Abstract
M.Comm.
The purpose of this study is to explore and substantiate why Corporate Social and
Environmental Responsibility (CSER) is important as a business practice in order to meet the productivity levels, enhance the image or reputation, financial bottom line and sustainability of the company. The belief that Business has a socio-economic responsibility is not a new proposition. Peter Drucker a well renowned sociologist argued that firms have a social dimension as well as an economic purpose in his second book, The Future of Industrial Man, in 1942. During the late 1960's and 1970's Corporate Social
Responsibility (CSR) emerged as a top management concern in both the United States and in Europe only to seemingly disappear in the 1980's. Today, Corporate Social Responsibility is back on the agenda of many CEOs. This time it is also on the agenda of governments, both national and local, as well as NGOs, consumer groups, investors and other actors in civil society. The concept of CSER has now become an important business practice hence the need to further investigate its relevance within the South African context. Recently CSER as business practice has emerged as an important factor due to the everincreasing emphasis on human and environmental rights. The pressures for business to behave in an ethical manner has broadened its core functions, hence
the need to embrace it in the organisational strategy. Due to some of these reasons CSER has now become a buzzword in the corporate world, among civil society groups and other stakeholders who have an interest in the behaviour of business. This spotlight has led to a more voluntary factoring in of ethical practices, social policies in the overall internal and external organisational strategy and operations of business. The raison d' etre for this paradigm shift, is also exacerbated by the new business focus, on triple bottom line reporting, which not only emphasises the financial bottom line but also transparency and accountability in the social and environmental aspects which are integral to the firm. The latter mentioned areas have become important benchmarks for overall performance, reporting and disclosure to stakeholders.