scarcity of natural resources and imminent climate catastrophe,

自然資源的缺乏和即將來臨的氣候浩劫

morally questionable advertising, child labor, corporate fraud, financial crisis

道德上有問題的廣告，童工問題，商業詐欺，金融危機

and the "Occupy Wall Street" movement ...

以及"佔領華爾街"運動...

These are just a few examples you may have heard about under the topics of

這些可能只是一些你聽過的例子

sustainability

關於可持續性

business ethics

商業道德

or corporate social responsibility

或者是企業社會責任等議題

These themes raise questions about justice for current as well as for

這些議題引發了關乎現在及未來世代的正義問題

future generations.

We want to ask

我們想問的是

corporate social responsibility

企業社會責任

--CSR for short--

縮寫為CSR

what is this?

究竟是什麼?

This man made headlines a few years ago.

幾年前，一名男子上了報紙頭條

In 2004, Angelo Ugolotti learned from investigators that he was

2004年，安傑洛.烏戈洛迪從調查人員那裡得知，他竟然是

chairman of the board

好幾家公司的董事長

several companies

這幾家公司

set up by his employer, the Italian milk concern Parmalat.

是由他的雇主，義大利牛奶公司帕瑪拉特所建立的

Angelo however had not even heard of those companies.

安傑洛卻甚至從沒聽過這些公司

At Parmalat, he was responsible for the switchboard.

在帕馬拉特，他是負責總機的工作

You can imagine how the story goes. Corporate fraud at its best:

你可以想像這一切是怎麼發生的。商業欺詐的最佳代表

bogus companies, cooking the books,

空頭公司，做假帳，

bribery, accounts in the Cayman Islands -- the whole works.

賄絡，在避稅天堂開曼群島開帳戶，這些通通都有。

The task of corporate social responsibility is to prevent these and other morally reprehensible practices

建立企業社會責任的目的就是要避免這些以及其他不道德的行為

which can weaken society,

這些行為將會使社會衰弱

damage companies and hurt employees.

損害企業以及傷害員工

More and more companies have realized the relevance of moral practices in their business;

越來越多的企業意識到道德行為與商業活動的相關性

even though they have not always sufficiently implemented CSR, yet.

即使他們還沒完全執行企業社會責任

Concrete preventative measures are often labeled "risk management",

具體的預防措施往往稱為風險管理

a term more commonly used for avoiding

這個專門名稱常用於避免

financial risks and damage to a company's reputation.

財務風險及損害公司的商譽

And no one likes bad press, right?

沒有人喜歡糟糕的新聞評論，對嗎?

Thus, companies define clear rules, so-called "compliance" or "value-management" systems.

因此，公司訂定清楚的規章制度，所謂的規範和價值管理系統

For example, you can accept a bottle of wine from the supplier,

舉例來說，你可以接受一瓶由供應商提供的酒

but you have to pass up a golfing trip to Hawaii.

但你卻必須拒絕一趟到夏威夷的高爾夫之旅

However, risk and compliance management are only one aspect of corporate responsibility correctly understood.

然而，風險及規範管理是企業社會責任中唯一被正確了解的部份

Firstly, CSR is not just about preventing "bad practices," like corruption and fraud and so on.

首先，企業社會責任並非只避免不好的行為，像是貪汙、詐欺等等。

Secondly, this approach does not question a company's business activities, as such.

第二，這種作法並非在質疑一間公司的經營活動

In fact, compliance management could be an efficient control mechanism even in organizations like the mafia.

實際上，制度管理可以成為一種有效控管的機制，即使是在一個像黑手黨的組織裡。

The more challenging question is:

更具挑戰性的問題是:

How can companies contribute to a "good society" through "good business" practices?

公司該如何經由優質商業行為對優質社會做出貢獻?

"Oh, that's easy!" they say.

有人說"噢!那很簡單!"

We'll create a charity foundation or donate a lot of money and, thus, "do good".

只要創建一個慈善基金會或是捐助大量金錢，那不就是做好事了?

Wrong! That won't hurt and may even help, but it is not systemic change.

這簡直錯得離譜! 雖然那無害而且可能幫得上忙，但是這並非是個系統性變革

The important thing is: CSR is about how companies make profits, not about how they spend them.

最重要的事情是:企業社會責任是關於如何讓企業獲得利潤，

not about how they spend them.

而非如何花掉他們。

Corporate social responsibility must not simply be the "repair center" of capitalism.

企業社會責任必須不是資本主義的"修復中心"這麼簡單而已

It has to demand systemic changes in a market economy.

他必須去要求市場經濟的系統性變革

This requires a new role for the key players in this game:

在某種程度上來說，這對這場遊戲中的關鍵玩家來說，需要一個新的角色

companies must become not only economic, but also moral actors.

企業必須變得道德，並且符合經濟學

What is required and important is a stronger integrative perspective

一個強大的綜合性展望是必須且重要的

based on a system of deontological values,

尤其這個展望須建立在道義價值系統之上，

and which is closely related to the company's "core business".

並且與企業的核心業務高度相關

This means social and ecological criteria must be taken into consideration, for example, in the treatment of employees,

這也代表社會及生態準則必須納入考量，舉例來說，對待員工

organization of the production process, offered and produced products and services and how they are marketed, and

組織的生產過程，提供、生產產品和服務及如何行銷

responsible business practices of suppliers, the so-called "supply chain".

供應商負責任的商業行為，所謂的供應鏈

By the way, virtuous managers or the "honorable merchant" alone will not suffice.

順帶一提，光是正直的高階經理人或是高尚的商人是不夠的

We need employees of integrity at all levels of the company, but we also need organizational structures and clear rules.

所有大大小小的公司都需要誠實正直的員工，以及組織結構和明確的規則。

But relying on a code of conduct is also short sighted,

依賴規範的經營是短視的

because in extreme cases it means "act according to some given rules",

因為在一些極端的例子中，這意味著根據一些特定的規則行事

which is the opposite of ethical reflection, namely, actually thinking about good and evil, right and wrong.

即使這些規則與道德反思相違背，也就是思考是非黑白，正負對錯。

In other words: CSR is always about both individuals and institutional structure.

換句話說，企業社會責任總是與個人和體制結構息息相關的

In business ethics, one speaks of individual ethics and institutional ethics.

在商業道德中，這意味著個人道德和制度倫理。

But isn't that unrealistic? Shouldn't the state do more to promote a good and fair society?

但是這是否不切實際?難道國家不應該多做點什麼來建立一個優質和公平的社會?

Granted. It is unrealistic and that's exactly why such questions are important!

當然。這的確不切實際，而且這就是為什麼這些問題那麼重要

Business ethicists don't just ask what the world is like, but also what it should be like

商業道德學家並非只問這世界是什麼樣子，也問這世界應是什麼樣子。

-- how it ought to be.

如何實現那樣。

At the very least, we want to suggest where the journey should lead.

最起碼，我們想要對社會的方向有所建議

At the same time, we want to make practical suggestions about how to embark on that journey.

同時，我們想要針對如何踏上這方向做出實際的建議

One speaks of questions of justification, on the one hand, and of implementation, on the other -- preferably in that order.

談到正義問題，一方面來說，必須執行，另一方面來說，最好是按照先後順序進行

The state, particularly through politics and law, can contribute to the implementation of corporate responsibility,

國家，可以經由政治和法律，來對企業社會責任的執行作出貢獻。

but only within a limited range.

但也僅限於有限的範圍

If we look at society from a bird's-eye view,

如果我們鳥瞰整個社會

we can spot different social systems: the economic system, the political system, the justice system, for example.

我們可以發現不同的社會制度，比如說經濟制度，政治制度，司法系統

One can speak of the "functionally differentiated" society we live in.

我們生活在功能分化的社會

About sixty or seventy years ago,

在六七十年前

some German economists came up with an idea

一些德國經濟學家靈光一閃的想法

that led to the development of the social market economy as we now know it, particularly in Europe.

推動了我們現在所知的社會市場經濟發展，尤其是在歐洲。

They thought that a market economy should be embedded in a political framework that determines the rules of this game.

他們認為市場經濟應該與的政治框架結合，並由其決定市場經濟活動規則。

This underlying idea is still important, but it has become distinctly more difficult to rely on the state alone.

這個基本的概念仍是重要的，只是很明顯的是，它變得更難以單獨依靠國家本身

Societal differentiation has progressed because most systems have internationalized.

因為大部分體系組織變得國際化，社會分化也隨之變得嚴重

"Globalization" is the magic word that applies to most systems,

全球化像一種魔力，各種體系都在所難免。

but not all of them.

但也並非全部。

Politics and, particularly, law tend to be bound to one country's borders,

政治，以及特別是法律，被緊緊限制在國界範圍之內

while the economy, above all,

而經濟卻恰恰相反

is highly internationalized and globalized.

呈現高度國際化和全球化

This makes effective regulation difficult.

這使有效監管變得困難

Thus, it is now not only about the classic rules of the game, but also about the moves of the players,

因此，現在這並不只是關於遊戲的傳統規則，也關係著玩家們的一舉一動

the corporations in a changed and changing world.

如今的企業已生存在一個在改變和不斷改變的世界

And beyond politics and law,

超越政治，和法律

civil society -- in particular NGOs --

公民社會---尤其是非營利性組織---

has gained a strong influence on the economy, as both

深深的影響了社會，既是

vicious watchdogs and as partners of businesses.

惡狠狠的監督者同時也是企業的好夥伴

In 21st century society, we find new, rather odd -- hybrid -- constructs

在二十一世紀的社會，我們發現嶄新的，但相對來說奇怪的---混合動力---建立在

under the notion of "soft laws".

所謂"軟法"的概念之下

These are collective individual commitments to comply with certain social and ecological standards,

這些都是符合一定的社會和生態標準的集體承諾個體，

such as collective industry agreements or the UN Global Compact.

如集體工業協議或是聯合國全球契約。

So companies are supposed to operate responsibly.

所以企業應該要負責任的經營

Is anything really happening???

有任何事情真的正在發生嗎?

There's no clear answer to that question.

這個問題並沒有真正清楚的解答

The cynics say that CSR is like teenage sex:

諷世者說，企業社會責任就像是青春期的性愛

everybody says they are doing it, but few actually are.

每個人說他們正在做，但其實少數人說得是真的

And those who really do it, do it rather badly. ;-(

而且那些真的在做的，其實做的很差

The truth is more nuanced, of course:

事實當然是更微妙的

in the area of corporate responsibility there is also

在企業社會責任這個領域中，也有所謂

"the good, the bad and the really ugly."

"好"、"不好"還有"醜陋"。

More and more companies deal with CSR and take the first steps towards responsible business practices.

越來越多的企業願意面對企業社會責任，並且跨出負責任商業實踐的第一步

We can definitely observe a distinct effort, even though it is still a delicate little plant.

我們可以確切的觀察到不同的努力，即使這些努力都還只是一棵嬌弱的小樹

And of course there are still those who misconstrue CSR as a PR instrument and

但當然還是有些人誤解企業社會責任而把它當作公關手段

simply want to "green wash" or "blue wash" their company.

只是想"漂綠"或是"漂藍"他們的公司

And, unfortunately, there are still companies that don't give a damn about

不幸的是，仍有公司不願回應

questions of corporate responsibility, and which even trample on justice.

關於企業社會責任的問題，而且甚至踐踏正義

Got all that? Let's sum it up:

全都了解了嗎?讓我們做個總結

First, CSR stands for Corporate Social Responsibility.

首先，企業社會責任的縮寫是CSR

Second,

第二

CSR is based on the question of "good business" for a "good society" -- today and tomorrow.

企業社會責任是以優質企業回饋優質社會為起點，不只是今天，還有未來的每一天

Third, Corporate Social Responsibility is not charity:

第三，企業社會責任並非慈善事業

it is about how companies earn their profits, not how they spend them.

而是關於企業如何獲得利潤，不是關於如何花掉利潤

Fourth, it takes employees of integrity and appropriate organizational structures to realize CSR.

第四，企業社會責任需要誠實正直以及適當的組織結構去實現它

It is a matter of individual and institutional ethics.

它是個人和機構的的道德問題

Fifth, politics continue to play an important role,

第五。政治持續扮演一個重要角色

but in a globalized world the effects of regulation can be limited.

但在一個全球化的世界，政治監督的效果被侷限住

And, thus, sixth, companies play an increasingly important role.

因此，第六，企業逐漸扮演一個重要角色。

Seventh, "soft laws" are new governance mechanisms

第七，"軟法"是新的治理機制。

based on companies' self-commitment.

基於公司的自我承諾

Finally, eighthly, CSR has arrived in business practice.

最後，第八，企業社會責任成功達成商業實踐

It is necessary to support these developments professionally, but also to provide critical perspectives with respect to them.

提供專業支持給這些發展是必要的，同時也要提供批評

Research on issues of corporate responsibility is still beginning

關於企業社會責任的研究還只是剛開始而已

and future developments will be exciting to see. It is unclear whether

將來的發展可期。現在還不清楚是否

a good and fair society can be created with the help of companies.

在企業的幫助之下，可以創造一個優質且公平的社會

But it can't be created without them.

但這樣的社會，少了企業協助，是不可能被創造出來的

[wait! she is coming back.... ]

等等!!她即將回來....

Oh, we almost forgot:

噢!我們幾乎忘記:

besides corporate responsibility,

除了企業社會責任

there's also consumer responsibility. You can practice that the next time you go shopping,

也有所謂消費者責任。你可以在下次去購物時練習它

and there may be more from us on that topic.

你可能會因此學到更多。