taking action 
| Corporate Social Responsibility |
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 Members of the Voiceless team discuss a strategy for encouraging companies to include animal protection concerns in their corporate social responsibility plansThe definitions of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) are many and varied. However a definition that perhaps captures the essence of CSR is that adopted by the UK Government which suggests that CSR consists of: “voluntary actions that business can take, over and above compliance with minimum legal requirements, to address both its own competitive interests and the interests of wider society.”[i] Although CSR is consistent with good business ethics, it has been widely embraced because it can be a valuable form of competitive advantage and a positive contributor to business success.[ii] CSR has been recognised as a component in “build[ing] brand value, foster[ing] customer loyalty, improv[ing] staff efficiency and morale, and creat[ing] goodwill among a wide range of stakeholders.”
The concept of Corporate Social Responsi bility (CSR) has not been enshrined in law in Australia, however CSR has become a core component of the way that many businesses conduct their everyday practices. This is largely due to the lifting of both the corporate veil and the “shroud of secrecy” that has traditionally enveloped the board room.[iv] In recent years, directors and managers everywhere have found themselves subject to increased reporting requirements and public scrutiny by stakeholders, NGOS and the media.[v] In fact, CSR is now so ingrained in modern corporate culture that Clive Crook of The Economist, has suggested it would be “a challenge to find a recent annual report of any big international company that justifies the firm’s existence merely in terms of profit rather than “service to the community”.[vi] Please follow this link to find out about CSR and Animals.
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