Responsibility for Sustainable Business

  An important question that any business must answer is what is its responsibility to its owner and to what extent is there a shared responsibility with society at large? Is it just about maximizing profits or is there some obligation to others whether that is employees, other companies, local communities, or society at large? The concept of corporate social responsibility is closely aligned with the idea of business sustainability. A sustainable business is one that is concerned about more than profits. It shares concern with people and the planet. Following the ideas you generated in Stage 1, answer the following question as it relates to your personal venture: In what what is there a tension between the need/desire to make profits and the goal of acting responsibly? How can your business act responsibly and still pay attention to the profitability of the enterprise? What are some initial ideas for making your venture a more sustainable one?