Corporate Responsibility

Corporations are, in many respects, treated by our laws as people, and the associated concept of the corporation as citizen is well established. Corporate responsibility has thus extended beyond the requirements of legal compliance into areas of ethical conduct responsive to the needs and expectations of local communities and the larger society. Increasingly, companies seek to direct their activities in this realm in a manner consonant with their business strategy and are thus able to utilize resources that simultaneously meet public needs and advance their own business interests. Strategic philanthropy, for example, drives companies to invest in educational programs that meet their needs for particular skills, while providing employment and economic development locally.