CSR: A Rich Sustainable LEGACY

Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu

(May all beings everywhere be happy and free and may the thoughts, words and actions of my own life contribute in some way to that happiness and to that freedom for all.)

Acknowledgement

At the outset I would like to acknowledge that the content of this book is an enhanced version of a chapter from my doctoral thesis titled Corporate Social Responsibility and Its Impact on the Society: A Philosophical Study. I would like to thank many seen and unseen hands who have been instrumental directly or indirectly. I am immensely grateful to Prof. Vijay Karekar, the Dean of the faculty for being such an understanding, helpful and inspiring person during this research.

Indebted indeed, I am to Prof. Dr. Kuruvilla Pandikattu, the research guide for his creative suggestions and guidance during this journey. Being a philosopher-scientist, his multi-disciplinary depth of wisdom has been a catalyst in doing this inter-disciplinary research with mutual understanding — making it a joyfully experience to cherish in life. It is his inspiration and promptness that made me a successful, proud shisya under his wings and to spread my wings to venture into the new realm of CSR in the real world. Thank you, Kuruji, for being a wonderful guide, friend and inspiration in this research and in life.

I also want express my gratitude to Dr. C. Drago, Dr. Shiju Xavier, Dr. Anil Parkhi, Dr. Gireesh Kumar and Fr. Sebastian for going through different drafts of my thesis and enhancing it with valuable suggestions and feedbacks from different disciplines of their expertise. At times, when I got stuck with no mood to proceed, it is their constant inspiration that boosted my spirit to return into the research with high level of energy and enthusiasm.

I also wish to acknowledge and be grateful to the wisdom of numerous philosophers, masters, authors and human beings whose works and life experiences I have referred, quoted or used to substantiate my concepts and standpoints in this research. The references from other authors and books are used here with the intention of spreading the CSR awareness to the grass-root levels of the society. And it is certainly a CSR act in itself, so kindly excuse the references in this book with a CSR attitude and approach. Frankly, I personally take no credits of the content I have referred in this work, rather being grateful to its contributors. I must acknowledge Professor Luis Muniz, whose work has become a foundation for this books which I have enhanced.

Finally I am grateful to the Almighty for choosing me to undertake this research as it is said in the Quran that on every grain of wheat is written the name of the one that it is to be consumed. I express my deepest thankfulness from the depth of my heart for instilling me with apt ideas and power of creative thinking to successfully complete the wonderful research in CSR which is the need of the hour for the society.

I wholeheartedly salute the EXISTENCE with reverence and humbleness as I dedicate and offer this book to the world.

Dr. Joji Valli, Pune, India (September 12, 2014)

Contact: [email protected]

Table of Contents

Introduction 

1. Philosophical Basis for Altruism/Communitarianism

1.1 A Critical Analysis of Plato’s Virtuous Community

1.2 A Critical Analysis of Aristotle’s Self-Love

1.3 A Critical Analysis of Cicero’s Concept of Identifying One’s Interests  

1.4 A Critical Analysis of Thomas Aquinas on Common Good

2. Philosophical basis for Individualism 

2.1 Thomas Hobbes — Not Egoism, but Individualism

2.2 Adam Smith’s Concept of Moral Sentiments

2.3 Immanuel Kant — Ethical Duty versus Self-Love 

2.4 J. S. Mill — Individualism and Altruism  

3. Convergences of Individualism and Altruism in Eastern Thoughts 

3.1 Arthashastra of Kautilya/Chanakya 

3.1.1 Chanakya's Nitishastra 

3.1.2 Chanakya the True CSR Proponent   

3.2 Ashoka’s Concept of Welfare State

4. Echoes of CSR in Vedic literature 

4.1 Vedas 

4.2 Vedanta and Bhagavad Gita 

Conclusion 

Introduction

CSR is rooted in a strong philosophical foundation from West and East. The basic problem with individuals and corporate is that they lack the awareness of its philosophical basis, philosophical legitimacy and ethical responsibility. The lacuna created due ignorance and lack of awareness has prevented individuals and corporations to acknowledging and implementing CSR practices for the progress and welfare of the society which is the responsibility of every person and corporate.

CSR trails from the perennial philosophy of the great ancient and medieval thinkers according to whom human persons belong to communities naturally and there is no conflict between the individual and common goods. CSR is based upon modern philosophical systems characterized by individualism and the dichotomy between egoism and altruism. In order to successfully establish my research on CSR and its impact on the society and to prove the entire hypothesis as right, I will need to once again enlist some of the key philosophers.

We have already mentioned enough philosophical foundations that establish the legitimacy in the beginning of this research. However, to authenticate hypothesis successfully, we will have to make a probe into the thought of some of the philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle, Cicero, Aquinas, Smith, Kant and Mill from the West; Chanakya, Ashoka, and Great Indian epics Vedas and Bhagavad Gita argue that CSR does make an impact for the progress of the