The theory of social responsibility is a fairly recent one in the business world. Consciousness about the social responsibility of business organizations is on the rise and firms are accepting this concept as awareness regarding this issue grows. The textile industry is no exception. Textile producing firms are grasping their responsibility towards society and the environment.
Social Responsibility…What is it?
Social responsibility is “an organization’s obligation to maximize its constructive impression and minimize its negative impact on the society”. In other words, it is “the concept that businesses should be actively concerned with the wellbeing of the society in general”.
The idea of social responsibility is pertinent to individuals and governments as well as organizations. The social responsibility of an organization is referred to as ‘corporate social responsibility’.
Social responsibility can be broadly divided into two measures: human responsibility and environmental responsibility.
Human responsibility refers to the responsibility of the organization towards the various parties connected with it, which are known as ‘stakeholders’ in a business relationship These parties include personnel, shareholders, the government, clients, investors, contractors, competitors and the society at large.
Environmental responsibility refers to the organization’s obligation towards the environment’s protection and awareness.
The notion of social responsibility dictates that a business should work in a way in which the wellbeing of the stakeholders are protected or, at the very least, they are not negatively impacted. It states that the organization should work in a principled manner and work in the best interests of the various parties associated with it.
The dominion of social responsibility encompasses beyond the legal responsibilities of an organization. It should be willingly fulfilled by the organization.
The Consumer’s Role in Social Responsibility
Like the firms in other industries, textiles firms are also realizing their responsibility towards the various parties associated with them and the environment. Consumers have a responsibility to ask the businesses they patron questions regarding their supply chain of products. Businesses compliance with regard to child labor, safe working conditions, equal opportunity, fair working hours, anti-discrimination practices and so forth are issues the American consumer should be concerned about when making purchasing decisions.s
