Social Responsibility is a concept that lends the idea to companies and corporations that they should have practices and act upon things that have a positive outcome or repercussion is society, rather than be solely focused on maximizing profits (Investopedia, 2015).
Company Q is facing an ethical dilemma by not wanting to donate left over food, specifically the higher-priced health foods, to food shelters because they believe their employees may lie about donating it.
Company Q is demonstrating a negative social responsibility. They are demonstrating this in two ways. First, by closing their branches in high-crime areas, they are leaving a void for the public. Higher-crimes areas are typically littered with low-income areas and families. When Company Q sells their healthier items at a higher-price in high-crime/low-income areas, there will be a need that people cannot have met which may result in theft, which could explain Company Q’s loss of profit. Secondly, by refusing to donate excess food to food shelters, Company Q gives off the impression that a profit of any kind is better than helping a neighbor in need. Company Q does not demonstrate compassion in the act of throwing out the food, which is still edible, because this action will result in the food not being used by anyone.
Company Q can implement three strategies of thinking to help improve their social responsibility, reduce employee theft, and better their reputation for their brand; those strategies are nurturing company and employee loyalty, implementing an employer-match program, and joining a reach-out movement in their community. By implanting these strategies to development a better brand name, Company Q could increase sales and profits, while still practicing excellent social responsibility.
First, Company Q can nurture company and employee loyalty. What this means is, help employees know that Company Q appreciates their work ethics and cares about them. Company Q can show this appreciate in many ways, including sending employees a card on their birthday, public displays of recognition for good work, and company activities, like an occasional holiday party, doing a weekly employee spotlight to get to know an employee, etc. These may seem like small gestures, but individuals like to feel important and cared for. By doing these, an employee will develop feelings of trust with company Q, resulting in wanting the company to succeed and should reduce any theft the company may be experiencing on behalf of employee theft.
Second, Company Q, instead of feeling obligated to donate or not donate all of its high-priced health foods can participate in an employee/employer match program. This program could have employees donate food for food shelters near by and Company Q could match the weight of the food their employee donates. This encourages social responsibility in the employee, by encouraging them to donate food items, and gives a good impression of the company when Company Q matches the donation. This solves the problem of Company Q not wanting to donate any and all of its expired merchandise, encourages employees to better themselves and the company, see the difference they are making in society, and cushion’s Company Q’s loss of any unsold merchandise.
Lastly, Company Q can participate in other out-reach programs besides donating food. There are plenty of projects available that involve not purchase necessary besides donating their time. If Company Q employees donated time to sorting food items the food shelter receives, they could have a good impression of the items needed by those who need to utilize the free-food services; which could lead Company Q to designate a few of their items to food charity after it is no longer fit to be on their shelves to sell.
In summary, although Company Q may currently have a negative social responsibility attitude by not wanting to jeopardize any profit margin by donating high-priced health foods to a food shelf, and their fear of employee theft if they did, there are many other options available to them to reduce employee theft, increase their positive footprint in social responsibility and increase employee loyalty and positive actions.

References

Investopedia. (2015). Social Responsibility. Retrieved February 2015, from Investopedia: http://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/socialresponsibility.asp