Comments on: Corporate social responsibility, does it work?

By: Juan Jacobs

Juan Jacobs — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 17:46:54 +0000

The important aspect of CSR is about finding the balance between community upliftment and company’s reason for investment. This is about an intro-spection of why they are doing CSR. This is not an easy process as this means that company’s need find out what is their social responsibility. CSR is not necessarily related to the bottom line in money and cents. Yes is can be related, but there is a wider role that they need to play.

Companies need to realise that it is more than just a PR function. Yes that economic motivation is a springboard, but it needs to be explored is the wider arena of sustainability.

Do companies realise the complexity when they invest in CSR. Do they understand what is means for the spectrum of sustainability?

By: jordansnyc

jordansnyc — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 09:04:38 +0000

The Corporate social responsibility always worked for the society for the mankind of people. And it always works with the denotation and the corporation of the people that living in the society. The Governments also participate in the local social responsibilities.

By: pete ess

pete ess — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 11:17:48 +0000

Corporates (and the cellphones co’s are obvious examples) take a product that costs R1 and sell it for R20. They then give R1 to charity (or some high-profile event) and claim CSR kudos. We need regulation over our greedy corporates. laissez faire has failed (its overwhelming success in the number of billionaires is clear evidence). The fact that they also take R1 and give it to compliant politicians further muddies the water and skews the playing field.

By: Twitted by ACT_on_CLIMATE

Twitted by ACT_on_CLIMATE — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 09:32:25 +0000

[...] This post was Twitted by ACT_on_CLIMATE [...]

By: Aamirz

Aamirz — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 07:13:24 +0000

The social responsibilities applicable for every person in the community and its always works with the corporation of the people . Its work hardly when people commit to work for it…

By: Kanthan Pillay

Kanthan Pillay — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 06:21:24 +0000

@Llewellyn who said: “Bearing mind all CSR is tax-deductible & thus zero-cost to company, there is no philanthropy involved.”

The second part of your sentence is not true at all. “Tax deductible” means it lowers your taxable income.

Eg: if out of R100, I normally pay 22% tax = R22
If I spend R10 on CSR, I only pay tax on R90. So I pay R10 to CSR plus R19.80 to the taxman. Total spend R29.80

By: Jessop Sutton

Jessop Sutton — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 10:02:53 +0000

To say that CSR, as many point out is tax deductable, may not be whole picture. The corporation saves the potential tax portion only. The balance of the expenditure is still a business expense affecting profit. It will be recovered in margins to keep the dividend payouts on the upward trend and shareholders happy.

By: Joe Moer

Joe Moer — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 12:52:46 +0000

Pieter Vlietstra has put it in a nutshell, as a business owner I feel that housing ,hospitals and schools for my employees is absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with me.I run my business full stop finish and klaar.I really don’t give a damn how they get to work or where they live, that is NOT MY responsibility, all I want is that they come to work and do the job for which they are paid.Corporate citizenship is just another means by which the government can give up their responsibilities and blame their shortcomings on business.

By: Hugh Robinson

Hugh Robinson — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 18:54:09 +0000

CSR as many point out is tax deductable. An Advertisement with selling potentual with the added benifit of screwing the paying public for that extra Rand profit.

Vodacom spends hundreds of millions in sponsordhip. Who is really paying for that. Their customers.

By: peter vlietstra

peter vlietstra — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 13:28:55 +0000

Corporations must act within the law and pay tax. Social responsibilty and policing the law is the responsibility of govenment. Where is our government?