The origins of the idea that individuals have a responsibility to their society dates back to the Greek philosophers and the Roman system of legality.
That is when history makes its work to see in it that at that time Stoicism emphasizes civic duties, social responsibility, the importance of a good law and equal citizen rights. Likewise, we can mention one of its great representatives, Cicero, in the first book of "The Duties", talks about the duties that man has towards society and towards himself and proposes that there is only one true law. This law is right reason, which according to nature, rules over all men, is eternal and does not change. It encourages men to fulfill their duties, forbidding them to do evil.
In general, social responsibility is the commitment made by the actions or omissions of any individual or group that generate an impact on society; These may fall on a person, organization, government or company. These actions can lead to a positive or negative assessment by the company.
In our days we can also say that social responsibility is considered a non-mandatory normative concept or "soft law" (that is, without the force of law), this has given rise not only to different attempts or perceptions; but to new proposals about the institutional implications of the concept. For example, in Rousseau's Social Contract shows a clause that contains the absolute delegation of all the rights of the individual in favor of society. After this, any right that an individual has is one granted by the general will.
Therefore, we can say that it is notable among these new perceptions is that of Claus Offe, for whom social responsibility has, as main among its functions in complex modern societies, to act as a mechanism for the creation and promotion of an "autonomous morality and self-control civilized of its members.
Once the change is implemented, then civilization, comprising various branches of science, laws, peace and quiet can be developed in a better way. Actually, it is no exaggeration to say that only then do human beings make their appearance, because part of our understanding of the person must be the fact that he is predictable and it is his responsibilities or obligations that make a man predictable.
Thus, as we can conclude by saying that responsibility is a social virtue that is formally configured in the Kantian categorical imperative "Work in such a way that the effects of your action are compatible with the permanence of an authentic life on Earth", It gives off an assertion close to the concept of Sustainable Development. The Brundtland report (1987) points out that “Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”.
