CSR as Enlightened Long-Term Self-Interest

Thoughtful advocates of CSR (“corporate social responsibility”) also concede that companies are unlikely to do things that are against their self-interest. The real task is to get them to act in their enlightened long-term self-interest, rather than narrowly and in the short term.

That is an interesting take.

Instead of trying to get companies to deal with environmental and social impacts that are outside of their interest, you just try and get them to think longer term. When firms think long term it is likely to be in accordance with societies interests. Managers at many firms are focused on short term goals to the detriment of the longer term. Just try and get that fixed up.

via The Economist