Tag: Society

  • 1800s Women how were Treated or Role in Society?

    1800s Women how were Treated or Role in Society?

    1800s Women were Treated or Role in Society; During the early 1800s, women existed generally trapped in their homes and would only perform domestic chaos and duties. Nature and society had given them roles as the home keepers, ethical keepers for the home and the entire society, as well as housewives for their families. The roles as housewives were to bear children, take care of the young ones as well as submit to the husbands. Socially, women lived considered weaker hence unequal to their men counterparts. Some people would compare such a condition to slavery. Women had no control of their lives. Everything existed entirely controlled by the men in the society. How lived women treated in the 1800s? First, their fathers and brothers would control them when they are still young and when they exist married, their husbands would finally control them.

    Here is the article to explain, How Women were Treated or roles in society in the 1800s?

    Their key purpose was to look for a husband, give birth, and take care of their husbands throughout their entire lives. It was taboo for a woman to remain single; in fact, single women lived scorned and pitied by society. A woman-owned property when she stood still in her father’s house but after she got married, property ownership shifted to the husband. The husband had a right to access everything that a woman had, as well as her own body.

    For these women, marriage was a lifelong commitment. Women existed not supposed to divorce; they lived expected to live with their husbands even if it meant living in miserable marriages. Divorce was highly punishable and the woman would always fall victim. This did not only undermine their physical requirements but also destroyed their opportunities of having any kind of freedom. It subdued their voice of influence thus giving them no hope of attaining social recognition.

    History Part 01;

    Women existed not allowed to venture into any other activities apart from taking care of their families. The husband was the sole breadwinner of the family. The only source of finance was the husband hence the only chance for women to be economically protected was for them to marry financially secure men. This made them more dependent on men and if the man died, they would be left with no source of income apart from her husband’s savings. Society looked at women as asexual beings; people with neither feelings nor a life of their own.

    However, during the 1800s, women’s movements became so effective that women began to challenge the social, traditional, economic as well as political intellectuals that had hindered them for a long time. This was the starting point for the turnabout of their roles in society.

    Throughout history, women have had fewer legal rights and occupation opportunities, hence less representation compared to their male counterparts. Motherhood and wifehood lived considered as their most major professions. Towards the end of the nineteenth century, however, most women had won the right to vote and had increased their chances to access education and other professions initially considered for men. Marriage existed considered very essential and significant for the sake of the stability of society.

    History Part 02;

    Women stood therefore expected to be very obedient and submissive to have a happy and stable marriage. During these times, education was a disputable topic and it was the first topic that motivated women into protesting. However, not a single feminist could come up with a means through which education would stand equalized between girls and boys. Only the daughters of rich parents would get formal education. Educated girls lived however perceived as unattractive sexually, thus getting married was a big struggle for them.

    The only subjects that girls existed taught in school were language; reading and writing. Other courses included wifely responsibilities and activities such as knitting, midwife, cooking, and waving among others. Women began to form “women’s rights movements” which helped them in protesting against slavery as well as men’s dictatorships. These movements led to the revolution which eventually led to the constitutional amendment processes which brought about the eradication of slavery. This was a great achievement in women’s history since they could freely speak out their views.

    History Part 03;

    In the mid-1800s, women became resistant to the oppression by men and they wanted to become independent, treated, or role in society. As a result, they protested for equal education opportunities and religious activism. It was not that easy; women had to fight both men and fellow women. Men, in general, overlooked feminists, and those women who stood still dedicated to the traditional way of life, did not want to hear anything concerning women’s independence. The only place in which women got total support was the church, which also had its interest. Women became successful in these reform movements and for the first time in history, men became challenged by female domination.

    Women thus began to perform duties outside their homes. This meant that they would cook, nurse, and educate young people for pay. They also became teachers, nurses, and secretaries; which were the only jobs that society accepted women to pursue. Nevertheless, a woman stood only supposed to work as long as she does not marry, but once married; she existed expected to stop working and take up her role as a wife and mother. During this time, being a housewife necessitated a wide range of multifaceted abilities since almost all items stood homemade. However, their employment opportunities expanded during the industrial revolution period. Many women worked in the new industries to fill the vacant places.

    History Part 04;

    The public school system also expanded thus leading many more women to exist employed as school teachers. Nursing also became a highly regarded job for women in the 1850s following the restructuring in hospitals and the nursing career. The civil war also contributed greatly to the evolution of women’s roles in society.

    It resulted in many women getting jobs in the government and other offices, that existed initially held by men, to fill in the positions evacuated by men as they went to fight. After the civil war, women continued to work in the government since they had proved to men that they could work. Another thing that encouraged women into employment was the discovery of a typewriter. The research found out that women would make better typists than men hence women were all over as typists and sales clerks.

    By 1870, women learning prospects had improved drastically. There were additional schools for girls and most colleges could also admit women for advanced courses. By the end of 1880, women had made up approximately one-third of the total population of students in the United States. At the same time, women attained more legal rights with the establishment of more movements and acts. For instance, the married women property act allowed married women authority over their properties. Her property was hers and not her husband’s.

    1800s Women how were Treated or Role in Society Image
    1800s Women how were Treated or Role in Society? Image by JULIO VICENTE from Pixabay.

  • What is CSR?

    What is CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility)?

    Corporate social responsibility (CSR) refers to business practices involving initiatives that benefit society. A business’s CSR can encompass a wide variety of tactics, from giving away a portion of a company’s proceeds to charity, to implementing “greener” business operations.

    Definition of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

    The movement aimed at encouraging companies to be more aware of the impact of their business on the rest of society, including their own stakeholders and the environment. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a business approach that contributes to sustainable development by delivering economic, social and environmental benefits for all stakeholders.

    CSR is a concept with many definitions and practices. The way it is understood and implemented differs greatly from each company and country. Moreover, CSR is a very broad concept that addresses many and various topics such as human rights, corporate governance, health and safety, environmental effects, working conditions and contribution to economic development. Whatever the definition is, the purpose of CSR is to drive change towards sustainability.

    Although some companies may achieve remarkable efforts with unique CSR initiatives, it is difficult to be on the forefront on all aspects of CSR. Considering this, the example below provides good practices on one aspect of CSR environmental sustainability.

    Corporate Social Responsibility
    Corporate Social Responsibility

    Example; Unilever is a multinational corporation, in the food and beverage sector, with a comprehensive CSR strategy. The company has been ranked “Food Industry leader’ in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Indexes for the 11 consecutive years and ranked 7th in the ‘Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World.”

    One of the major and unique initiatives is the ‘sustainable tea’ program.  On a partnership-based model with the Rainforest Alliance (an NGO), Unilever aims to source all of its Lipton and PG Tips tea bags from Rainforest Alliance Certified™ farms by 2015.  The Rainforest Alliance Certification offers farms a way to differentiate their products as being social, economically and environmentally sustainable.

    Other Definitions

    The World Business Council for Sustainable Development in its publication Making Good Business Sense by Lord Holme and Richard Watts used the following definition:

    Corporate Social Responsibility is the continuing commitment by business to behave ethically and contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life of the workforce and their families as well as of the local community and society at large The same report gave some evidence of the different perceptions of what this should mean for a number of different societies across the world. Definitions as different as CSR is about capacity building for sustainable livelihoods. It respects cultural differences and finds the business opportunities in building the skills of employees, the community and the government of Ghana, through to CSR is about business giving back to society from the Philippines.

    Traditionally in the United States, CSR has been defined much more in terms of a philanthropist model. Companies make profits, unhindered except by fulfilling their duty to pay taxes. Then they donate a certain share of the profits to charitable causes. It is seen as tainting the act for the company to receive any benefit from the giving.

    What is the Social Responsibility of Business?

    Ever since Milton Friedman famously proclaimed “The Social Responsibility of Business is to Increase its Profits” (NYTimes 1970), pundits have pondered whether his purist interpretation was really the only way.

    Profit is certainly a lot easier to quantify than something like ‘happiness’, but the intangible benefits of good, honest business clearly go way beyond pure finance Must the word ‘profit’ always refer to money in the strictest sense?

    Collected on this page are various interpretations of the idea of “social responsibility” and the responsibility of business to take an active, passive or indifferent role in building a more sustainable world.

    There are a few broad categories of social responsibility that many of today’s businesses are practicing:

    I) Environmental efforts: One primary focus of corporate social responsibility is the environment. Businesses regardless of size have a large carbon footprint. Any steps they can take to reduce those footprints are considered both good for the company and society as a whole.

    II) Philanthropy: Businesses also practice social responsibility by donating to national and local charities. Businesses have a lot of resources that can benefit charities and local community programs.

    III) Ethical labor practices: By treating employees fairly and ethically, companies can also demonstrate their corporate social responsibility. This is especially true of businesses that operate in international locations with labor laws that differ from those in the United States.

    IV) Volunteering: Attending volunteer events says a lot about a company’s sincerity. By doing good deeds without expecting anything in return, companies are able to express their concern for specific issues and support for certain organizations.

    Examples of Corporate Social Responsibility

    Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

    While many companies now practice some form of social responsibility, some are making it a core of their operations. Ben and Jerry’s, for instance, uses only fair trade ingredients and has developed a sustainability program for dairy farms in its home state of Vermont. Starbucks has created its C.A.F.E. Practices guidelines, which are designed to ensure the company sources sustainably grown and processed coffee by evaluating the economic, social and environmental aspects of coffee production. Tom’s Shoes, another notable example of a company with CSR at its core, donates one pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair a customer purchases.

    However, Stevens said companies need to really understand what their core social purpose is and how that aligns with their stated mission, to create a cohesive CSR strategy.

    For example, Stevens said that Kashi, a Kellogg’s brand, wants to increase organic farming and is one of the few certified organic kinds of cereal. Since only 1 percent of U.S. farmland is actually organic, the breakfast brand worked with Quality Insurance International to help certify new organic farmers across the nation.

  • Social Responsibility

    What is Meant by Social Responsibility?

    Social responsibility is an ethical framework and suggests that an entity, be it an organization or individual, has an obligation to act for the benefit of society at large. Social responsibility is a duty every individual has to perform so as to maintain a balance between the economy and the ecosystems. A trade-off may exist between economic development, in the material sense, and the welfare of the society and environment, though this has been challenged by many reports over the past decade. Social responsibility means sustaining the equilibrium between the two. It pertains not only to business organizations but also to everyone whose any action impacts the environment. This responsibility can be passive, by avoiding engaging in socially harmful acts, or active, by performing activities that directly advance social goals.

    Businesses can use ethical decision making to secure their businesses by making decisions that allow for government agencies to minimize their involvement with the corporation. For instance, if a company follows the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines for emissions of dangerous pollutants and even goes an extra step to get involved in the community and address those concerns that the public might have; they would be less likely to have the EPA investigate them for environmental concerns. “A significant element of current thinking about privacy, however, stresses “self-regulation” rather than market or government mechanisms for protecting personal information”. According to some experts, most rules and regulations are formed due to public outcry, which threatens profit maximization and therefore the well-being of the shareholder, and that if there is not outcry there often will be limited regulation.

    Social responsibility means that the government (including public corporations), NGOs, business organizations, and individuals have a responsibility to society to eliminate corruption and irresponsible or unethical behavior that might harm its people or the environment.

    Corporate social responsibility, therefore, refers to a business’s obligation to set policies, make decisions, and follow courses of action that are desirable in terms of the values and objectives of society — its customers, employees, and people in the community.

    Businesses accept social responsibilities when they take their objectives beyond what the business, the economy, and the law require and do what they feel are ethically and socially desirable. For example, such ethical and desirable actions might include raising the safety standards of product and continuously striving to care for the well-being of workers and their customers.

    These ethical and desirable actions that businesses may choose to undertake may be well above the legally required standards.

    Look at the following examples of Namibian businesses fulfilling their social responsibility towards the Namibian society:

    Many companies are increasingly working on cultivating a social responsibility, whatever their actual practices. They are eager to prove that you can save the planet, help the poor and make money at the same time.

    As an entrepreneur how can you behave in an ethically social responsible way towards the following?

    Employees Responsibility

    The main responsibility of any business is towards its employees. It is imperative that a business always looks for ways to support and empower its employees. A happy workforce, a well-motivated and a loyal workforce, leads to improvements in productivity and quality. Your responsibility towards your workers goes beyond just paying them salaries. A socially responsible business tries to ensure that its working environment is free from sexual harassment and discrimination.

    Customers Responsibility

    Customers Social Responsibility

    Even if you are an entrepreneur, you are also a customer at a business where you buy your products. It is, therefore, important that you live and practice the notion, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”. That means that you should treat your customers in the same way as you expect to be treated as a customer by other businesses. A business’s social responsibility actions towards its customers are rewarded by loyal customers and by their word-of-mouth advertising.

    Government Responsibility

    The acceptance of social responsibility has increased in the government because through policies, the government is forcing businesses to act responsibly. When a firm act in a socially responsible manner, it sets policies, makes decisions and follows courses of action that are desirable in terms of the values and objectives of its different stakeholders. To pay tax is a business’ responsibility towards the Government of a country.

    Society/Community Responsibility

    Social investment looks at what a business is doing for a community. Businesses can engage in social responsibility programs to help the community fight their social problems, such as drug addiction in impoverished areas or providing recreation activities for the youth. These programs normally aim to improve standards of living and create more stable and peaceful communities.

    Corporate Responsibility

    Corporate Social Responsibility
    Corporate Social Responsibility

    Corporate social responsibility or CSR has been defined by Lord Holme and Richard Watts of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development’s publication “Making Good Business Sense” as ” the continuing commitment by business to behave ethically and contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life of the workforce and their families as well as the local community and society at large.” CSR is one of the newest management strategies where companies try to create a positive impact on society while doing business. Evidence suggests that CSR taken on voluntarily by companies will be much more effective than CSR mandated by governments. There is no clear-cut definition of what CSR comprises. Every company has different CSR objectives through the main motive is the same. All companies have a two-point agenda to improve qualitatively (the management of people and processes) and quantitatively (the impact on society). The second is as important as the first and stakeholders of every company are increasingly taking an interest in “the outer circle”-the activities of the company and how these are impacting the environment and society. The other motive behind this is that the companies should not be focused only on the maximization of profits.

    Social responsibility, therefore, is about holding a group, organization or company accountable for the effects it has on the people within the company, people working with the company, the community in which the company operates and those who buy from the company.

    How Does an Individual Become Socially Responsible?

    The Workshop for Civic Initiatives Foundation (WCIF), Bulgaria, describes ISR in its position statement on Social Responsibility as, “The individual social responsibility includes the engagement of each person towards the community where he lives, which can be expressed as an interest towards what’s happening in the community, as well as in the active participation in the solving of some of the local problems. Under community, we understand the village, the small town or the residential complex in the big city, where lives every one of us. Each community lives its own life that undergoes a process of development all the time. And every one of us could take part in that development in different ways, for example by taking part in cleaning of the street on which he lives, by taking part in organization of an event, connected with the history of the town or the village or by rendering social services to children without parents or elderly people. The individual social responsibility also could be expressed in making donations for significant for the society causes – social, cultural or ecological. There are many ways of donating, as for example donating of goods or donating money through a bank account or online”

    Social Responsibility can be “negative,” in that it is a responsibility to refrain from acting (resistance stance) or it can be “positive,” meaning there is a responsibility to act (proactive stance). Being socially responsible not only requires participating in socially responsible activities like recycling, volunteering and mentoring, but to actually make it a lifestyle. Only through a commitment to embrace and embed social responsibility into your personal value and belief system can you truly become socially responsible in all you do.

    What is a Social Entrepreneur?

    Entrepreneur Social Responsibility
    Entrepreneur Social Responsibility

    Social entrepreneurs work to solve critical social problems and address basic unmet needs through entrepreneurship. Their innovations create system change, improving the lives of underserved or marginalized groups.

    Despite the increased attention that social entrepreneurship has received in recent years, there is no precise definition. Various organizations describe social entrepreneurship differently:

    Ashoka defines social entrepreneurs as “individuals with innovative solutions to society’s most pressing social problems” who “find what is not working and solve the problem by changing the system, spreading the solution, and persuading entire societies to move in different directions.”

    The Skoll Foundation calls social entrepreneurs “society’s change agents, creators of innovations that disrupt the status quo and transform our world.”

    In the Stanford Social Innovation Review, Roger L. Martin and Sally Osberg offer a more rigorous definition. A social entrepreneur is “someone who targets an unfortunate but stable equilibrium that causes the neglect, marginalization, or suffering of a segment of humanity; who brings to bear on this situation his or her inspiration, direct action, creativity, courage, and fortitude; and who aims for and ultimately affects the establishment of a new stable equilibrium that secures permanent benefit for the targeted group and society at large.”