Thesis (MPhil (Sustainable Development Planning and Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / At the beginning of the new millennium, the world faces various challenges. Global
warming is an all too familiar word, global terrorism is a threat to many countries that
always felt safe and an ever looming oil crisis just does not want to go away. No longer
can it be argued that nature is a never-ending provider of resources. In order for humanity
to co-exist with nature, it is of great importance that we take our responsibility towards
nature and other human beings seriously. In the midst of all these, the most prominent
institution in the world, the corporation, plays a very significant role. They are the biggest
traders in resources and they are also the institutions that affect our lives more than any
other.
It is because of the influence that corporations have in our lives and on the natural
environment they operate in, that they need to take their social and environmental
responsibility serious. This thesis focuses on the corporate social and environmental
responsibility of two prominent corporations that operate in and around Stellenbosch: the
University of Stellenbosch and Spier Holdings. The validity of the reasons behind
corporate social responsibility is also investigated through literature before it is “tested”
at the two corporations mentioned above.
In terms of its findings, the thesis established the effectiveness of the way the university
is dealing with social and environmental issues. Opposed to this, Spier is studied as a
corporation that deals with the same challenges in an environmental and socially sensitive
manner. The thesis also shows that there is a moral and business case for corporate social
and environmental responsibility that is applicable to corporations in general and that
those reasons are valid and relevant. The thesis found that becoming a more sustainable
corporation is beneficial for the corporation, the society in which it operates as well as the natural environment.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/2804 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Louw, Marie-Louise |
| Contributors | McIntosh, Malcolm, University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. School of Public Management and Planning. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 1975143 bytes, application/pdf |
| Rights | University of Stellenbosch |
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