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Evaluation

In evaluating Company Q for social responsibility, I have found that the company has not made a commitment to being completely socially responsible. The definition of Corporate Social Responsibility according to Lord Holme and Richard Watts (2000), “is the continuing commitment by business to behave ethically and contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life of the workforce and their families as well as of the local community and society at large”. The company has made some attempts at social responsible behavior by listening to a portion of their customers supplying them with health-conscience and organic products; however, this concession came after years of request from their customers and the stores only offer a very limited quantity of those types of foods.

Company Q has ignored other opportunities to better the general community where the company conducts its business. Company Q has closed two stores in higher-crime-rate areas because of loss of profits. Company Q failed to recognize that this poorly impacts the community and the employees in that area and reflects poorly on its overall corporate image. Also, Company Q opted to throw away day old food instead of giving it to the community food bank believing it may promote fraud or stealing within their own employees. Both of these decisions were not based on a proper socially responsible attitude. This type of behavior was well hidden several years ago before the world was as connected as it is now with social media but these decisions impact not only community but employee morale. If Company Q continues to conduct business in this fashion, they will risk more loss of profits due to their public policies regarding social responsibility because of community outrage and apathetic employee's.

Recommendations

Company Q will need to develop and implement an

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