Have a look at the wide variety of stakeholders that form a key component of Mallen Baker's definition of CSR, including the diagram at http://mallenbaker.net/csr/definition.php. How can an organization begin to balance such an array of competing stakeholder interests?
What is your source for Google (url).
According to Mallen Barker and his definition of CSR companies are responsible for the management of their business and the positive or negative social impact they can cause. Based on this principle, if an organization wants to maintain a balance between the best interests of all stakeholders it will have to start by maintaining quality of management. In other words, CSR is a company’s commitment to the performance of improving the quality of life for the community and a society. A good example is the company Google and their famous charter “Don’t be evil.” By always keeping to their charter, and having it be so simple that they can often easily answer to themselves about whether certain actions fall under their ideals, Google was able to make the difficult task of balancing the interest of all stake holders more manageable. I believe that by clearly stating and documenting simple values to be followed a company can look to do what is right in the face of competing stakeholder interests, and feel comfortable in the decisions they make.
2.
Look at some of the causes that Ben & Jerry's promotes at http://www.benjerry.com/activism/inside-the-pint/.
a. Do you agree with a firm adopting such blatant social causes? Do their positions make you more or less likely to buy their ice cream?
b. Do you think Ben & Jerry's does a good job of interacting with its stakeholders and presenting its stakeholder approach on its website?
c. Did Unilever's assurances that Ben & Jerry's approach would not change after they bought the company in August 2000 do