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Planet, People and Profits

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Recently, whether businesses should have social responsibility has become a controversial issue in the worldwide. There is no denying that the significance of differentiating products and services to stand out in a crowded marketplace for the sake of maximizing the profit. However, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) which has becomes a fashion around the world defined as the voluntary commitment by business to manage its activities in a responsible way1. For me, it is a good idea for corporations to practice social responsibility on planet, people, not just on profit. To begin with, have you seen a red logo written as “ Caring Company” on some leaflets or organization websites? It is a scheme that embodies a culture of genuine caring through actions and deeds at all levels of its organization and appreciates the importance of giving back to the local communities they serve2. According to the statistic, a total of 2,768 companies were recognized earlier this year in Hong Kong3. The number makes it clear that giving to the society has taken a high priority in corporate decision- making. To put the matter simply, about 2800 companies could show their responsibilities in 2014, I firmly believe that giving back to the society is no longer a handicap to the companies. Therefore, profit is hardly to be an excuse and responsibility is likely to be a trend in business. Furthermore, businesses could increase their profits by make a social or environmental difference through their decisions. Why should business care about CSR, simply because their customers do. A survey conducted by Landor Associates4, the branding company, found that 77% of consumers say it is important for companies to be socially responsible. In addition, Milton Friedman, the economist and Nobel laureate, written an article in The New York Times Magazine in 1970 titled, “The Social Responsibility of Business Is to Increase Its Profits.” 5He pointed out that invol

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