The Rise of CSR-Companies with a social conscience

Corporate social responsibility(CSR)describes the social role a company plays in society.

According to Adam Garfunkel, who spoke with us on CSR.
CSR is: What you do, how you do it and when and what you say about it. I agree that sums up CSR especially from a PR perspective.

It goes without saying that companies that are more people oriented are more profitable in the long run. The community in which a company is located is crucial because it supplies workforce, provides essential services and if angered can impose restraints on the company.

Moloney(2006)draws a distinction between CSR and philanthropy. According to him,while public relations draws attention to CSR activities to enhance an organisation's reputation,this goes against the private altruism of philanthropy.
I think CSR and philanthropy go hand in hand. If a company safeguards the environmental, social or even cultural aspects of it's community, it is looking after the best interests of the people: which is philanthropy.

Who sets the agenda for CSR activities within a company? I asked Adam how companies decide what they want to be socially responsible for. He said company's should form CSR activities according to their risks and not just jump on the bandwagon of what's going on in the media.

The government through company acts have enforced risk assessment for companies now, which will go a long way in companies taking CSR seriously.

Some companies have been quite smart and risen on the wave of their CSR activities to enhance their reputations,thus increasing their profit.