Corporate responsibility: possibilities and challenges

Lapland UAS Journal is a great source when it comes to sustainability, corporate responsibility and resource-wiseness. Sustainable development and the UN Agenda 2030 goals have been included in the curricula of Lapland University of Applied Sciences' education since 2017. The themes of sustainable development have also been involved in research, development and innovation (RDI) for a long time (home page of Lapland University of Applied Sciences).

Irma Kuusijärvi (2020) declares that responsibility is the new normal. She goes on by saying that responsible business is a way of risk management, can be a method of influencing in peoples perceptions and creating an image but it can also create a competitive advantage. Kuusijärvi continues and points out that corporate responsibility is mainly an ethical question and is strongly related to values. Rohweder (2004, s.81) continues on the subject that incentives for corporate responsibility are economical, governmental, stakeholder driven and ethical. And the possible benefits? 

Atao Oy has developed a software to manage corporate responsibility and on their web page

Kuva Pexels Samuel Theo Manat Silitonga 17.02.2022

they have listed the expected benefits from responsible business. According to them, the benefits may include: 

• reputation management
• understanding future challenges 
• committed staff and 
• direct cost savings from reduced use of materials and loss.

There are even more possibilities but on the flip-side of the coin, there are also challenges. Many organisations may see only the challenges and not the possibilities and benefits beyond the hard work. investments can be a huge challenge for some smaller businesses and the fact that change takes time, can be overwhelming for some. Here is a simplified figure by Mirja Mikkilä (2006) describing the challenges:

https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Challenges-to-corporate-responsibility_fig6_42425730

https://atao.fi/vastuullisen-liiketoiminnan-hyodyt/

https://www.lapinamk.fi/fi/Esittely/Vastuullisuusraportti-kevat-2021/Vastuullisuus-ja-kestava-kehitys-Lapin-AMKissa

https://blogi.eoppimispalvelut.fi/lumenlehti/category/1-2020/

Kuusjärvi, I. 2020. Vastuullisuus on uusi normaali.  https://blogi.eoppimispalvelut.fi/lumenlehti/2020/02/04/vastuullisuus-on-uusi-normaali/

Rohweder, L. 2004. Yritysvastuu - kestävää kehitystä organisaatiotasolla. Helsinki: WSOY.

Mikkilä, M. 2006. The many faces of responsibility: Acceptability of the global pulp and paper industry in various socities. Dissertationes Forestales. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/42425730_The_many_faces_of_responsibility_Acceptability_of_the_global_pulp_and_paper_industry_in_various_societies