CSR Text

A code of conduct all rational beings should follow.

Describes the moral codes of a group or society.

Moral principles are universally true and objective.

Moral principles are context-dependent and vary by situation.

Ethical theory focusing on the greatest good for the greatest number.

Problems of quantifying outcomes, distribution of benefits, and the complexities of the theory.

Principle-based ethics, emphasizing universal moral duties and principles.

Morality founded on universal principles of right and wrong.

An agreement between members of society and those who govern it, establishing relationships, rights, and responsibilities based on fairness.

Western modernist ethical theories are often criticized for being too abstract, too objective, and elitist.

Virtue ethics emphasizes individual character and the development of virtuous traits for a good life.

Post-modern ethics argue that ethics are context-specific and guided by internal morality.

Postmodern ethics locate morality in an emotional impulse toward others, rather than rationality.

The four stages of ethical decision making from a rationalist perspective are: 1) Moral awareness, 2) Moral judgment, 3) Moral intent, and 4) Moral action.

Consequentialist reasoning, often used in business, focuses on the consequences of actions, using a cost-benefit analysis to determine the best outcome.

Ethical decision making is influenced by individual factors (unique characteristics of a person) and situational factors (features of the person's environment or the issue).

The Theory of Cognitive Moral Development proposes three levels of moral reasoning: pre-conventional, conventional, and post-conventional, based on cognitive capacity.

Locus of control refers to an individual's belief in their ability to control their life.

Personal values are individual beliefs about desirable behaviors and goals that influence decision making.

Moral imagination is the ability to creatively consider the consequences, resolutions, and issues related to moral decisions.

Social consensus, temporal immediacy, and proximity are factors that influence moral intensity, making ethical issues more salient.

Moral framing is the use of language to mask or expose the ethical nature of decisions.

Strategies for justifying or denying unethical behavior include denial of injury, appeal to higher loyalties, and metaphor of the ledger.

A corporate governance model where market forces like shareholder activism and competition influence corporate behavior.

The trend towards a unified approach to corporate governance across different countries, despite some variations.

Differences in corporate governance practices and regulations across different countries, even when those systems appear similar.

When companies deviate from expected corporate governance standards due to internal pressures, such as profit maximization or short-term gains.

Board members actively involved in the day-to-day running of the company and represent the interests of shareholders.

Board members who oversee the company's strategic direction and act as a check on executive management. They are independent of management.

The non-executive board members should be free from any bias or influence from management, ensuring objective decision-making.

Incentive programs where senior managers are given the option to buy company shares at a fixed price, encouraging them to increase company value.

The practice of using confidential information to gain advantage in stock trading, raising significant ethical concerns about fairness and market integrity.

Digital currencies like Bitcoin offer financial benefits but also raise ethical concerns about their potential use in illegal activities.

A system of finance based on Islamic values, prohibiting activities like charging interest and engaging in certain speculative transactions.

A labor market where individuals are hired for short-term, project-based work, often involving a high degree of flexibility and autonomy.

A complex form of exploitation involving forced labor, often accompanied by control, dehumanization, and restricted freedom of movement.

Obligations of employees towards their employer derived from employment contracts and broader legal frameworks.

Proactive measures to target under-represented groups in an organization's workforce, aiming to improve diversity and inclusion.

Employees' right to be informed about potential redundancies due to the corporation's information policy.

The financial and non-financial benefits offered to employees who are made redundant.

Employees' fundamental right to a workplace that is not harmful to their health and safety.

Working patterns offering flexibility in time, location, and tasks.

Competition between nations to attract foreign investment by weakening social & environmental standards.

Empowering employees through job enrichment and enlargement to promote worker agency and satisfaction.

An employees' preferred balance between work and non-work activities.

The principle that the buyer is responsible for ensuring the quality of goods.

Increased national, EU, and UN regulations to protect consumers from unfair practices.

Pricing issues that violate consumer rights, involving collusion or unfair fees.

Principles guiding advertising practices to prevent unsafe practices, distress, and offense.

Ethical considerations about the intrusiveness, artificial needs, and social impacts of marketing communications.

Deliberately obscuring the true cost of a product to mislead consumers.

The state of being unable to make informed purchase decisions due to various factors.

Consumers' right to control the collection, storage, use, and sharing of their personal information.

A dynamic and relational framework extending beyond linear functions, operations, and transactions to produce goods or products.

Situations where an individual's or a firm's personal interests clash with their professional or organizational obligations.

Strategies used during negotiations that violate ethical principles, such as lying, distracting, or withholding information.

Negative outcomes of using unethical practices in negotiations, including damaged relationships, a tarnished reputation, and lost opportunities.

Questions raised about the ethical implications of gathering information about competitors, particularly when methods are questionable, information is confidential, or the purpose is not in public interest.

The challenge of protecting the privacy of individuals within corporations, made difficult by the boundaryless nature of corporations and the difficulty of controlling information in public spaces.

Unethical competitive tactics employed by businesses, such as negative advertising, customer poaching, and predatory pricing.

A system of exchange guaranteeing producers in developing countries a living wage, decent working conditions, and opportunities for community development.

Closed-loop systems that aim to recapture and reuse resources, minimizing waste and maximizing sustainability.

Interconnected networks of companies and industries that cooperate to share resources and reduce waste, promoting sustainability.

The ongoing approval and acceptance of a company's activities by society, especially among local communities and civil societies.

Strategies used by civil society organizations (CSOs) to achieve their goals, including indirect action (research & communication), violent direct action (physical attacks), and non-violent direct action (boycotts).

A strategy used by CSOs to encourage positive corporate actions by rewarding companies with positive publicity or support.

The process of transferring publicly owned companies to private ownership, often involving ethical, social, and commercial considerations.

The ability of large companies to influence governments by threatening to move their operations to other countries with more favorable regulations.

Globalisation has led to increased scrutiny of business operations in authoritarian regimes, weakened national government legislation in some countries to attract companies, and strengthened transnational regimes.

The rise of private regulations, often driven by cost-effectiveness and a faster approach to achieving objectives, is a trend in business.

A standard promoting social responsibility that focuses on collaborative processes, emphasizes process over outcomes, and favors frameworks over specific norms.

The UN Global Compact, a framework for responsible business practices, includes principles for human rights, labor standards, environmental protection, and anti-corruption.

The UN Global Compact does not explicitly cover commercial performance, focusing instead on ethical and social issues.

Advantages of private regulations include their faster pace, cost-effectiveness, and proactive approach to achieving objectives.

A form of consumer activism where individuals intentionally purchase products or services from companies that align with their values, in contrast to boycotts.

The use of digital tools and platforms, such as social media, websites, and online marketing, to reach and engage consumers.

Common critiques of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) include imposing agendas without understanding local contexts, focusing on donors rather than beneficiaries, lacking beneficiary feedback, and spending too much time on performance measures.

A business model that prioritizes achieving social and environmental goals while generating revenue, striving to balance profit with purpose.

The act of giving money or resources to charitable causes, often through donations or grants.

CSOs collaborate with businesses because it provides access to more resources, opens routes to markets and consumers, complements government aid, and can help mitigate negative publicity.

Unequal distribution of power or resources in a partnership, which can lead to one party dominating or exploiting the other.

When a CSO loses its independence or integrity by becoming overly influenced by a business partner, potentially compromising its mission.

Different approaches to creating a social enterprise include the Entrepreneurial Non-Profit Model, the Social Cooperative Model, the Social Business Model, and the Private Sector Social Enterprise Model.

Not just the relationship between CSOs and businesses, but also includes monitoring the outcomes and consequences of their collaboration.

The strength and influence of civil society differ across regions, with areas like Russia and China having less developed civil society compared to countries like Britain.

Government-backed regulations enforced through legal systems, often with sanctions for noncompliance.

Rules and standards established by organizations like companies, industry groups, and CSOs, emphasizing self-regulation.

A company's actions to influence government or public policy through various methods, like lobbying, political advertisements, and campaign contributions.

Businesses utilize different approaches to influence government policies by tailoring their communication, targeting specific decision-makers, and choosing public or private outreach strategies.