Armbruster
WRIT 2072
Spring 2006

Exercise 2

The goal of this assignment is for you to define "corporate social responsibility" (CSR).   Look briefly at the web sites listed below, which each address CSR from a different perspective.   Note how each site seems to be defining CSR (directly and indirectly).   Questions to think about include

·             What does a corporation have to do to be considered socially responsible?  

·             Why should corporations be social responsible?  

·             Who benefits when they are?   

In 1-2 pages (250-500 words), briefly explain how the different definitions of CSR which you find compare:   Is there anything about CSR on which they all seem to agree?   What are the points of disagreement or difference, if any?   Overall, how would you define CSR?

Due in class Thursday, February 2 nd .

1) Interfaith Center for Corporate Responsibility: http://www.iccr.org/

2) Business for Social Responsibility: http://www.bsr.org/

You may find the Issue Briefs (available under CSR Resources or at http://www.bsr.org/CSRResources/IssueBriefsList.cfm?area=all ) especially helpful.

3) World Bank:   Corporate Governance and Corporate Social Responsibility: http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/WBI/WBIPROGRAMS/CGCSRLP/0,,menuPK:460901~pagePK:64156143~piPK:64154155~theSitePK:460861,00.html

4) McDonald's Corporate Responsibility: http://www.mcdonalds.com/corp/values/socialrespons.html

5) CS Compass: http://www.cscompass.com/