Corporate Responsibility

Last night I happened to catch a documentary called "Iraq for Sale: The War Profiteers". The documentary was fascinating.

I am not sure if the everything the film maker said is true. But what got me thinking was about corporations being socially responsible.

1. The #1 purpose of a corporation is to increase shareholder value.

2. If we limit the amount of profit a corporation can make should we also limit the amount of money an individual should make? Or we legislate the that every corporation should spend X% of their profit on social projects shouldn't individuals be held to that same standard

3. I am all for charity. But does charity make us lazy. We know if we fail, we have a safety net or someone to bail us out. So is being charitable being responsible.

There were so many contradicting thoughts going through mind and mind you I was not even drinking.

I wonder if we should have rules

1. Corporation and individuals should give X% of the profit and salary to a social cause

2. The social cause should be to help individuals get back on their feet but those individuals have then an obligation to pay back to the organization that helped them. Something like a 0% interest loan.

3. As human being (and rulers of the planet) we should be able to police ourselves and the corporation whose product we buy. After all if we do not buy the corporations goods and service they then seize to exist. Therefore we do not need a legislation on this.