Responsibility As A Society Set

Responsibility as a society set

Introduction

The dynamics of the different markets globally is one of the causes for companies to be in constant changes, not only at the technological level, infrastructure, human resource, but also in the way of leading and administering; Looking for more conscious, ethical and social strategies for the development of the company’s own activities. Seeking to integrate the good of the company, and mitigate the negative impacts that operability generates on society both internally and external.

The term corporate social responsibility is born and becomes important thanks to the social pressure that many sectors exert on companies, not only due to environmental issues, but also due to working conditions and the true purpose of the product.

Corporate social responsibility, has demonstrated its importance thanks to the different studies and strategies created by different sectors, which make an invitation to make companies unite and be social taxpayers. However, there are difficulties for its implementation, especially in Latin America, this because of business culture; However, it is not an impediment to advance and observe the long -term benefits that these strategies can generate in companies.

In Colombia, models have been developed for easy implementation, evaluation and monitoring, in order to allow companies to advance at the organizational level, the generation of positive impacts at the social level and better negotiations at the international level.

Corporate Social Responsibility, its implementation, a true challenge

Corporate or corporate social responsibility is a term that has its appearance for the first time in the United States at the end of the 50s and early 60s, where there is recognition of the health risks that companies generated both their workers and To the environment and the inhabitants close to the company, for this reason companies began to give information about their social responsibility and these became the first social balance sheets.

In March 2000, the European Commission announced the Green Book to promote a European framework for the responsibility of companies, for a voluntary decision to contribute to the achievement of a better society and a cleaner environment and this defined it as " Voluntary integration by companies of social and environmental concerns in their commercial operations and their relationships with their interlocutors.

The Catholic Church has also expressed its own concepts through its social doctrine and the writings of its different hierarchs such as John Paul II in the Encyclical Centesimus Annus in 1991 where he wrote “the benefit is a regulator of the life of the life of the life of the life of the business, but it’s not the only one. Human and moral factors should also be considered that in the long term they are equally important for the company’s life ”

In Latin America, this process has also joined, however, it is a more arduous work because cultural transformation and changes in policies are also required. According to the Multilateral Investment Fund Member of the Inter -American Development Bank, Latin America shows a high level of inequality in workers’ income, lower capacity of institutions and business climate is less favorable.

And when we approach the Colombian panorama we see that it is no different from the rest of Latin America, however, there are opportunities that must be recognized to be used correctly and there are greater benefits for society in general.

Corporate or corporate social responsibility is part of the responsibilities that company has with society beyond economic management and its legal obligations, it is also its commitment to the economic development of its employees, suppliers and community.

For the proper application of this type of strategies in companies, the goodwill and ethics of its administrators and shareholders are very important, since it requires a radical change in the concepts and the way of carrying the activities. Leaders must have a real commitment to the beginning of the actions, in the same way they must have and accept the current condition of the company and where you want to reach.

For the proper application of work strategies or plans, it is important to make a thorough diagnosis of each of the company’s processes, in order to make an adequate work plan design. A good diagnosis will be an indicator where the organization is located and what really needs to implement.

To carry out this evaluation it is important to determine different parameters, that evaluate the true behavior of the company at the social level, from the different points such as its autonomy, the social articulation and the positioning of the company.

• Autonomy represents how the company behaves internally and in its policies and verifies that each of the activities meets the established parameters.
• The social articulation shows us how the company relates to the different actors or subjects including the management of information and the actions taken on this.
• The social positioning of the company is defined as the image and qualification of the company at the social level according to its practices and its impact.

Thanks to these results and their respective analysis, the design of the actions can be started, which would be the strategies to be implemented, however, the implementation stage has many factors that can lead to culminate successfully or to failure, partly depends of design and in another will, discipline, resources and other external factors that influence, obtaining the expected results at an economic, social and environmental level.

According to the London Benchmarking Group Model, he proposes 3 strategies that can serve as a model:

• Actions in the business chain: Impact on suppliers, contractors and customers.
• Basic business policies and practices that affect all process actors.
• Involvement with the community, association with community and charitable organizations.

However, there are other strategies that in its implementation have remarkable results worldwide:

• Pyramid base markets: directs all its strategies and plans to the less favored population.
• Supply chain: The main idea is to potentiate the growth of other associations that serve the company.
• CSR cluster: they are groups of different natural persons or organizations that promote the standardization of practices and the benefits are mutual.
• Socially responsible marketing: ideas for the benefit of society.

When analyzing all these strategies developed by different guilds and the same companies demonstrates the will to promote positive social impact practices, where a large part of society benefit and where ethical principles are a pillar.

When the most convenient strategies are defined, work plans, process design, assurance and communication of all implementation continue to develop. All these steps and their adequate articulation seek to eliminate activities with low social, economic environmental value and their main objective is to potentiate those actions or activities that increase social and economic value.

All the strategies implemented must contain both social, and satisfaction indicators, which evaluated together and with the correct analysis must direct the monitoring and implementation of strategies so that the company achieves its social objective, but without losing its autonomy.

In addition to measuring and monitoring, the actions implemented must have a legal support or comply with quality parameters, which for the current date have become minimum parameters especially for commercial transactions. In addition, they have become a guide, they generate trust and help entrepreneurs in international negotiations.

There are several technical standards created with the objective of guaranteeing adequate compliance with promises and also as guides for implementation.

• ISO 9000 Technical Standard: Quality guarantee for goods and services
• ISO 14000 Technical Standard: Quality Guarantee for Environmental Prevention and Protection.
• TECHNICAL STANDARD SA 8000: AUDITA THE COMPLIANCE OF RESPONSIBLE BEHAVIOR WITH EMPLOYEES.
• Technical Standard OHSAS 18001: Quality Guarantee and Continuous Improvement in Occupational Health and Safety.
• Standard AA 1000: Method to account, control and inform performance in social and ethical terms and their social, environmental and economic results.
• The Corporate Governance Codes: Standards of conduct that are inserted into companies.
• ISO 26000 Technical Standard: Social Responsibility. 

When the strategies are underway and results have been obtained, it is very important to generate social reports or balances, so that the community knows the scope and achievements of the strategies implemented. This properly articulated information also aims for the company to make a diagnosis of business management and also in its analysis the obtaining of improvement plans that allow greater effectiveness and correction of errors.

The creation of these models are tools that companies can implement to have a route or guide that allows them to develop their social models because it is allowed to diagnose, implement, measure, evaluate and reth moment progress is made by an objective and failures can be corrected within the same cycle.

These projects can be initiatives that improve society, while all process actors have a high commitment and highlighting ethical values, it is good that companies have these initiatives, but what are the initiatives that we have as a society apart from the protest and the pressure?

It will be that there are many initiatives of this type in our country, but in our short analysis and research we dispense them and we end up without starting. So social responsibility is also everyone’s will.

Conclusions

Corporate social responsibility is a strategy that voluntarily allows companies to contribute to the development of a better society, applying strategies, methods and guides to achieve convenient results for all involved in the process.

For the proper development of the strategic models presented, the true will and maintaining the ethical values ​​of the leaders and managers of the different corporations are very important, thus guaranteeing the transparency of the process and that does not become a model of corruption.

The strategic model proposed shows a consequent order that allows to cover all processes, generate diagnoses and evaluations that lead to more real strategies and results with greater impact thanks to the fact that it is cyclical and all the time presents follow -up and continuous improvement.

Latin America, is in the education process for the implementation of these strategies and join the world voice of environmental care and better working conditions. It is important that new professionals in all areas are trained and trained to bring these strategies to their workplaces, showing their benefits at all levels and actively participating as a social commitment.

Bibliographic references

• Yepes, G; Peña, W and Sánchez (2007). Corporate social responsibility. Fundamentals and application in today’s organizations. university extership of Colombia. Bogotá. Pp. 147-228
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