Corporate Social Responsibility a real need or just a tool to polish companies’images and a way to keep restless managers busy until retirement ? What do you think ?

In a 400 words report show on one hand how CSR is a need and a real improvement and on the other hand demonstrate that it could easily be seen as lipservice.

“Corporate social responsibility is a concept whereby organizations consider the interests of society by taking responsibility for the impact of their activities on customers, suppliers, employees, shareholders, communities and other stakeholders, as well as the environment.”

This current topic is subject to much debate and criticism. On one hand proponents believed that CSR is a real improvement. They think that Companies need to operate with a larger and longer perspective instead of carrying only about short term profits and some sort of hypocrisies coming from the companies. On the other hand, critics argue that CSR can be seen as lipservice and distracts Companies from the real economic role of businesses.

I think because of the globalization, there is a kind of harmonization of all Companies. Thus firms need to distance themselves from rivals by first giving a good image. After a lot of scandals, we are living now a revolution which is changing the rules of doing business. Thanks to CSR, companies can change their reputation, become more responsible and care about consequences of their own actions and making profit in the long term.

Let’s focus on Starbucks which adopted not only an environment friendly policy but also a social policy. In 2008, Starbucks was ranked 15 on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's list of Top 25 Green Power Partners for purchases of renewable energy. This good image encourages people to consume products from Starbucks and people to work in this Company. Indeed people are interested more and more in working in a firm they are proud of.

Nike has been criticized for using a child labor with