Social Responsibilities of Entrepreneurs

As citizens of the country we are born from, it is our responsibility to obey the laws of our country. It is likewise our responsibility to help our neighbors whenever they need help. As responsible citizens, it is our duty to vote during election time. We respect human dignity whether the person is white or black whether schooled or unschooled or whether rich or poor.

When we become entrepreneurs are we still responsible to our fellowmen, to our community and to our country? In our desire to maximize profits, are we going to cheat our customers, exploit our employees, and dump our wastes into the air, water and land? All of these things are the opposite of social responsibility. As a result, we have adulterated products, aside from wrong weights and measurements. Many of our workers are underpaid. Our environment is being destroyed or polluted.

The concept of social responsibility has various meanings to different individuals. For instance, to a banker, his social responsibility is to lend money even to the poor producers, and not only to the rich ones. To manufacturers, their social responsibility is to create quality products, and not to pollute the environment. For instance, if you are manufacturing a huge number of print postcards in your digital printing plant, make sure that your trash and other wastes are properly disposed and not just thrown to rivers and seas. More so, to the rich their social responsibility is to share their excess wealth with less fortunate.

What exactly is the social responsibility of the entrepreneur or businessman to his customers, suppliers and stockholders, fellow businessmen, government, to the community and to his employees? Such business relationships are measured by fai
ess, honesty and justice.

The entrepreneur must sell quality products at fair price. He must also be fair with his suppliers by paying them on time as agreed upon. He must pay the correct amount of taxes to the government. He must promote the welfare of his employees. He must observe business ethics with his fellow businessmen. Equally important is the social responsibility of the entrepreneur to his community in terms of job creation and environmental observation.

Now, are you practicing these social responsibilities already in your business?