Articles /Vol. 3 No. 2 (2021) /PP. 417-425

Role of Corporate Social Responsibility in Organizational Performance

Lead author · Corresponding
Yashi Mittal
LLM Student at Christ University, India
Co-author
Evlyn Nisha
LLM Student at Christ University, India
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Abstract

The study aims to bring out the role of corporate social responsibility in organizational performance and the effectiveness of the company. Areas like the relationship between both CSR and the organizational behaviour of the company have been highlighted with the prime objective to show the nexus between both. It is necessary to point out the nexus between CSR and the company because the behaviour of the company should not affect the environment or society in such a way to cause permanent damage. Laws and regulations have been made to ensure that the companies are following them, in order to present a sustainable environment for the future generations. The next main objective is to indicate the strength of Corporate Social Responsibility on the growth and evolution of the companies. This study further has emphasized on the facets where CSR has helped in the development of the company. Few of the recognized facets in this research paper are brand reputation, impact of laws and regulations, employee retention, human interest, social awareness and education. This study not only emphasizes on establishing the nexus between CSR and organizational behaviour of the company but also puts down the various responsibilities that a company should take care of for the wellbeing of the social and environmental aspects. Adding to the responsibilities, the authors have incorporated instances where there has been violation of Corporate Social Responsibility regulations.

Full Text

I. Introduction

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has played a big role in the effectiveness of many Foreign companies. The aim of the present study is to examine the effect of Corporate Social Responsibility on company effectiveness. In the present era, issues of social responsibility and sustainability are becoming extremely important in the business world. Organizational goals are inextricably linked to the community and society in which they work, and a company's inability to meet long-term social and environmental objectives renders it inefficient. CSR is a management philosophy and a mechanism by which organizations integrate social and environmental issues into their operations and stakeholder relationships. Many corporations in developed economies have recognized the value of socially responsible actions and the effect of CSR practices on consumers, workers, investors, the economy, stakeholders, and the long-term viability of their businesses.

It goes on to address the correlation between CSR and companies performance concluding that the two are inextricably linked and difficult to separate. Later in this article, we will discuss some of the drivers that encourage businesses to engage in CSR, as well as some of the ways that a good CSR enhances business efficiency. It also covers the corporate firm's various obligations to itself, shareholders, the state, and customers. They are all equally critical in achieving the firm's mission and targets in a timely and successful manner. Finally, it addresses cases of CSR breaches, in which corporations deliberately or inadvertently breach CSR concepts. A company's economic impact, social value, brand image, credibility, and societal benefits can all be enhanced by involvement in social responsibilities. Companies and other institutions, on the other hand, are responsible to clients, workers, investors, government officials, and others as they are using the resources of society which equally belong to all.

II. Relationship between csr and organizational behaviour

The controversy about whether CSR improves organisational efficiency has raged for years, and no real agreement has been reached. Although several businesses believe that CSR activities have elevated their operations to new heights, others argue that engaging in CSR activities is a waste of organisational capital. Csr has helped the organizations to gain efficiency in different stages, so it can be said that both CSR and organizational performance of a company goes hand in hand and separation of both is unfeasible. Having said that, “The researcher looked at “business performance” in five angles (though other angles may be exploited); financial, organizational performance; employee’s commitment, corporate reputation and brand differentiation; which can be used to measure the success or otherwise of CSR activities”3 That being said, "The researcher looks at" business performance "at five angles (although some angles may be exploited); financial, organizational performance; employee commitment, company reputation and product classification; by Business Dictionary, the organizational performance of any company evaluates the performance of the company against the objectives and objectives.If any company achieves its objectives and objectives and performs CSR functions, that firm is considered to achieve the highest performance of the organization.In the Fortunes Magazine's Survey The adjustments and adjustments presented in the study suggest that performance often predicts CSR better than risk, and risk measures are also widely defined as part of a public obligation for all firms.The study noted that relationships can be made between commitments. coming to the public and a serious danger. This has been noted that a corporation's lack of social responsibility will make it even more risky and limit its strategic choices. Any shareholder, employee, or executive who is concerned with the financial effect of CSR may be willing to take on a small amount of risk. According to the data, companies with low corporate responsibility earn lower market returns than high-profile public-sector firms. The expression "performance" refers to a collection of criteria used to assess the efficacy and efficiency of acts. As a result, a company's financial results can be viewed as an indicator of its ability to produce revenue from its assets. Financial performance is a leading indicator of the importance of CSR programs, and there are many debates on whether CSR has a positive effect on financial performance. Among the most contentious points would be that the way a company treats its stakeholders and deals with Corporate social responsibility activities may have an effect on its financial statements. Stakeholder response to CSR is combined with availability and extensive information based on CSR programs and other available options.

III. How strong csr improves business performance?

Numerous businesses and corporations believe that CSR is unimportant to their operations, so they prioritize consumer satisfaction and maximize profits. As a result, the following are some factors that assist in driving businesses toward corporate social responsibility while also raising the firm's organizational efficiency.

1. Brand, Reputation

According to Logsdon and Brown, reputation is defined as “outsiders’ assessments about what the organization is, how well it meets its commitments and conforms to stakeholders’ expectations, and how effectively its overall performance fits with its socio-political environment.”4 It is generally opined that the prime and main aim of a company is profit maximization, increase in customer rate, increased sales margin, satisfaction and input of customers, etc. Then the second aim of the company is to concentrate more on social and environment, as amalgamation of investment ideas and increased social and environmental goals may give a boost to a positive economic value of the company. The reputation of the company can be enhanced by the community by doing Corporate Social Responsibility. The point to be noted here is that companies that have a good social and environmental policy get noticed a lot by the media, which in a way improves the goodwill of those companies. The media paid close attention to these companies and contributed to spreading the company's "good works" among the people. The key strategy to magnify and intensify the brand image of the company is by getting the good works and projects of the company published which is in relation to social and environmental welfare.

One of the most well-known brands of its social responsibility is Microsoft, as it has played an indispensable part in collaborating with central agencies, academic institutions, NGOs, etc. It is also associated with many small and medium-sized businesses. Microsoft has organized a number of voluntary programs where employees share their personal concerns. Meanwhile, Google designates its own project to focus on the social duty, which is termed as the Google Green Program. The main agenda of this project of google is to set up as much as solar panels which will help to improve the lives of people by creating a sustainable environment for them. The idea behind this project is to utilize the earth's resources efficiently to produce outputs that’ll help in achieving the social and environmental welfare goal of the company. Corporate reputation is known to be an important intangible resource which helps in achieving highly competitive advantage ‘‘precisely because the development of a good reputation takes considerable time and depends on a firm making stable and consistent investments overtime’’5

The link between the obligations of the Social Security Agency and the company's reputation is not directly related to the emerging economy. The stakeholder’s angle of viewing a company’s standard or position is by analyzing the link the company has with its social services and also by analyzing the media coverage each of its work gets. It has been observed that any company can build a good reputation if it is able to showcase its environment against ethical behavior, and failure to do so could lead to their reputation being jeopardized.

2. Impact of Laws and Regulations?

Corporate Social Responsibility came into force with the help of the Companies Act, 2013 and India was one of the countries that brought a full-pledged legislation for the usage of CSR. The Government plays a significant role to protect the environment from being harmed or destroyed by the evolving growth of the companies. The main idea behind setting up laws for this is to ensure that the companies act responsibly without harming the environment which will eventually provide a sustainable environment for people and the forthcoming generations. Depending on the available information, CSR rules will help increase the Great Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and your investment.

A few broad and important aspects of the Corporate Liability Rules are as follows:

  • "Most of the money used for CSR purposes should be forcibly included in the annual profit loss report issued by the company."6
  • "The CSR rules came into effect on 1 April 2014 and will include subsidiary companies, individuals and other foreign corporations involved in business in India."7
  • “The CSR is defined in more detail in Schedule VII of the Companies Act, 2013. The definition is complete as it includes those specific CSR activities listed in Schedule VII and other listed public items that are not listed in VII, its inclusion as a CSR function is left to corporate difficulty. ”8

To begin, the government has required that all businesses and organizations must submit their annual profit and loss reports in order to determine whether they are behaving responsibly and compliant with corporate social responsibility in aspects such as health, hunger, poverty, and gender equality."The amendment announced under the Companies Act, 2013 requires companies with a total value of INR 500 crore or more, or a total profit of INR 5 crore or more, to spend 2% of their three-year profit on CSR".9 Publishing of these reports make it easy for the government to check the inputs of the company towards CSR. Secondly, it is a mandate for these companies to mention other companies which are subsidiaries and holding of other companies situated in India but are operated and controlled by companies outside India.

3. Boosts Employee, Retention/

The fundamental answer to the accomplishment of the aims and victory of any company or firm is by focusing on the wellbeing of the employees. It has been noticed that participating more in CSR and conveying the progress and impact of it will motivate others to join in and work more for the wellbeing of the environment. This will lead to higher levels of retention and will lead to better recruitment programs. To put it in another perspective to simplify it, if a company invests more in the wellbeing of its employees, they will in turn return the courtesy by investing in the company to achieve its aim. A study by Babson College found that 'businesses that are committed to sustainability can see a 13% increase in product growth and a 50% reduction in revenue'. CSR is one of the activities that empowers any company to reduce employee revenue. Study shows that the company which offers the highest job satisfaction to the employees by reducing workload and reduced stress, produces significant and visible positive outputs to the company, which improves the position of the company. On the other hand, a workplace that monitors inequality leads to a reduction in the number of employees who undermine corporate integrity.

4. Human Interest: Social Awareness and Education

Corporate Social Responsibility is concerned with society's needs and protecting their interest which will actually benefit the company as well in the long run. “Human rights framework focuses observation on basic qualifying conditions, the understanding of which are necessary for people to live with human dignity and good standard of living which will enable them to contribute to civil, political, economic, social and cultural life”10

India’s largest cement manufacturing company known as Ultratech, is also engaged in CSR activities by providing social work in four hundred seven districts all over the country in order to give a better quality of life to them. Activities such as providing education, environment protection, free health care, infrastructure in rural areas, employment in rural areas etc are certain activities which fall under the ambit of Corporate Social Responsibility. Various camps have been organized where training, water conservation programs etc keeping in mind that we are taking from this society and we need to pay it back for its development.CSR is not just a compliance; it is a step that improves people's lives, especially those of the poor. Social responsibility can be made by focusing on location tracking-

  • Providing educational opportunities, promoting skills development, different skills especially for women, children, elder people and disables so that they can stand on their own feet and live a peaceful life.
  • Promoting women's empowerment, gender equality, establishing homes for the elderly, child and elderly care centers, by reducing inequality between economically and economically disadvantaged communities.
  • Providing efficient resources and better hygiene facilities in hospitals and clinics so that there are less chances of spreading diseases such as flu, malaria, anemia etc.
  • Elimination of poverty, malnutrition, hunger by improving methods of the healthcare system, providing safe and clean drinking water and sanitization. Providing certainty of a sustainable environment, wellbeing of the animals, preservation of natural resources, maintenance of environmental balance, refurbishment of plantlife, preservation of air, improvement in air quality index and maintaining the quality of soil and water.
  • Participation of the company in creative revolution by means of material reusability, better product staging and durability, efficient usage of renewable resources, amalgamation of environmental instruments into business ideas, maintaining the standards of business, etc.
  • The preservation of national heritage by promoting the art and culture of the soil which includes restoration of historic and ancient structures.
  • Donating to central introduced social welfare programs and projects like Prime Minister's National Relief Fund & to promote the well-being of organized Castes, Tribes Tribes, other Backward Classes, minorities and women.

Investing in rural and informal development projects, establishing IT computers and providing technical connections to government-approved educational institutions. The above indicated list of activities in regard to CSR should necessarily be environmentally friendly and totally acceptable by the public. Tata Group, a combination of various CSR projects and is investing heavily in community development and poverty alleviation programs. It is involved in women's empowerment, rural development, monetization and other social programs. Tata Group has provided students with funding to provide more facilities. The group is also involved in facilitating children's education and building AIDS awareness. There are other areas as well which can be considered under Corporate Social Responsibility such as, development of infrastructure in rural areas, providing education, maintaining greenery in order to protect the environment.

“On the site of Tata’s Chemicals’ Botanical Reserve, soda ash facility in Mithapur, Gujarat, Tata Chemicals created a 150-acre reserve that shelters 21 species of native plants and more than 114 species of other vegetation. It is reportedly visited by over 70 species of birds, including threatened species which can be declared extinct anytime, and is also the key place to monitor lizards, the rare tortoise, jackals, wild boar and the Nilgai”11. As a result, by participating in social and cultural events, businesses can establish a strong image in the minds of investors, shareholders, consumers, business rivals and workers, which will increase the company's efficiency while also gaining market favor, which will help the company achieve its objectives. Nevertheless, the involvement of social services will not only help in the betterment of community but will also boost the economy of the country by contributing to the growth of the country's economy in terms of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This will also attract the foreign companies to invest in India and also the participation in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).

IV. Various responsibilities of companies

1. Responsibility - It is the responsibility of all companies to do their business and stay in business for a long time. In general, it is thought that for the whole organization profit-making is a major goal, but it is not true. Managers strive to achieve the goals of the organization in all areas of management that reduce costs and bring greater organizational prosperity. It must work for survival, profit, growth and thus earn a sufficient profit. If the company aims in achieving the set goals of social and economic wellbeing, necessary importance should be given to the efficiency facet.

2. Obligation to shareholders/- The key and primary duty of a company is to safeguard the interests of its shareholders by providing them fair returns for their share holding. Nevertheless, a balance should be maintained between long-term assets and the dividend of the shareholders. If at all it is noticed that the behaviour and act of the company is in conflict with the interests of the shareholders, then the shareholders can take the necessary actions against the company.

3. Responsibility in relation to the state - A number of laws and regulations are enacted to regulate and effectively regulate the business. Companies must abide by all legal provisions, pay their share of taxes on time, and participate in government contracts. As a result, the state is entitled to share the benefit under tax laws with the organization, and this pledge should be taken. It is the business of the business to comply with the law and to comply with its social obligations.

4. Consumer responsibility - It is the customers who determine the fate of all business entities. Therefore, it is important for all businesses to fulfill their contractual obligations to their customers. By all means, the company should benefit the customers and should protect their interest in the business. Not only contractual requirements, but also economic and social needs must be met.

V. Instances where there has been violation of csr

Corporate Social Responsibility tasks are not necessarily carried out in a constructive manner; rather, there have been a lot of breaches and a list of CSR activities carried out incorrectly. Abuses of corporate social responsibility would tarnish the company's image and jeopardize the organization's operations management. It will also have an effect on the whole society, including staff, investors, consumers, and others. Methyl Gas Leak tragedy, popularly known as the Bhopal Gas Tragedy, is among the world's worst industrial disasters. It actually took place in Union Carbide India Limited's (UCIL) Bhopal factory. The plant's leakage of methyl gas and other chemicals led to an explosion that killed 1,00,000 people. Another instance is the Unilever Global Corporation, which dumped 300 tons of metric in the South Indian district of Kodaikanal having a lot of negative impact on society. Guidelines were put in place for the non-compulsory practice of 17 polluting industries. The Unilever website states, “All Unilever companies must mandatorily comply with local laws and embrace the same standards just as the local laws suggest in regard to occupational health and safety, consumer safety and environmental care.” 12

VI. Conclusion

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in India was launched with the aim of bringing about a change in the attitude of corporate organizations. Similarly, it was felt that the community would benefit as the government was found to meet the needs and wants of the people. Corporate Social Responsibility has a positive and significant influence on all aspects of a business performance, including finance, organization, industry, reputation, employee engagement, and quality products. Many studies have shown that attracting consumers, increasing incentives, building a positive picture, and ensuring sustainability are all effective ways to achieve social goals. For all companies, CSR and ethical conduct are not a choice, but a necessity to remain an active player in the long run. So far, I would like to offer a few suggestions- Staff should perform CSR tasks and should be informed of the same. Companies should always identify the needs and interests of the participants before making CSR plans.As a result, senior executives make the agenda, and managers must plan for monetary gains from CSR operations. Specialists or experienced individuals must be appointed to fight for CSR services within the company.

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Footnotes

  1. Author is LLM student at Christ University, India
  2. Author is LLM student at Christ University, India
  3. Nana Danso Boafo “The Impact of Corporate Social Responsibility on Organisational Performance: A Case Study of Vodafone Ghana Limited”
  4. Brown TJ & Logsdon JM (1999)“Corporate reputation and organization identity as constructs for business and society research”, in Wood D and Windsor D (Eds.), Proceedings of the Tenth Annual Meeting of the International Association for Business and Society, Paris, France.
  5. Ibid
  6. Tax Guru, New Rules of Corporate Social Responsibility, March 10, 2014, https://taxguru.in/company-law/rules-corporate-social-responsibility.html
  7. Id.2
  8. Id..3
  9. Section 135 of Companies act, 2013, https://www.mca.gov.in/SearchableActs/Section135.htm
  10. Amnesty International, Submission by Amnesty International under Decision 2004/116 on the Responsibilities of Transnational Corporations and Related Business Enterprises with Regard to Human Rights (2004)
  11. Tata Chemicals, Biodiversity Plantation Project, 2016 available at http://sustainability. tatachemicals.com/community-and-biodiversity/programmes/india/biodiversity-plantationproject/
  12. Hindustan Unilever Limited, Kodaikanal Mercury Factory – Contamination Response, India, available at https://www.hul.co.in
How to Cite
Mittal, Y., Nisha, E. (2021). Role of Corporate Social Responsibility in Organizational Performance. International Journal of Legal Science and Innovation, 3(2), 417-425. https://ijlsi.com/article/view/39-role-of-corporate-social-responsibility-in-organizational-performance