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Advantages
- FOR:
- Only used as a public relations tool: Opportunity for a business to gain positive media attention in the hope of attracting more customers, greater revenue, higher turnover and happier shareholders. EG - Ben and Jerrys started as a local icecream company based on environmentally sourced ingredients, since expanding they source milk from non-animal friendly farms. Friedman: CSR isnt even necessary to gain profit and is a practice which should be left to stakeholders. "The purpose of business is to make money." too difficult to measure because no business would ever admit to it.
- Utilitarianism - Who cares if it is? The motive of CSR is irrelevant as long as a good deed is done. Eg- if a business goes fair trade and gains more profit then its a 'win win' situation. Profit is just a bonus. If stakeholders are benefiting from CSR this is good and if shareholders are getting richer this is also beneficial. JS MIll saw money as a lower pleasure so businesses should pursue human happiness instead, eg - closing down sweatshops such as Nike or Gaps.
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Disadvantages
- AGAINST:
- Kantian ethics: The motive of acting out of duty has to be genuine otherwise the act isn't truly good. eg - Cadbury's believed that they had a duty to give back to their workers - built them schools and parks. "Good will is the only pure motive." We must act out of good will and duty to ensure people arent treated as a means to an end. Good ethics and respect over profit. Duty is known to lose businesses profit so practicing CSR cannot be hypocritical.
- There's alternative reasons other than money: comapnies such as Mac who have no CSR towards testing on animals are more well knwon and have greater publicity than anti-animal testing companies, such as Lush or The Body Shop. Some companies who pioneer on 'profit must come first' are seen to benefit more. Other reasons may relate to religion rather than money, eg - Christians have stewardship and a duty to look after animals and the planet. as well as Hindus who are mostly vegetarian.
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