SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF BUSINESSES

Activity 
(Business sponsors take in the washing to help out the arts
Food and Drink: Sharing life's crumbs of comfort 
City Diary M&S stone figures
Anita and Gordon Roddick launching an advertisement
Miners to move in on rare butterfly habitat 
Bishops divided as Synod votes to lift 
City: Roddick cash to finance film 
Charities: When big business plays its part. Giving money isn't the only way to help)

1	a) What sort of social projects does big business support?
	b) Which groups of people benefit?
	c) Where does the money come from to provide the help?

2	Look at this list of different businesses:
	l  an oil company
	l  a motor manufacturer
	l  a cigarette manufacturer
	l  a drug manufacturer
	l  a travel agent
	a) What social responsibilities do they all share?
	b) What special social responsibilities does each have, as a result of its line of business?

3	a) What does it mean if a business is 'socially responsible'?
	b) Why should we expect businesses to be socially responsible?
	c) How can social responsibility be encouraged by i) the employees, and ii) the public?
	d) What actions should governments take, if any, to ensure that businesses are socially responsible?


Activity
(Business sponsors take in the washing to help out the arts
Food and Drink: Sharing life's crumbs of comfort 
Charities: When big business plays its part. Giving money isn't the only way to help)

1	a) To which groups of people does a business have responsibilities?
	b) For each group, explain what the responsibility is.
	c) To which group do you think a business should give top priority? Give reasons.
	d) Do you think Peter Hunt would agree with your answer to questions (a) to (c)?

2	a) What counts as a 'benefit to business'?
	b) Do you think a business should only give away money if there is a 'benefit to the business'?

3	a) What is i) sponsorship, and ii) 'sponsorship in kind'?
	b) Why might a business prefer to give this than to give money?
	c) Why might a business give either?

4	a) List the examples of charity given in the articles.
	b) What will Safeway and Tesco not do?
	c) Who benefits when M&S donates food to charities as described in the article 'Sharing life's crumbs of comfort'?
Activity 
(City Diary M&S stone figures
Miners to move in on rare butterfly habitat )

1	What main reason was given for the opposition to the development of an open cast mine at Selar Farm?

2	a) New businesses usually create jobs. Is this more important than any environmental damage that might occur?
	b) Is the government the right organisation to make this sort of decision?

3	Marks and Spencer's  'Art in the Workplace' theme is an example of a company trying to improve the urban environment. Do you think businesses have a responsibility for our environment? Give reasons.



Activity
(Bishops divided as Synod votes to lift )

1	a) To which of Nestlé's activities did the Church of England object, and why?
	b) How did the Church of England show its opposition to Nestlé's activities? 
	c) What was Nestlé's reaction to the lifting of the boycott?
	d) Do you think the boycott had any effect?

2	What other actions may be taken against businesses whose actions are felt to be socially irresponsible?



Activity
(Anita and Gordon Roddick launching an advertisement
City: Roddick cash to finance film)

1	'What matters most is creating jobs for British people. Other countries should sort out their own problems, not expect British business to do it for them.' Do you agree with this point of view? Justify your answer.