Cooperativity, reciprocity and social responsibility

We currently live in a society that demands from the business sector its commitment to cooperativity, reciprocity and social responsibility.

Society can no longer afford to let natural resources go to waste, recycling does not take place, safety measures are not taken to care for and protect the environment, values continue to be lost, the family nucleus is disappearing, due to the insecurity and violence that is getting bigger every day.

It seems to be as if we were talking about all the great problems of our society, however, it is not so, if we listed each one of those that truly exist in every corner of each country, they would really be endless, of course, classified in categories, It is easier to identify them and therefore solve them, although what would really be needed is the participation of the business sector, government and society, uniting to confront them, only in this way could it be lived in a sustainable way, it is known that this future for some is very distant even But education will also be the basis for the coming generations to dedicate themselves to continue and finish what we are currently facing.

1. Background to Shared Social Responsibility

Social responsibility dates back to the 19th century, although the term as such did not exist, it was when organizations began to provide solutions to social problems, due in large part to the effects of the Industrial Revolution, the living conditions of workers were serious, low wages, working hours of around fourteen hours, the increase in child and female labor.

As a result of this, the current of utopian socialism arose that defended the interests of society as a whole and proposed alternatives to eliminate flagrant social differences. Among the maximum exponents stand out the Earl of Saint Simon, Charles Fourier and Robert Owen. The proposals made by these idealists did not generate the same effects. (Aldeanueva, 2014)

The case of Owen, founder of cooperativism, was different because his ideas had a greater impact. The theories that he raised he could develop in the cotton factories that he acquired in New Lanark (Scotland) in the year 1799. In this town, as Gordon (1994) says, Owen provided dignity to the workers; prohibited children under the age of ten from being employed; reduced the working hours of older children so that they could attend evening classes, and founded a school so that the most disadvantaged could access education,

In the first half of the 20th century, actions of companies in favor of their workers arise voluntarily, it is then when the capacity of influencing and solving social problems is recognized by the private sector by recognizing the damages and risks that its activity caused to the environment.

From this, the State initiates pressure through regulations for the protection of public interests and natural resources. This is how the correlation between company, government and society begins, so the decisions began to be dependent on the other sectors.

In 1919, the International Labor Organization was created, which required, in the face of increasing international economic interdependence, cooperation to achieve equality in working conditions in all countries. Furthermore, it was concerned about the injustices caused by labor standards and the threat that this constituted for the security of nations (ILO, 2005).

In the year 1930, due to the stock market crisis, it generated massive unemployment, leading to poverty, in the United States, Europe and Latin America, so social causes such as contributions to revaluing work were promoted.

Other aspects that greatly favored social responsibility are those that he points out (Aldeanueva, 2014). Firstly, the emergence of the United Nations (UN), founded in 1945 after World War II by 51 countries, sought to contribute, to the extent of its possibilities, to maintaining peace and security in the international arena, to facilitate cooperation between nations and, above all, to promote social progress and the improvement of people's rights.

On the other hand, one of the greatest contributions of the aforementioned organization was the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948, where human rights considered basic in the international arena were established. In that year, the International Union for Conservation of Nature was also created. A year earlier, in 1947, the International Organization for Standardization was founded, with the primary objective of developing technical standards for manufactured products, thus contributing to the reconstruction of Europe, which had been greatly affected after the end of World War II.

In the 1960s, according to (Correa, 2007), some North American entrepreneurs, including Thomas Watson of IBM and David Rockfeller of Chase Manhattan Bank, first raised the idea of Corporate Social Responsibility.

Subsequently, the influences that were determining its evolution were: globalization, trade liberalization and its regulatory reforms, sustainable environmental development, codes of good governance, the accelerated degradation of the environment and the exclusion of sectors of society as a result of development, among others.

In 1990 surveys showed that in the United States and Europe, 70 or 80% of consumers took the company's profile into account before buying (Cano, 2006).

Social responsibility will depend on the evolution of awareness, the events, efforts, agreements, energies and movements that contribute to achieving a better society. So it will not be static but it will continue in constant change hoping to achieve positive results for everyone.

2. Definition of social responsibility

Once the background of social responsibility was investigated, it is now intended that the concept of this topic be understood.

According to the (RAE, 2017), responsibility is defined as:

Position or moral obligation that results for someone of possible error on a certain thing or issue. Existing capacity in all active subjects of law to recognize and accept the consequences of a fact freely performed.

While the concept of social responsibility according to the following organizations is:

It is defined as the active and voluntary contribution to social, economic and environmental improvement by companies, with the aim of improving their competitive, value and added value situation. (Ministry of Economy, 2016) The “responsibility of an organization for the impacts that its decisions and activities cause on society and the environment, through ethical and transparent behavior that contributes to sustainable development, including the health and well-being of the society; take into account the expectations of stakeholders; comply with applicable legislation and be consistent with international standards of behavior, and be integrated throughout the organization and implemented in its relationships. "(ISO 26000) The “responsibility of an organization for the impacts that its decisions and activities cause on society and the environment, through ethical and transparent behavior that contributes to sustainable development, including the health and well-being of society; take into account the expectations of stakeholders; comply with applicable legislation and be consistent with international standards of behavior, and be integrated throughout the organization and implemented in its relationships. " (International Labor Organization, 2010).take into account the expectations of stakeholders; comply with applicable legislation and be consistent with international standards of behavior, and be integrated throughout the organization and implemented in its relationships. " (International Labor Organization, 2010).take into account the expectations of stakeholders; comply with applicable legislation and be consistent with international standards of behavior, and be integrated throughout the organization and implemented in its relationships. " (International Labor Organization, 2010).

When analyzing the concept of responsibility separate from the social term , we can identify that it is practically the same, only that when we already talk about organizations or companies, it refers to them, emphasizing that they must take actions according to their impacts, practically on the environment., health and society in general, but something that is relevant is that they mention that it is merely voluntary, which means that each company that wants to carry out these actions will be by their will, very independent of the laws of each government, this is something additional to their participation in the environment.

On the other hand, the previous definitions did not specifically show authors, this is because precisely as mentioned (Argandoña A., 2012) it is that for a long time it has been attempted that authors coincide in a formal definition of social responsibility, but it is precisely because it is not a physical reality, but a social construction, which each one sees from the point of view of their knowledge, capacities and interests.

3. Corporate and corporate social responsibility

Currently talking about social responsibility is practically relating it to the business term, it has been understood that these concepts are applied more to the actions of these with their environment, however something that also implies is to find the corporate word, so for explain well why this happens its definition is exposed:

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is the way of conducting business of companies that is characterized by taking into account the impacts that all aspects of their activities generate on their customers, employees, shareholders, local communities, the environment and on society. usually. (Morrós Ribera & Vidal Martinez, 2005)

The European Union talks about corporate social responsibility in its documents. The ILO prefers to use the term corporate social responsibility. In Latin America, the expression CSR has been exposed, while the ISO Working Committee, understanding that it is an issue that affects all private (for-profit and non-profit) and public organizations, has chosen to speak of the social responsibility of organizations and has chosen the acronym RS. On the other hand, other business associations prefer to use the term corporate responsibility because it was also identified as corporate philanthropy, but that it goes beyond just an act of charity.

In other words, there is currently no consensus on the way business is conducted, although it is good to consider that the term corporate responsibility belongs more to the Latin culture and corporation to the Anglo-Saxon tradition. (Morrós Ribera & Vidal Martinez, 2005)

4. Mexico and corporate social responsibility

4.1 Organizations that regulate CSR in Mexico

The body that reflects growth and promotes CSR in the practice of its business sector operations and grants ESR marks, is Cemefi (Mexican Center for Philanthropy) who has sought to form an alliance with the main business and social responsibility organizations. forming AliaRSE for Mexico where the following associations are integrated:

Coparmex: An independent, non-partisan and voluntary affiliated union that brings together entrepreneurs of all sizes and sectors, united by a deep commitment to Mexico. Council of Business Coordinator (CCE): It is a representative and interlocutory body for Mexican entrepreneurs, who works to promote the free market, full democracy, social responsibility and equal opportunities of the population. Confederation of the Social Unions of Entrepreneurs of Mexico, ACConcanaco, Impulsa. Canacintra: National Chamber of the Transformation Industry. CONCAMIN: Confederation Industrial Chambers CMIC: Mexican Chamber of the Construction Industry Sinaloa Ecoregion Join Jalisco FESAC: Sonoran Entrepreneurship Foundation COMPITE:Organization that enhances the best of each SME through processes of accompaniment, advice, training and collaborative instances. IMEF: Mexican Institute of Finance Executives.

This alliance platform aims to ensure that the company is and is perceived as a creator of value and a generator of well-being that promotes the common good, through the exercise of its social responsibility, leveraging, coordinating and facilitating the synergy of the efforts of its organizations. for the benefit of the country and in particular of its members (Cabañas González, 2016)

The issue of sustainability is for many just a fad, calling it ambiguously, but it seems that way, we are not afraid of the future, of what "we will no longer have", because it is very illogically believed that any resource is inexhaustible, or that it really does not pose any risk because it is seen as distant or improbable.

This leads to thinking of all those who interact in the environment, society, government and companies, must carry out actions that counteract the impact of what has been generated individually, but only by uniting ideals, cultures, strategies, knowledge, resources and opportunities can truly carry out social responsibility.

The subject that has been seen on some occasions is thought to only imply having charity plans for the population or community, where a company is established, according to the operations and effects they cause, however this depends on the institutional environment, legislative, economic and cultural.

By focusing on the economic aspect, it is known that social responsibility involves human, financial and time resources, which is why it must be taken into account that many companies do not intend to "waste" them in this way, but as was also explained in the information presented, when in some way accountability and transparency to society, great competitive advantages are obtained for organizations, it is only necessary that these are the ones who want to take the first step and do so voluntarily, seeing it as a great benefit for all and for the future.

Bibliography

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Cabañas González, AM (April 27, 2016). Co-responsible. Obtained from

Cajiga, F. (2016). Mexican Center for Philanthropy. Obtained from

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