Corporate Social Responsibility: Marks and Spencers

Corporate Social Responsibility: Marks and Spencers

Introduction

Marks & Spencer is one of UK's leading retail stores for home products, clothing, food and financial services. Each week, over ten million people shop in Marks and Spencer stores in the United Kingdom and more than 155 stores all over the world make sales simultaneously. It operates in more than 28 territories all over the world (BBC News, 2011).

Corporate social responsibility encompasses the ethical behaviour of an organization or a business entity operating within a society and the actions of that business entity that contribute towards the betterment of the society. Corporate social responsibility is the set of actions a business entity takes to ensure that the society recognizes it as an integral part of the society.

When a business entity operates in a society, it poses certain concerns for the society. The first and foremost is the compliance of that business with the rules, regulations and norms of the society. The business operations and nature of business should be one which is generally acceptable in the society. For example, running an alcohol store in a Muslim country is considered unethical and illegal to some extent, because it conflicts with their faith and beliefs.

Another aspect is the pollution to the environment and disturbance that the business may be causing. It may also be promoting certain activities that may be deemed as unacceptable by the community. Another concern is the impact of that business on the surrounding businesses and households.

Measures to improve corporate responsibility

A company can improve its corporate responsibility by using the Utilitarian Approach towards ethical implications (Grace, 2005). The company can ensure that none of its actions inflict harm on itself or anyone else. The greater good of all is what the theory suggests and this is what the company needs to focus on. Additionally, companies need to analyse their operations to remove any procedure or action that may causing discomfort to anyone. To ensure that society accepts the company as a 'person' and a part of the society, companies also take certain extra steps and measures, like doing something good for the society, helping with a cause or addressing a prevailing issue.

Marks and Spencers

Question 1

Marks and Spencer conducts a lot of activities that benefit the society and work towards the betterment of the world (Chislett, 2009). Their main flagship community initiative is the Marks and Start campaign. The focus of this program is on unemployment in the society. It offers opportunities to the homeless and jobless of all ages and backgrounds to work at Marks and Spencer and learn about working life and additionally, they are offered mentoring, stipends, uniforms and travel expenses. Disabled people, young unemployed, working parents, students in need of education money and teenage students from families in need of financial aid are all targeted with this campaign. These individuals are given a taste of the working life and their confidence and ability to work is improved. The company also allocates a 'buddy' to each ...