JJT2 Social Responsibility
Western Governors University

Social Responsibility
Corporate Social Responsibility
Business and Society: Stakeholders, Ethics, and Public Policy (Lawrence & Weber, 2011) defines corporate social responsibility (CSR) as the way a company acts that enhances society and its inhabitants and is held accountable for its actions that affect people, their communities and their environment. Many companies now track their CSR score through the use of rating organizations and customer surveys, and publish the results in their annual reports. They recognize their investors and customers want to understand how companies are taking environmentally responsible actions.
Sunfun Company
Sunfun (name has been changed) is a global provider of renewable energy solutions. It has two distinct lines of business. One is as a manufacturer of solar panels. The other is as an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) company to build utility scale, ground mounted solar power generating plants. From its website (sunfun.com), its mission statement “is to create enduring value by enabling a world powered by clean, affordable solar electricity.” Its value proposition is to “offer an eco-efficient energy solution that provides more solar electricity, at a lower cost, and with the smallest environment impacts per kWh.”
Environmental Considerations and Recommendations
As a renewable energy company Sunfun has an obligation and financial incentive to operate in an environmentally responsible and proactive manner. Customers want to do business with companies that they believe exercise good responsibility of their resources. Investors are looking for more than revenues and profitability; they expect companies to act in a sustainable manner for the long-term. A survey report by the Reputation Institute determined that a customer’s desire to buy is driven more by