CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

This is the new buzzword which is creating a lot of noise - clearly there are a lot of genuinely enthusiastic people around. However, there is a fundamental clash between profit and social responsibility, the material culture and the ethical one which remains unresolved. In particular, there is no talk about spirituality and CSR as this is a 'personal' issue or many CSR believers are anti-religion. Social entrepreneurs work at the in-between area - in-between profit and social responsibility, trying at the same time to change the world for the better. There are encouraging developments, but deep systemic problems with the whole CSR agenda. The crux is the materialistic values of the modern world and the structure of finance and financial markets which are focused on measurable numbers and wealth creation. Until this changes, we may only be making cosmetic changes in a world strangled by greed.