Social+responsibility

__**4/16/09**__ From //Saving the Corporate Soul & (Who Knows?) Maybe Your Own://

"In the civic elections of March 2002, the people of Mountain View, California, population seventy-six thousand, voted down Home Depot." (p. 75) "Several critics blasted Home Depot for being a poor neighbor. They cited the problems that an existing Home Depot megastore had brought to another northern California community and alleged that the corporation's response to neighborhood complaints was woefully inadequate." (p.76)

Batstone, David. (2003). //Saving the Corporate Soul & (Who Knows?) Maybe Your Own.// San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

This could also be used under perception management. (Don)

__**4/30/09**__ This is all I plan to do on this until my partner posts his half and we can merge them. Don

__**5/1/09**__ The Loews website has links to annual 'Social Responsibility Reports' from 2003 to [|2007]. Current draft is a bit more than two pages. (Don):

Lowe's takes social responsibility seriously. Its web site has a social responsibility page with links to annual Social Responsibility Reports from 2003 to 2007. These can be seen as a public relations items designed to enhance Lowe's image. While the promotional aspect of these reports can't be denied they do show the areas the company believes are important for social responsibility and that “enhance the way we work to improve our employees’ lives and the communities where our employees live” (Lowe's, 2008, p. 1). These areas include charitable donations aimed at improving education and providing affordable housing. The Lowe's Charitable and Education Foundation was created in 1957 and provided “grants totaling more than $17.5 million” in 2007 (Lowe's, 2008, p. 7). In addition to individual public schools Lowe's provided grants and funds to The American Red Cross, The United Way and Habitat for Humanity. Lowe's Employee Relief Fund helped employees to the tune of than a million dollars in 2007 (Lowe's, 2008, p. 15). Lowe's has scholarship programs for the children of employees and “health and wellness programs that employees and their family members can access” (Lowe's, 2008, p. 16). Lowe's also believes social responsibility includes caring for the environment. Recycling is a key environmental policy and Lowe's recycles cardboard, wood and plastic shrink wrap waste that is generated in the course of it's business. It also has a consumer program for recycling batteries. Another interesting policy of Lowe's is its commitment to buy Green Power in increasing amounts. Lowe's is working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through more a efficient transportation system and has a wood policy aimed at sustaining wood as a renewable resource (Lowe's, 2008, pp. 20-21). Home Depot is considered a “luminary of the corporate sustainability movement” (Hollender & Fenichell, p. 97). This movement attempts to bring environmentalists and businesspeople together “to come up with sustainable business models that appreciate the connectedness of humans, technologies, and natural resources” (Batstone, p. 164). Home Depot does not tout a wood policy as Lowe's does but “is the largest buyer in the United States of wood certified by the Forest Stewardship Council to be sustainably harvested” (Makower, 2009, p. 33). Business is still business though and in 1997 Home Depot stopped buying from a Forest Stewardship Council certified Oregon logger that was unable to supply the quantities Home Depot wanted (Hoffman, p. 157). Nor was Home Depot always a proponent of sustainability. There was a time when Home Depot sold 'old growth' wood. It took a campaign by the Rainforest Action Network to convince Home Depot to change its ways. Despite Lowe's wood policy it and other lumber retailers “//followed// Home Depot's example” (emphasis added ) (Aburdene, p. 37). Nowadays though Home Depot has seen the light and “has recognized the green opportunity” (Denton, p. 194). Home Depot has tried to capitalize on this opportunity in a variety of ways. One was the 1990s Recycling Depot, a drive through recycling center (adjacent to a Home Depot store) where people could sell left over building material scraps and other recyclables (Watson). The Recycling Depot was seen “as an ideal way to marry the sale of building materials with the idea of keeping them out of landfills” (Denton, p. 44). It is not clear if the Recycling Depot succeeded. A more recent attempt is Eco Options “a labeling program ... that highlights environmentally friendly products” (Makower, 2009, p.89). The Home Depot web sire has an entire Eco Options sections devoted to educating the environmentally concerned customer. The program appears to be a success despite the challenge involved in deciding exactly which products are actually true Eco Options. The men in the orange aprons soon discovered “you can paint anything green” and there isn't always a consensus on what is good for the environment (Makower, 2009, pp. 89-90). Home Depot, like Lowe's, is a natural supporter of charitable organizations that build and repair housing and sustainability is a key focus. A well known housing provider says, “  The Home Depot Foundation is helping Habitat for Humanity build energy  ‐  efficient and sustainable houses,” and has “provid[ed] $30 million in financial, in  ‐  kind support, technical resources and training” (Habitat for Humanity, p.1). Christmas in April USA repairs housing for the needy and claims “Our foremost national sponsor is the Home Depot our of Atlanta. They donate tons of materials” (Glauser, p. 196). One more area of social responsibility to consider is the exploitation of labor. In 1992 NBC's Dateline ran a story about child labor in Asia. While the story was aimed at Wal-Mart and the textile industry it prompted Home Depot create “a questionnaire seeking information on labor practices, which it subsequently required all overseas vendors to fill out” (Makower, 1994, p. 268)

**Sources:** Aburdene, Patricia. (2005). //Megatrends 2010//. Charlottesville, VA: Hampton Roads Publishing Company, Inc.

Batstone, David. (2003). //Saving the Corporate Soul.// San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Denton, D. Keith. (1994). Enviro-management. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Glauser, Michael J. (1999). //The Business of Heart.// Salt Lake City: Shadow mountain.

Habitat for Humanity. (2008). Snapshot of Habitat for Humanity's National Partners and Sponsors. Retrieved on April 28, 2009 from [] Hoffman, Andrew J. (2000). //Competitive Environmental Strategy.// Washington, DC: Island Press.

Hollender, Jeffrey; & Fenichell, Stephen. (2004). //What Matters Most.// New York: Basic Books.

Lowe's. (2008). //Lowe's Social Responsibility Report 2007// [Electronic version]. Retrieved on April 28, 2009 from []

Makower, Joel. (2009). //Strategies for the Green Economy.// New York: McGraw Hill. Makower, Joel. (1994). //Beyond the Bottom Line.// New York: Simon & Schuster. Watsom, Tom. (Not dated). Major retailers sold on Recycling [Electronic version]. Retrieved on April 28, 2009 from [] **__5/3/09__** Here is my Social Responsibility write up. Scott **Chapter 7 – Social Responsibility** Organizations that employ social responsibility programs do so by demonstrating concern for the environment, human rights, community development, and the welfare of their employees (Noer, 2008). The primary reason they engage in this activity is because they believe they will realize increased revenues because of increased loyalty by consumers and stakeholders who are socially and environmentally conscious themselves (Noer, 2008). Home Depot maintains “giving back” as one of their fundamental corporate values (Home Depot, 2006). One of the primary venues they use to give back is in community relations, both through philanthropic and volunteer programs. Their four main focal areas are: “building and refurbishing playgrounds, ensuring the safety and accessibility of community gathering spaces, building and refurbishing affordable and transitional housing; and preparing communities for emergencies” (Home Depot, 2006). Another major focus area is in protecting the environment. Home Depot utilizes a number of programs to achieve success here. First of all, they employ consumer education programs that educate consumers on promoting a healthy living environment such as how to handle lead when renovating a home or how to make your home more energy efficient. They also help to improve the environment by partnering to maintain sustainable forestry. In fact, Home Depot has been so successful in their environmental programs, they’ve received a number of nationally recognized awards including: ENERGY STAR® partner of the year in 2006 and 2007, for eight consecutive years they were ranked by Fortune as America’s Most Admired Specialty Retailer which includes being rated on environmental responsibility, and they were awarded the Energy Star National Product Campaign award by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2003 (Home Depot, 2007). Lowe’s is also very proactive in the social responsibility domain. Their theme is titled “Opportunity in Every Community” and is disseminated via their 2007 social responsibility report (Lowe’s, 2007). Educational and grant programs have been a part of Lowe’s corporate values since their inception in 1957. They have contributed funds to a number of organizations such as the American Red Cross, Home Safety Council, and “Lowe’s Plant for the Cure” (Lowe’s, 2007). Keeping in line with their business foundation in retail home improvement, Lowe’s has been a significant sponsor of Habitat for Humanity. This included being an underwriter for the Habitat for Humanity “Women Build” program which strives to bring more women into helping to construct Habitat homes. They have also partnered with the Rebuilding Together® organization to assist with a number of building projects that allowed a number of aging homeowners to stay in the houses they currently reside in (Lowe’s, 2007). From an environmental perspective, Lowe’s philosophy is to fulfill consumer’s expectations that the products they sell and services they provide are environmentally friendly (Lowe’s, 2007). Lowe’s has supported a number of related efforts including grants to the Nature Conservancy, reducing batteries in landfills, improving recycling programs, continued promotion of ENERGY STAR® compliant products, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and supported sustainable forestry practices. Just as Home Depot has garnered many environmental friendly awards, Lowe’s too has been almost as successful such that they’ve been bestowed ENERGY STAR® honors for six consecutive years (Lowe’s, 2007). As depicted previously, both Home Depot and Lowe’s are highly involved in improving both the communities they operate in and the world at-large. Both are involved in many of the same programs and initiatives including: Habitat for Humanity, financial grant programs, scholarship funding, sustainable forestry initiatives, grant funding of the American Red Cross, Nature Conservancy, and United Way. They differ very little with respect to the programs they support and are active participants. As identified by Vogel, it is very difficult to say whether or not the amount of CSR investment they make will actually provide returns for them in the long run (Vogel, 2008).  The Home Depot (2006). //Supporting Our Community//. [], Retrieved on 29 Apr 09
 * // Social Responsibility Overview //**
 * There is any number of social and environmental programs being supported by corporations today. Categories include but are not limited to: environmental (e.g. reduced vehicle emissions, renewable energy, energy conservation, and lowered greenhouse gas emissions), human rights (e.g. minority and disabled employee diversity, supplier diversity), community development (e.g. habitat for humanity and foundation grants for entrepreneurs), and employee welfare (e.g. recruitment and retention, organizationally supported volunteerism) (Wikipedia, 2009) (Starbucks, 2007). **
 * Now, while most organizations believe being socially responsible will prove to be beneficial to the corporate bottom line, there isn’t much evidence to prove this theory (Vogel, 2008). Vogel states that there are many examples of companies that have Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs that are successful, but there are just as many that are not as successful. One prime example he cites is Starbucks. They have a very active CSR program, yet their share value has dropped almost fifty percent (Vogel, 2008). **
 * None the less, both Home Depot and Lowe’s are avid supporters of protecting the environment and helping their fellow man. Each demonstrates this fact based upon information they’ve provided in their annual reports as well as online and printed resources. Specifics regarding their level of involvement are covered in detail in the sections that follow. **
 * // Home Depot Social Responsibility //**
 * // Lowe’s Social Responsibility //**
 * // Social Responsibility Comparison //**

The Home Depot (2007). //Environmental Milestones//. [], Retrieved on 29 Apr 09

Lowe’s (2007). //Social Responsibility Report//. [], Retrieved on 28 Apr 09

Noer, Ewalt, and Weiss (2008). //Corporate Social Responsibility,// [], Retrieved on 29 Apr 09

Starbucks (2007). //Fiscal 2007 Corporate Social Responsibility Annual Report//. [], Retrieved on 29 Apr 09

Vogel, David (2008). //CRS Doesn’t Pay.// [], Retrieved on 29 Apr 09 Wikipedia (2009). //Corporate Social Responsibility//. [], Retrieved on 29 Apr 09