Editorial
Article Type: Editorial From: Social Responsibility Journal, Volume 8, Issue 3
As we write this editorial the 11th International Conference on Corporate Social responsibility has just taken place in Lahti, Finland and hosted by Lahti University of Applied Science. These conferences are an integral part of our Network activity, just as the journal is. Equally they continue to show the strength of concern for CSR from all parts of the world and the number of different disciplines from which people concerned about these issues originate. Equally the subject matter chosen by delegates to investigate is wide and diverse. This made for a rich and vibrant discussion of issues at the conference and therefore a fulfilling conference. We enjoyed, and gained great benefit from, this conference as indeed we have from all the previous conferences. And so we look forward to the next conference with anticipation.
The theme of the conference was CSR and risk management. You will be aware that in the CSR literature, corporate social responsibility is often associated with the risk management. In practice, CSR has become increasingly important part of the corporate risk management. For example in The Ernst & Young Business Risk Report 2010, social acceptance risk and CSR was mentioned as one of the top ten risks for business. From corporate risk management point-of-view,it is important that we do responsible things but also that we do things responsibly. Thus the conference was not focused only on risks associated with different CSR dimensions and activities but also CSR as a part of responsible management, especially a part of responsible risk management. The key question was not only how negative CSR impacts can be minimized but also how CSR opportunities can be maximized and CSR used as a value-enhancing concept.
This editorial is not however intended simply to extol the virtues of these conferences. Rather it is intended to set the scene to enable us to say that this same richness and variety is present in the journal and this diversity is equally as apparent in this issue as it has been in previous issues. A glance at the list of contents and their contributors will confirm this. This is one of the strengths of this journal that it attempts to – and largely succeeds– in bringing together people from a wide range of backgrounds, both disciplinary and geographically to engage in discourse about social responsibility. It is only through this discourse that we can attempt agreement and a basis for moving forward to effect change – something that all contributors are looking to achieve.
It has been one of our aims to set out a framework by which we can measure,evaluate and even discuss social responsibility and this is based on the principles of sustainability, accountability and transparency. And of course this must be set within the context of the social contract between all individuals and all organizations as a basis for civil society. All for the papers in this issue – as in previous ones – deal with this framework to a greater or lesser extent. Indeed we would argue that it is difficult to discuss social responsibility without doing so.
Our aim in the production of this journal therefore is to further the discourse of social responsibility. In doing so however it is also one of changing this global village into a global community. And in a community everyone has a voice, even those dissenting – again one of the aims of this journal.
There is nothing further to say at this point, from an editorial perspective,except to read the content and more particularly contribute to the debate.
Guler Aras, David Crowther
