Examples of Corporate Citizenship

Examples of Corporate Citizenship

            Companies have devised a number of different definitions of corporate citizenship.

Abbott Laboratories

Global citizenship reflects how a company advances its business objectives, engages its stakeholders, implements its policies, applies its social investment and philanthropy, and exercises its influence to make reductive contributions to society. At Abbott, global citizenship also means thoughtfully balancing financial, environmental and social responsibilities with providing quality health care worldwide. Our programs include public education; environment, health and safety; and access to health care. These efforts reflect an engagement and partnership with stakeholders in the pursuit of sustainable solutions to challenges facing the global community.

AT&T

For AT&T, corporate citizenship means caring about the communities it is involved with, keeping the environment healthy, making AT&T a safe and rewarding place to work and behaving ethically in all its business dealings.

Coca-Cola

Responsible corporate citizenship is at the heart of The Coca-Cola Promise, which is based on four core values - in the marketplace, the workplace, the environment and the community:

Ø      Marketplace: Coca Cola will follow to the uppermost ethical practices, significant that the excellence of our products, the reliability of our brands and the commitment of our employees develop trust and make stronger relationships. Coca Cola will provide people who enjoy Coca Cola products by way of superb customer service, innovation, and respect for the unique cultures and customs in the societies where Coca Cola do business.

Ø      Workplace: Coca Cola will deal each other with self-respect, respect and fairness. Coca Cola will promote a complete environment that promotes all employees to perform and develop to their fullest potential, coherent with a promise to human rights in Coca Cola workplace.

Ø      Environment: Coca Cola will carry out business in such ways that defend and maintain the environment. Coca Cola will incorporate rules of environmental stewardship and sustainable development into its business processes and decisions.

Ø      Community: Coca Cola will contribute its expertise, time, and resources to assist build up sustainable societies in partnership with national leaders. Coca Cola will try to enhance the quality of life by way of locally-relevant plan wherever Coca Cola do business.

DHL

DHL takes its definition of Corporate Citizenship from the World Economic Forum: Corporate citizen is about the contribution a company makes to society through its core business activities, its social investment and philanthropy programs, and its engagement in public policy.

Texas Instruments

Beyond the bottom line, the worth of a corporation is reflected in its impact in the community. At TI our philosophy is simple and dates back to our founding fathers. Giving back to the communities where « operate makes them better places to live and work, in turn making them better places to do business. TI takes its commitment seriously and actively participates in community involvement through three ways - philanthropy, civic leadership and public policy and grass roots efforts.

Corporate Citizenship And Corporate Social Responsibility

Corporate Citizenship

Corporate citizenship is the business strategy that shapes the values underpinning a company's mission and the choices made each day by its executives, managers and employees as they engage with society. Three core principles define the essence of corporate citizenship, and every company should apply them in a manner appropriate to its distinct needs: minimizing harm, maximizing benefit, and being accountable and responsive to stakeholders.

Much of the debate in recent years about corporate social responsibility has been framed in terms of corporate citizenship, partly because of unease about using words like ethics and responsibility in the context of business decisions. Is has been suggested that there are three perspectives or corporate citizenship.

1 – Limited view

This is based on voluntary philanthropy undertaken in the business's interests. The main stakeholder groups that the corporate citizen engages with are local communities and employees. Citizenship in action takes the form of limited focus projects.

2 – Equivalent view

This is based on a wider general definition of corporate social responsibility that is partly voluntary and partly imposed. The organization focuses on a broad range of stakeholders and responds to the demands of society. Self-interest is not the primary motivation; instead the organization is focused on legal requirements and ethical fulfillment.

3 – Extended view

This view is based round a partly voluntary, partly imposed view of active social and political citizenship Corporations must respect citizens' rights, particularly as governments have failed to provide some of the safeguards necessary for their society's citizens. Corporations are the most powerful institutions in society. Again the focus is on a wide range of stakeholders, with a combination of self interest promoting corporate power (and responding to political campaigns aimed at corporations), and wider responsibility towards society.

Under the extended view, organizations will promote:

Ø      Social rights of citizens by provision (for example provision of decent working conditions)

Ø   Civil rights, by intervening to promote citizens' individual rights themselves or to pressurize governments to promote citizens' rights

Ø  Political rights by channeling (allowing individuals to promote their causes by using corporate power)