The profit of values*
A Christian vision of Corporate Social Responsibility
A form of management for long-lasting enterprises
by Uniapac
Corporate Social Responsibility is something everybody talks about. Is there room for any new meaningful contribution? First of all, members of Uniapac want to join with this trend which meets men and women's aspiration to justice and truth. Then, based on the concrete expertise of numerous business leaders from all over the planet, we want to stress that CSR reaches all its potential when it leads to the recognition of the central role in the enterprise of each person towards the common good. This document, written by Christian business executives from any different backgrounds, offers to the reader to discover the sources of his behavior, the corresponding principles, and shows him an innovative way for actual implementation. We experienced that passing from the care of groups' interests to the service of the good of the persons allows for a new business culture which gives CSR all its relevance and efficiency, and we have developed tools to make it happen.
(Extracts from the back cover of the book)
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| *The Profit of Values is also published in French |
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and Arabic |
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- A few meaningful excerpts
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Excerpts page 8 and 9
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Being a Christian and doing business should by no means be a burden or give rise to blame; on the contrary, it should represent a commitment and a driving inner force towards moral integrity, responsibility, submission and social openness… “
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“Everyone today is sensitive to the “three dimensions” (economic, societal and environmental) that should be considered in any business. However we have come to the conclusion that these three structural dimensions can only make sense when oriented around the “human person”. We strongly believe therefore that the internal and external objectives (economic, societal and environmental) and their respective programs and business activities must be considered with a view to their impact on the development of the persons involved (the different stakeholders). This is the distinctive characteristic of the vision of UNIAPAC on CSR, and can be seen in the programs and actions of its members.” |
Excerpts page 10 and 11
“The first part of this document (“Foundation and Inspiration”, found in the Development) is an attempt to appreciate the subject as it may be experienced by a Christian business leader. What is the specific call of a Christian who is a business leader? And as a Christian executive, what is the distinct way of addressing the economic, societal and environmental spheres of an enterprise?
The second part of the current document (“Our Vision of CSR”) presents CSR as an interesting concept for addressing current issues. Firstly, what are the universal principles on which a sustainable economy should be based? What would be a comprehensive vision of an enterprise, its objectives and its responsibilities? What is the specific role of the business leader and what are the principal strategic lines of action?
The third section deals with the implementation of the lines of action, guidelines, if you like, on how to change ways of conducting business. How can we progress and make the theory work? How can we implement a culture that respects the human person? Finally, once implemented, is there a way to measure its effectiveness?
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Las but not least, this document – that expresses CSR as a form of management for successful enterprises – is considered by UNIAPAC as a starting point for numerous initiatives to promote worldwide a CSR that fully respects the dignity of persons and their development. …” |
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Excerpt page 30
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Excerpt page 37
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Excerpt page 47
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Excerpt page 48
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Excerpt page 49
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Excerpt page 70
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“Development
Foundation and Inspiration
Spirituality is nowadays on everyone's agenda. It is our purpose to reflect on Christian Spirituality and its importance to us as members of UNIAPAC. When thinking about corporate social responsibility (CSR) and each of its dimensions: economic, societal and
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environmental, we are mindful that there indeed exists a fourth dimension that we need to consider, specifically the dimension of spiritual relationships. …”
“In Christianity, spiritual experience does not refer to abstract values or esoteric states of mind but rather to a concrete, personal and existential experience: the everyday encounter with Jesus Christ in His Spirit. …” |
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Excerpt page 73
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Excerpt page 76
- Christian Spirituality : the Soul of CSR
“… Up to now we have tried to clearly define what “Christian Spirituality” means for a movement like UNIAPAC and how it operates through the use of theological virtues: Faith, Hope and Charity. We want to build on this reflection by showing how spirituality can be the soul of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Soul here meaning interiority, inspiration and orientation.
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Excerpt page 92
“… To say it using words familiar to Christian social teaching, an enterprise has a responsibility towards the national as well s the world's common wealth. Undoubtedly, the limits of this responsibility are uneasy to define, they depend on historical circumstances, but such a principle is nonetheless valid. Our spiritual reflection on these three precise relationships remains valid for enterprises.
A well-known Belgian employer recently announced that any decision made in his business would now have a positive impact in the three areas: ecology, economy and society, and would not only be considered from a financial aspect. …” |
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