This is a business course:Managing across boardersEssay title: Discuss the role of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in today’s world. Give practical examples for your arguments. Essay format: ...

Role of Corporate Social Responsibility
Executive Summary
In this highly competitive corporate world, it is vital for the businesses to stand out unique or different than others and must remove the ‘one-size fits all approach' in order to gain a competitive advantage. It has been identified that strong corporate social responsibility (CSR) can determine the positive image of the company in the minds of customers. To accomplish a sustainable and unique strategy for CSR, the company is required to include its shareholders as well as stakeholders in the planning process of the CSR activities.
The present report is based on the role of corporate social responsibility in today's business environment. For carrying out the critical analysis and evaluation of the same, the selected organisation is Coles, Australia which is known as one of the largest supermarket chains in the country. The report highlights the significance of corporate social responsibility context of the chosen organisation as well as the benefits associated with the same. The primary benefit of CSR activities is an increase in brand awareness and media recognition along with a competitive advantage. Moreover, the triple bottom line approach has been discussed for greater understanding and transparency of the CSR activities and practices of Coles.
Table of Contents
Executive Summary    2
Introduction    4
Main Body    4
Conclusion    9
References    10
Introduction
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a broad term which is used to demonstrate the organisation's efforts and practices for improving the standards of living of people. Moreover, these efforts can further range from donating basic use items providing basic amenities to the poor section of the society or communities (Grayson and Hodges, 2017). To raise funds for children and to provide meals to people is considered as the most common CSR practices in which the company can indulge. It has been identified that businesses or big retailers in Australia indulge in corporate social responsibility activities to gain competitive advantage and be in the eyes of customers as well as media. CSR is an important activity for the companies as also includes saving the environment from the industrial operations undertaken by the established companies within the company.
The critical essay presented is based on the role of corporate social responsibilities in today's world along with its impact on business operations. The selected company for carrying out this analysis is Coles, Australia. It is one of the largest supermarkets in Australia and runs a duopoly with another established supermarket that is Woolworths. Together they account for more than 80 per cent of the market (Coles, 2018). The report will present a brief analysis for the undergoing CSR practices of the cited supermarket brand of Australia along with the critical evaluation of the corporate social responsibility practices.
Main Body
The writings of Cheng, et al. (2014) illustrate that CSR is based on community approach as well as contribution and commitment from the company to bring positive benefits for the society along with the business. Moreover, it can be said that corporate social responsibility is all about managing business activities as well as processes towards a positive direction or working for the company’s benefits. It has been further elaborated that the concept is essential for the businesses to undertake in an ethical manner for the economic development of the organisation as well as the country as a whole. However, the concept of CSR is to help the people of the company as well as to improve the economic conditions of the country (Schwartz, 2017).
It has been identified that the cited company believes that the wealth which is generated from the society must be used for the betterment as well as upliftment of the society. According to (), the significance of the CSR activities is to help society and communities for the betterment of the society as well as maintaining the role of doing good or welfare of the people in contribution to running a big business. Speaking of big organisations, the cited organisation that is Coles has taken recent initiatives to help the society as well as the environment by minimising the carbon footprint in carrying out particular operations in the company. However, as per the arguments of Tai and Chuang (2014), it has been identified that corporate social responsibility isn't just about helping the society, but in today' world, it has become a publicity stunt to show the bright side of the organisation which some of the businesses use to camouflage their unethical deeds. From the writings of Lins, et al. (2017), it has been illustrated that customers admire businesses that indulge in corporate social responsibility practices and help the stigmatised population of the society or country (Lins, et al. 2017). However, the sad part is customers cannot see the real motive of the game the businesses are playing.
For overcoming the same, proper CSR practices have been developed, which is required by the cited organisation to follow in order to avoid any type of misconduct....