
Who supports the idea of subsidiarity (quote)
JS MILL
“may not do the task particularly well, nevertheless desirable it is done by them”
Expand on fraternity
- this refers to the idea that we should treat everyone like they are our brothers,
For CVN, this is showing fellowship to those of a different culture - William temple fraternity is a social glue
Reciprocity
- give everyone what is due and be willing to go further than our duty of justice, be willing to be charitable
Expand on sustainability
- sustainability stresses our duty to future generations
- we need to maintain the earth and its resources for the further generations