Corporate Social Responsibility And International Development: Is Business The Solution?

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The business of business is business. So then why should corporations be involved in development? This groundbreaking new book makes the case that that governments and their international agencies grouped under the umbrella of the UN, have failed in their attempts to rid the planet of under-development and poverty. If development is the objective then it seems that the solution and the responsibility lies with the private sector, particularly through the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs of large corporations, with their tremendous power and economic strength.This book, written by noted CSR practitioner Michael Hopkins, is the first to explicitly link CSR with development. It spells out what corporations are doing on development, what more they could do and how CSR can be a useful tool to promote economic development via corporations. This is important and challenging reading for all of those in government, business and NGOs who think that there must be a better, more effective and dynamic way to kick-start development and eradicate poverty.

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Corporate Social Responsibility and International Development Corporate Social Responsibility and International Development Is Business the Solution? Michael Hopkins London • Sterling, VA First published by Earthscan in the UK and USA in 2007 Copyright © Michael Hopkins, 2007 All rights reserved ISBN: 978-1-84407-356-6 hardback 1-84407-356-4 hardback Typesetting by Composition & Design Services Printed and bound in the UK by Bath Press, Bath Cover design by Susanne Harris Cover photos by the author – Canary Wharf, London and a Vocational School Residence near Hanoi, Vietnam For a full list of publications please contact: Earthscan 8–12 Camden High Street London, NW1 0JH, UK Tel: +44 (0)20 7387 8558 Fax: +44 (0)20 7387 8998 Email: [email protected] Web: www.earthscan.co.uk 22883 Quicksilver Drive, Sterling, VA 20166-2012, USA Earthscan publishes in association with the International Institute for Environment and Development A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Hopkins, Michael, 1945 Nov. 16Corporate social responsibility and international development : are corporations the solution? / Michael Hopkins. p. cm. ISBN-13: 978-1-84407-356-6 (hardback) ISBN-10: 1-84407-356-4 (hardback) 1. Social responsibility of business–Developing countries. 2. International business enterprises–Moral and ethical aspects–Developing countries. 3. Economic assistance–Developing countries. I. Title. HD60.5.D44H67 2006 658.4’08–dc22 2006011978 The paper used for the text pages of this book is FSC certified. FSC (the Forest Stewardship Council) is an international network to promote responsible management of the world’s forests. Printed on totally chlorine-free paper Contents List of Figures, Tables and Boxes Acknowledgements Preface List of Acronyms and Abbreviations vi viii ix xiv 1 Can CSR Pave the Way for Development? 1 2 What is CSR all About and Where is it Going? 15 3 Corporate CSR Development Case Studies: Failures and Success 44 4 Failures of Development: A Global View 96 5 Corporations Should Abandon Philanthropy and Concentrate on CSR 113 6 A Critique of CSR and Development 118 7 CSR and Poverty 130 8 Supply Chain Issues 146 9 CSR in developing countries 170 10 Limitations of International Agencies 188 11 Socially Respons
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