Why Should We Be Phasing Out the Terminology “Corporate Social Responsibility”?

Just over two years ago, I wrote an article on why businesses need to target corporate sustainability — not just corporate social responsibility.

In my line of work, this is still a questions that seems to pop up over and over again.

There are a few key differences between corporate social responsibility and corporate sustainability. The first is that corporate social responsibility is a program which is run within a company; it is not a whole-of-company approach to creating a better future. Corporate sustainability looks at creating a culture from the top down which is focused on ensuring that the products and / or services of the company are geared towards bettering people’s lives and contributing to a more economically, socially and environmentally secure future.

Corporate social responsibility also turns these practices into a burden — it’s a responsibility to which you have to step up. Sustainability allows these responsible practices to be implemented throughout the company in a way in which the company can grow, develop and prosper.

Additionally, the name “corporate social responsibility” leaves out the interconnectedness between our economy, our society and our environment. By name, it only looks at one of the aspects of the…