Democracy in Action: Corporate Citizenship (CSR)

Corporate Citizenship and CIPE

Corporate social responsibility has traditionally been equated with philanthropy. At the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE), however, corporate citizenship means more than just supporting charitable causes in communities where a company operates. As corporations develop global supply chains that extend deeper into countries with less developed political and economic institutions, many have experienced first-hand the problems that endemic corruption, lack of respect for the rule of law, and weak or non-existent property rights can have on foreign and domestic businesses alike. This issue of Democracy in Action highlights the role corporate citizenship plays in generating better economic opportunities for everyone. Learn more about corporate citizenship programs at CIPE.

Growth and Leadership Through Corporate Social Responsibility

For business leaders worldwide, these are truly challenging times. We are forced to look beyond economic pressures, and take into account political uncertainties and societal expectations. We must maintain competitiveness while we focus on corporate governance and corporate citizenship. At the same time, the bottom line continues to be a top priority: we must deliver shareholder value and profits. Our focus on operational efficiency, cost effectiveness, productivity, customer service, and innovation must be relentless. Read the rest of this article.

Moving beyond CSR: Oil Companies and Economic Development

How can multinational companies have a positive impact on developing countries? While the private sector’s traditional view has been similar to Milton Friedman’s argument that businesses do enough by providing goods and services to society, some companies are recognizing that they can increase their profits by engaging in development-focused business practices and investments. Read the rest of this article.

Rethinking Corporate Citizenship

By Anna Nadgrodkiewicz
Corporate citizenship, or corporate social responsibility (CSR), is a frequently contested issue. For one, no universally agreed upon definition of it exists, so many debates focus on what the term actually means. But more fundamentally, differences in what corporate citizenship should entail stem from divergent perceptions of the very nature of business. Read the rest of this article.

Engaging Local Businesses in Reform: The New Dimension of Global Corporate Citizenship

By Eric Hontz
In the past two decades, the drive to maintain competitive advantage and increase profitability has led many multinational corporations (MNCs) to extend their supply chains ever deeper into the developing world. As these supply networks have reached countries with less developed political and economic institutions, MNCs have found themselves working in environments with little respect for the rule of law, weak property rights – both intellectual and physical – and endemic corruption. This has created new challenges for making supply chain management economically and ethically sound. Read the rest of this article.