In Routledge Companion to Corporate Social Responsibility

Routledge

Abstract

This chapter inquiries into the social responsibility of firms from a virtue ethics approach and the concept of the common good. In particular, it will show the contrasting assumptions between mainstream approaches and the common good of the firm approach to explain how the latter— rooted in Aristotelian virtue ethics— provides an original conception of social responsibility. A common good approach to social justice understands social relationships essentially defined as duties to which one voluntarily adheres; when said justice and commitment to the common good flourishes, community ensues. Finally, a Virtue Ethics approach to Corporate Social Responsibility establishes three forms of duties and social responsibility to stakeholders, including those who make up the firm, those who maintain a market-based relationship with it, and those who are related to the firm as part of society’s civic sphere.