Abstract

There are still some who consider the phrase "socially responsible business" a contradiction in terms, and who feel that the notion of corporate social responsibility is merely a trend and intrinsically suspect. Others believe that this emerging doctrine of deeper and broader accountability for business is deeply pernicious, because it distracts profit-making organizations from what they do best: making profits for their shareholders. This article takes the perspective that what matters most is harnessing the power of business to make the world a better place. [This article is based on a presentation by Jeffrey Hollender as the sixth annual Peterson Lecture on Business Ethics sponsored by the Center for Responsible Business at the Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley.]