| Introduction | | | | have been looking for ways of reducing their energy |
| Social economic responsibility has evolved. The | | | | use in the atmosphere. (PG&E News |
| concept now encompasses initiatives geared at the | | | | Department, 2008) |
| public and staff members alike. Companies have | | | | Social economic responsibility towards the |
| incorporated social economic responsibility in almost all | | | | environment |
| aspects of their company operations. Suppliers are | | | | Other companies have demonstrated their social |
| now expected to have sound employee policies, the | | | | economic responsibilities by taking on eco-friendly |
| production process has been made cost efficient, | | | | initiatives. One such company was General Electric. |
| environmentally friendly and sustainable to the public. | | | | This company respected their corporate responsibility |
| Marketing campaigns have also not been left behind | | | | obligations towards creating a sustainable global |
| in terms of social economic responsibility. The essay | | | | environment. It demonstrated this by embarking on a |
| shall examine the social economic responsibility | | | | twenty billion dollar project. The project was aimed |
| initiatives taken up by large corporations within the | | | | at creating products that were easily degradable and |
| US. (Haskel, 2008) | | | | environmentally friendly. |
| Social economic responsibility depicted in humanitarian | | | | Similarly, the Coca Cola company also demonstrated |
| efforts | | | | good social economic citizenry by creating a project |
| One of the leading corporate citizens in the US is the | | | | that minimized their waste water. The company |
| Proctor and Gamble company. This company has | | | | dedicated immense resources towards a global water |
| won corporate citizenship awards for five years since | | | | stewardship initiative. This scheme involved coming up |
| 2001. Part of the reason why this company has | | | | with technologies that facilitate better use of Coca |
| managed to attract the attention of the public is due | | | | Cola's water resources. This was necessary owing to |
| to the numerous humanitarian efforts that the | | | | the fact that the company's major raw material in |
| company has engaged in. First of all, the company | | | | the production process is water. Through such an |
| has been vigilant about assisting victims of natural | | | | initiative, the company was able to reduce their global |
| disasters or those in humanitarian crises. For instance, | | | | water footprint. (Haskel, 2008) |
| Turkey was hit by an earthquake some years back. | | | | Retail companies have demonstrated their social |
| The country was overwhelmed with casualties, | | | | economic responsibility by using eco-friendly |
| therefore P&G was quick to help out. They | | | | packaging material. For instance, Mc Donald's- which is |
| donated numerous relief supplies including drinking | | | | one of the biggest fast food retailers in the country- |
| water, blankets and rescue facilities. All these went a | | | | demonstrated this concept through their new |
| long way in ensuring that the individuals involved in | | | | packaging material. In the past, the company had |
| the incident were given the best support possible. | | | | been using a large box for their North American fries. |
| (Business respect, 2004) | | | | However, after sensitizing its employees about |
| Another donation that was closely related to the | | | | corporate citizenship, the company decided to reduce |
| latter was one made towards Indian children. The | | | | this type of packaging and replaced it with recyclable |
| company realized that there were numerous children | | | | material. The program was introduced after |
| dying of malnutrition in that country, consequently, it | | | | numerous campaigns surrounding the sustainability of |
| donated a substantial amount of resources towards | | | | the country's forests. |
| curbing this problem. | | | | Walmart-the country's retail leader came up with |
| Baxter Company is also another keen corporate | | | | stores that were environmentally friendly in some |
| citizen. The company deducted a large number of | | | | major towns such as Texas. The company built |
| their human resources towards helping out patients | | | | stores that were environmentally sustainable through |
| with life threatening diseases such as cancer, immune | | | | the use of eco-material. On top of that, it established |
| disorders and kidney disorders. It did this by trying to | | | | solar panels and recyclable materials in the stores. |
| re-engineer pharmaceutical products that help those | | | | This store was one of the most eco-efficient stores |
| particular patients. On top of that, there are | | | | the company has placed under its wings. |
| numerous employees who work on biotechnological | | | | Social economic responsibility for suppliers |
| strategies aimed at helping the latter mentioned | | | | Many American companies are not just restricting |
| groups. The company has also donated its medical | | | | these social economic responsibilities to the confines |
| devices towards these programs. All this efforts led | | | | of their company facilities alone, they are extending |
| to the company's enlistment in the top one hundred | | | | these principles towards their business partners too. |
| corporate citizens list 2007. This medical company | | | | Suppliers are also expected to follow similar rules and |
| was the only company in the top twenty positions. | | | | one company that illustrated this approach was |
| (Haskel, 2008) | | | | Starbucks company. The company used to source its |
| Social economic responsibility in product development | | | | coffee from a number of third world countries such |
| Many American corporations are now changing their | | | | as Guatemala and Kenya. However, there were |
| product development strategies to incorporate their | | | | reports that coffee farmers in Guatemala used under |
| social economic responsibilities. The Proctor and | | | | age labor for their products. As soon as this |
| Gamble Company demonstrated one such example. | | | | information reached Starbucks, they stopped |
| This company introduced a new type of technology | | | | sourcing material from those producers. The |
| that allowed countries located in developing countries | | | | company explained that social economic responsibility |
| to disinfect their water. The company's spokesperson | | | | among their suppliers is essential to the success of |
| asserted that these efforts were necessary after | | | | their business. |
| realizing that close to two million children were dying | | | | Social economic responsibility can also be highlighted in |
| from water related diseases. The product was | | | | a negative manner such as was the case with the |
| available to families in the third world at a price that | | | | Nike manufacturing company. This company realized |
| those individuals could afford. Similarly, P&G | | | | that large portions of their products were being |
| introduced a commodity called Nutri Star. This | | | | assembled by under age children. This spoilt the |
| commodity was rich in micro nutrients and was | | | | company's name and also meant that the company |
| marketed in developing countries. The initiative was | | | | recorded huge losses in that regard. (Deloitte, 2008) |
| made available in those countries and went a long | | | | Social economic responsibility in employment polices |
| way in fighting malnutrition. (Business respect, 2004) | | | | Companies extend their social economic principles to |
| The Pacific Gas and Electric Company also | | | | their employee policies too. For instance, the Pacific |
| demonstrated similar initiatives. These efforts led to | | | | Gas and Electric Company employs a total of twenty |
| its awards as the number one overall corporate social | | | | thousand employees. The company ensures that all |
| responsibility leader in 2008 by PR News. They | | | | their employees understand what is expected of |
| deserved this award because of the following; The | | | | them in their tasks and functions. Frequent training |
| company dedicated a substantial amount of their | | | | programs tailored towards making their products |
| resources in creating fluorescent lamps. They | | | | socially responsible do this. The company also treats |
| distributed one million lamps to the public in order to | | | | it employees with dignity and respect. |
| make their energy consumption more sustainable. On | | | | Conclusion |
| top of that, the company offered about one | | | | Social economic responsibility can be demonstrated |
| thousand megawatts of energy to the public. This | | | | towards the public and through the internal practices |
| was made possible by a renewable energy program | | | | of a company. Some companies have demonstrated |
| that the company availed to its consumers. Besides | | | | very good intentions of taking up corporate |
| this, the company released a program known as | | | | responsibility initiatives. However, others have been |
| Climate Smart. In this program, the Pacific Gas and | | | | slow in the implementation process. It is only those |
| Electric Company gave their consumers the option of | | | | companies that identify social economic opportunities |
| making their energy expenditure environmentally | | | | that manage to do well in the industry. This means |
| sustainable. By doing this, the company was able to | | | | that companies must back up their plans and |
| provide a better product package for the clients who | | | | intentions with action. |