PRACTICAL ASPECTS OF IMPLEMENTATION OF SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE AGRICULTURAL BUSINESS IN UKRAINE

Abstract

The article examines the main practical aspects of the implementation of socially responsible agrarian business in Ukraine, in particular, conscientious business practices; environmental protection activities and resource conservation; development of local society, development of personnel aimed at training and professional development. It is proposed to distinguish the following phases at the current stage of formation and development of social responsibility of domestic agrarian business subjects as a mechanism for increasing their competitiveness: initial, adjacent and terminal. In the first phase of the formation of social programs for the purpose of increasing competitiveness, pilot companies and the development of criteria for assessing the social responsibility of agrarian business entities, principles, the period of implementation and methods of implementation, etc. are determined. The next phase will be considered the holding of an internal social audit by agrarian companies and other subjects of agrarian business. The adjacent stage is a transitional phase of the external assessment of the social responsibility of agrarian business entities, which should provide an assessment by civilian independent experts and the community of the social effect of the activities of agribusiness representatives. The final phase should contribute to the formation of the rating of socially responsible companies of agricultural production in the country, which is also an effective tool for forming their image and customer loyalty, increasing their competitiveness in the domestic space. It is emphasized that the intervention of the state in the sphere of social responsibility of agrarian business should be of a recommendatory, framework nature. The moral support of these processes from the state is especially important for the development of social responsibility of agribusiness subjects in the country. Moreover, some tax breaks for corporations are even more beneficial to the budget and society, since corporations are more accurately and effectively able to solve local regional problems through social responsibility. The business community can either develop its own standard in the area of social responsibility, or join any of the existing Western standards in this area with its adaptation, or provide advisory assistance from the state.