Corporate social responsibility
(CSR)
What is CSR
Corporate
social responsibility is the duty of the every corporate body to protect the
interest of the society at large. Although the main motive of the business is
to enhance the profit, the corporate should also take initiatives for the
welfare of the society and perform its activities.
Why and how it is being implemented
CSR
is being implemented by compulsion by law, every company allocate a part of
their profit to be spend on the CSR activities. But in real terms the some corporate
do not care about the society, they are only worried about to the turnover
growth along with improved profits.
Is
the CSR only allocating funds from the profit and remit to the Prime Minister
funds or spending on some causes for the society? According to me the answer is
big NO. Following of business ethics
and to see that the product which we market do not harm the consumer or the
environment and also educate the customers about products and its usages is CSR
besides spending a portion of the profits to society.
DO
our corporate do this? Really not. Silapathigaram, a tamil epic says about the
character of businessmen as under:
Quote
A
businessmen is one who will not take more than what he deserve and should not
give less then what the buyer deserves
Unquote
Examples of misdeeds/quality issues of
some companies/ product
Let
us see some examples of how some corporate are indifferent to the consumers.
1.
There are always fine prints. The
advertisement will highlight only the favourable points to the consumers but
silent about the conditions. For ex. A telecom advertise that at X amount the
user enjoys free calls and internet facilities for 70 days but the condition is
the handset should be 4G compatible. Although the company knows through the
systems about the user’s handset compatibility but it will be silent even if a
non 4G Handset user select this option.
2.
The price will increase when the tax goes up
but will never come down when the tax is reduced. Recently, when GST is
introduced the tax for restaurants has been increased and consequently the price
of the eatables was increased but when the GST is reduced, the end price to
consumer is maintained as it is and the difference in tax has been added to the
cost.
3.
The cosmetic products are advertised as
Herbal where as the products contains chemicals
4.
The waste from the units was allowed to mix
with nature instead of treated at the
plant itself unless the government take it seriously.
5.
Some hospitals run by big Corporate, there
are targets fixed for doctors and hence they resort to unwanted treatments to
charge more.
6.
Recently, harmful chemicals were found in the
soft drinks and ready to cook products but I really wonder what happens to the
quality control.
7.
Stray cases of expired products were also
taken back to the factory and the expiry dates were altered and marketed again.
8.
There were cases of selling expired products
in some retail chain stored.
9.
In banking also the charges are revised by
incorporating conditions at the time of agreement “that the bank reserves the
right to revise the charges”. The same procedure is followed in case of credit
cards also the terms are changed unilaterally.
10.
Some banks are selling products in the name
of cross selling by misinforming the customers
11.
There were cases of selling gold jewellary of
lower quality/ mixed with other metal came to surface.
12.
The standard quantity was not maintained. The
quantity was reduced and while there is no change in price. ( suddenly the
company reduce weight from standard 50g to 30 g but the price maintained)
Conclusion
The
above observations may be stray cases and will not represent the whole, but
what happened to quality check undertaken by the corporate. My idea is not to highlight
the bad incidents but only brought out the such happening and indifferent
attitudes in the name of marketing techniques and smartness to improve the
bottom-line of the company. The
consumer is approaching the branded products only with a faith that it will be
of quality but the faith is being shaken up slowly. I do remember in my younger
days when I buy a pen I will ask a paper to check the pen whether it is writing
and now I just buy it without testing. The pen is only an example and it is applicable
to all products.
Now,
slowly people going back to the olden days of checking the detail such as
expiry date, weights etc while buying the products.
If
we do not wake up and implement the CSR in letter and spirit, the days is not
too far, the consumerism will get stronger to put everything in place.
