Social Responsibility In Supply Chains Research Articles

Corporate Social Responsibility in Supply Chains of Global Brands: A Boundaryless Responsibility? Clarifications, Exceptions and Implications

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is increasingly becoming a popular business concept in developed economies. As typical of other business concepts, it is on its way to globalization through practices and structures of the globalized capitalist world order, typified in Multinational Corporations (MNCs). However, CSR often sits uncomfortably in this capitalist world order, as MNCs are often challenged by the global reach of their supply chains and the possible irresponsible practices inherent along these chains. The possibility of irresponsible practices puts global firms under pressure to protect their brands even if it means assuming responsibilities for the practices of their suppliers. Pressure groups understand this burden on firms and try to take advantage of the situation. This paper seeks to challenge the often taken-for-granted-assumption that firms should be accountable for the practices of their suppliers by espousing the moral (and sometimes legal) underpinnings of the concept of responsibility. Except where corporate control and or corporate grouping exist, it identifies the use of power as a critical factor to be considered in allocating responsibility in firm-supplier relationship; and suggests that the more powerful in this relationship has a responsibility to exert some moral influence on the weaker party. The paper highlights the use of code of conducts, corporate culture, anti-pressure group campaigns, personnel training and value reorientation as possible sources of wielding positive moral influence along supply chains.

Social Responsibility in Supply Chain. The Coop Italia Case

An objective weak point in the globalization process is the traditional system of States: once we had the scheme ‘one State-one market’, today it is ‘more Statesone market’. Today, large-scale retailers, and industrial companies in general, cannot ignore the impacts generated by their activity, whether direct or indirect. The ‘new way of thinking’ they can adopt is an internal change that must always respond to market and business logics, but that can and must interact with the other actors of society for the most complex processes. In this context, Coop stands as a point of reference for Italy ‘Country system’, both for the historical role of service of Consumer Cooperation and the economic role on the national market.