CSR, or corporate social responsibility, refers to the idea that companies should hold themselves accountable for how their policies and procedures impact the greater world at large. CSR does not have a single definition, because it is tailored to each individual company and that company’s view of how they act in a responsible position. CSR is self-regulating, insofar as it is not imposed by outside forces, at least in terms of being regulated; outside forces, such as client decisions to purchase products or services, competitor responses to corporate policies, or business partner decisions to work with a company. Of course, publicly owned companies are also responsible to their most influential stakeholder, the stockholders. Stockholders can influence corporations to engage in more socially responsible policies but can also pressure corporations to abandon socially responsible measures in the pursuit of profit.
To write about how good CSR helps the environment, cultural arts, and poverty your best approach may be to look at a company known for its CSR. CSR does not just reflect a company’s actual policies, but also how good they are at promoting those policies and using them to create a positive brand reputation. Some companies with great CSR include Netflix, Michelin, Bosch, Cannon, Sony, Microsoft, Adidas, Disney, Lego, and Rolex. To write a paper about how they create positive influences, we would select one or two of these top-rated companies and show direct examples of how they are creating positive changes in those categories. Microsoft has an art collection for employees to enjoy, pays fabulous wages, and has been carbon neutral since 2012 with projections that it will be carbon negative by 2030. However, its most interesting contribution may be its partnership with USAID and plans to end extreme poverty by 2030.