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22 Ewa Mazur-Wierzbicka enterprises are mainly highlighted, which means that while generating economic profit, firms allocate a part of it to local communities, citizens or other actors (beneficiaries). Nevertheless, European current has criticized the above model. In Europe, community was not understood as homo economicus that reduced the activity of enterprises only to financial assistance but in a holistic way in which responsibility was understood more as actions referring to social issues in every sense of the word. Responsibility assumed by an enterprise is its sustained activity in a local community demonstrated by, for example participation in social actions or continuous cooperation with public authorities. Nevertheless, the development and character of CSR model depends on Welfare model adopted in particular European countries. It is assumed that the scope and range of firms’ involvement in local communities reflects Welfare models and socio-political structures across Europe. In 2001, i.e. a year after the Lisbon Strategy, European Commission presented Green Paper on Corporate Social Responsibility. This concept has become one of elements important to economic policy of the EU. It is defined as a concept of voluntary including social tasks in the scope of environmental protection among enterprise’s regular business practice and relations with all interested partners (after Communication from the Commission concerning Corporate Social Responsibility: Business Contribution to Sustainable Development, COM (2002) 347 dated July 2, 2002). Hence, responsible business combines individual entrepreneurial tendencies and attitude necessary to set up and run a small company in a wider context of social responsibility (Responsible Business, 2004). As stated by Rok (Rok, 2004), this idea introduced major changes to economic policy due to greater and greater social expectations and changing consumer awareness, due to the need for reliable economic policy pursued by the EU and due to a long-term economic efficiency of enterprises. Therefore, an assumption has been made that propagating the civil attitudes in enterprises provides better conditions for the competitiveness of European economy. Another important assumption refers to the fact that responsible business forms a basis for management strategy that, through social dialogue at a local level, contributes to global competitiveness and at the same time offers conditions favorable to social and economic development. Philosophy of corporate social responsibility construed in such a way has found its reflection in, among other things, strategic and long-term approach based on social dialogue and looking for solutions favorable to everyone. CSR is defined in many different ways. For instance, according to Davis and Blomstrom, social responsibility should be treated as the obligation of the management of a corporation to take such decisions and actions that contribute both to attention to its own interest (multiplying the profit made by enterprise) as well as protection and multiplication of social welfare (Davis, Blomstrom, 1975). Bowen claims that CSR is a duty imposed on entrepreneur to pursue such a policy of decision making or following such a path that would lead to achieving a desirable goal and a value to society (Carroll, 1999). According to Frederik, social responsibility indicates that a businessman should forecast such actions of economic system so that he would be able to meet social expectations (Frederick, 1960). All the aforementioned definitions of CSR encompass a clear attitude toward fair rules of running business in the context of social response and creating a social contribution as well as cause and effect relationship between behavioral patterns adopted and mechanisms for making decisions to the advantage of society. Hence, it is clear that the concept of CSR may be defined in a number of ways. One may make attempt to systemize these definitions and assume that first of all, CSR is defined via generating sustainable profit and establishing relations with all stakeholders. Secondly, it
Corporate Social Responsibility as a Valuable Contribution to Improvement ... 23 is a management tool. Thirdly, it is a philosophy of conducting business activity on the basis of relations with actors, among others, with employees, clients, suppliers, shareholders, competitors and local community. Fourthly, it refers to the development of competitive advantage on the market that would be based on providing sustainable value. Fifthly, it is aimed at providing services and products in the way that does not damage natural and social environment. Sixthly, it is related to running the business while taking ethical values into account. Seventhly, it is nothing more than running the business in accordance with social expectations. Finally, it is aimed at making a contribution to sustainable development through cooperation with employees. The above definitions are based on the concept of a firm oriented to stakeholders – social groups and individuals that can influence or are affected by enterprise via its products, strategies and manufacturing processes, management systems and procedures. The notion of a stakeholder is of key importance in the model of corporate social responsibility. It is one of the most important notions as it encompasses all the actors participating in the game, i.e. actions taken by enterprises to create a community. Defined in such a way, corporate social responsibility is a process, i.e. a constantly changing series of events. It refers to relations among financial, social and environmental responsibility. In practice, financial investments made by enterprises are aimed not only at creating organizational structures but also at looking after the environment in which they function as well as social conditions (for instance, jobs, close relations with local community or public authorities). It is directly related with ‘Triple Bottom Line’ approach whose main idea emphasizes the organization of sustainable development and security, which minimizes negative environmental influence. That being so, the model of corporate social responsibility (CSR) may be defined as a participation in sustainable development (Observatory Survey 2002). In other words, CSR is defined as a voluntary integration of social and environmental issues in enterprises and their relations with stakeholders. Corporate social responsibility model may have a conscious or unconscious form. In the former case, actors have knowledge and are characterized by taking responsibility for themselves, their enterprises and environment. However, the form of socially responsible activity that is unconscious can be found in practice as well. This is refers to taking actions connected with stakeholders and social or environmental involvement. Nevertheless, actors do not have knowledge of CSR and/or are not aware of the fact that the activity should be undertaken in accordance with assumptions made. Furthermore, it is also worth indicating internal and external dimensions of CSR. The former involves human resource management, ethical programmes for employees, industrial safety, ability to adjust to changes, environmental protection management, corporate supervision rules. External dimension of CSR refers to local community that determines the rules concerning the cooperation with NGO and other organizations such as contracting partners and customers. In this case, it is also vital to recognize human rights or global environmental programmes, which derives from the assumption that enterprises are an integral element of local communities, and at the same time community is defined administratively, with prospects of enterprise’s functioning and prospects of a cluster, i.e. cooperating enterprises. These three dimensions of localness make up the definition of local community in which enterprise in engaged (Moelle, Eldar 2003). Apart from Green Paper, another document on corporate social responsibility was White Paper. White Paper: Communication on CSR presents actions in the following spheres: a) education – actions consisting in the exchange of experience and good practices (examining the influence of CSR on business and the environment, exchange of CSR experience among firms, development of managerial skills);
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