How can a corporation be seen as responsible?

Expert Answers
pohnpei397 eNotes educator| Certified Educator

I assume that you are asking what a company can do to make people feel that it is a socially responsible firm.  If so, the main thing it can do is to act in ways that are beneficial to society as a whole even if (or especially if) they are not in the immediate best interests of the company.

An example of this might be Wal-Mart.  Wal-Mart has adopted a number of policies in recent years that are meant to reduce the impact that it has on the environment.  It has, for example, been pushing its suppliers to reduce the amount of packaging that they use.  It has also been taking steps to reduce the amount of fuel that is used by its huge fleet of trucks.

Actions like this make a company look much more responsible because it makes the company look as if it cares about something over than pure profit.  (Of course, this can end up helping the company if people buy more from it due to its improved image.)

ekmattke | Student

A corporation can be seen as responsible by maintaining high ethical standards and by treating others with dignity and respect.  However, one is able to do this by addressing the non-marketing issues within an organization.  They are able to do this by having a code of ethics as well as ethical training.  Futhermore, they are able to ensure that they are donating to various charities as well as creating one of their own.