SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY OF ECONOMIC ENTERPRISES AS A SOCIAL GOOD: PRACTICE OF THE EU AND UKRAINE

Abstract

Current circumstances are shaping new conditions for the interaction of entities of society. The COVID- 19 coronavirus pandemic tests the partner relationship between government, business and civil society in the system of their social responsibility for the efficiency and morality. The purpose of the study is to reveal the theoretical foundations of the concept of “social responsibility of the state, business, citizen” as a determining factor of formation, self-organization, self-control, modernization of civil society and analysis of the practice of organizing the social responsibility system of economic entities in the EU and in Ukraine. The subject of the research is social responsibility as a fundamental value of society and social institute of regulation of relations in society for ensuring stability of living conditions. The methodology of the research is based on the set of methods of scientific analysis. In particular, dialectical (when characterizing the categorical apparatus of the subject of study); systemic (when analyzing the relationship of socio-economic processes); statistical method of comparisons and groupings; economic analysis (when processing statistics); historical (in the study of the evolution of corporate social responsibility (CSR) theory and practice); empirical (in the analysis of the practice of forming partnerships between business structures, the state and civil society in the European Union and Ukraine). Conclusions of the study. The concept of “social responsibility” is a fundamental value of society, and the system of social responsibility of its entities is a social good. It can be considered as a social institute of socio-economic relations regulation in order to ensure the stability of society and the development of living conditions. The systematization of scientific approaches to defining the social responsibility of economic entities as a social good made it possible to justify it from the standpoint of a public policy object, a system of ethical values of society, voluntary obligations of business and a way of managing a business entity. Features of the current socio-economic situation require strengthening of their socially responsible behavior, introduction and observance of new forms of interaction between business and society on the principles of systematic and longterm. The innovative model of the economy is raising new demands for socially responsible behavior of public relations entities. Models of its realization have their own peculiarities in every EU country. They are all stimulated by state institutional mechanisms (privileges in taxation, subsidies, control over compliance with social and environmental standards); international standards of doing business; control by the public (social reporting to stakeholders). Such institutional levers stimulate the integration of socially responsible behavior into the development strategy of the business structures. The European experience of forming and provision of social positioning of entrepreneurial activity is being studied in Ukraine and is gradually being implemented. The level of transparency of leading companies activities is increasing, especially those, the activities of which are focused on international markets (agribusinesses, energy and metallurgy companies). The lower level of transparency of such information is inherent for mining companies. Transnational companies operating in Ukraine have a higher level of CSR disclosure than domestic organizations. On their websites, twice as often as on websites of the Ukrainian companies, issues on human rights, CSR programs, policies and goals are covered. As the example of the high level of compliance with the CSR principles may serve the activities of the French-Ukrainian company “Verallia-Ukraine” PJSC ”Consumers-Sklo-Zorya” (Rivne region, Ukraine). Many Ukrainian business entities have not yet integrated CSR into their company management strategy. Further promotion of the CSR concept, activation of institutional, economic and social mechanisms for its implementation, evaluation of the effectiveness of its implementation are needed.