The Role of Ethics in Business: A Stakeholder-Centric Analysis

This essay delves into the multifaceted responsibilities of a business, questioning whether its sole purpose is profit generation while adhering to legal standards, or if ethical considerations towards society and stakeholders should also be paramount. It explores the stakeholder theory, emphasizing the importance of considering the interests of all parties affected by a company's actions, and contrasts it with the view that maximizing shareholder profit is the primary goal. The analysis incorporates the Friedman vs. Freeman debate, highlighting differing perspectives on corporate social responsibility. Furthermore, the essay examines Sainsbury's CSR activities, analyzing their impact on various stakeholders, the responses received, and whether these activities are genuinely beneficial or merely promotional. The student also shares their opinion by agreeing with both the views of Friedman and Freeman, suggesting that companies should focus on the development of the stakeholders and shareholders.

Business studies

Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................4
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................4
ESSAY.............................................................................................................................................4
A business’s only responsibility is to produce profits while complying to the laws, not to be
ethical towards the society or other stakeholders’’.Explain to what extent you agree or
disagree with this statement.........................................................................................................4
Friedman vs Freeman debate.......................................................................................................5
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................7
Company and CSR overview.......................................................................................................7
The elements which are affected by Sainsbury's CSR actions....................................................7
The way different stakeholders are responding...........................................................................8
Critical understanding of Response from shareholders..............................................................8
Does Sainsbury's getting regular praise/criticism for CSR activities..........................................8
Is the criticism fair or biased in your view..................................................................................9
The efforts made by Sainsbury's to perform CSR along with my view on these efforts...........10
Is CSR used by the company as a promotional method without real interest about the results 10
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................12
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................13

INTRODUCTION
The business management is considered as a major function of a company in order to
manage various functions of a business (Rossier, and Mach, A., (2017). In the functioning of a
business, management plays a crucial role. Allocation of funding and increasing profitability of
company are the two major tasks which are performed by management of a company. This
project includes various responsibilities of a business in order to lead the marketplace with major
advantage. The project includes essay on social responsibility of a company in order to develop
various parameters. The project also includes detailed explanation of corporate social
responsibility in order to serve general society.

MAIN BODY
TASK 1
ESSAY
A business’s only responsibility is to produce profits while complying to the laws, not to be
ethical towards the society or other stakeholders’’.Explain to what extent you agree or
disagree with this statement
The stakeholders are key interest holders in a business who play an effective role in
development of a business entity. It is essential for a business to focus on taking care of its
stakeholders in order to develop goodwill at the marketplace. It is major role of a business to
focus on analysing key importance of strategic management to analyse focus on business
development in order to lead the marketplace (Collinson, & Rugman, (2020). All major
companies in the international and national marketplace should focus on various parameters of
business development in order to serve different stakeholders it is key role of a business to
analyse all goals and objectives. Also it is main role of a company to take into consideration
welfare development of society in order to lead the marketplace. It is key role of management to
focus on analysing all major external and internal factors which are helpful in social
development. In recent times, it is crucial role of management to analyse briefly requirements of
stakeholders and then performs rest of the operations. In current scenario, many global
companies at the marketplace which focus on development of effective business strategies in
order to lead the marketplace. Strategic management is also one of the major part of a business
helps in development of different activities (Thrassou, Vrontis, & Bresciani, (2018). A business
organization should take support of various strategies and planning framework to serve different
types of customers. Social development is a type of effective practice which is performed by a
business entity to develop effective goals.
Profit making is also a major objective of company in order to increase turnover of a
company in a set period of time. There are many global and national companies present at the
marketplace like Sainsbury's and Marks and Spencer which keeps an regular eye on different
business parameters for social development. All major companies should also take assistance of
board of directors and strategic management to focus on various goals and objectives. This is
also crucial role of human resource management to take care of culture of employees in order to

develop their behaviour and attitude. Development of internal environment of a business is also
considered as one of the major parameters of a business. This is also one of the crucial role of a
business to analyse briefly several benefits of maintaining internal environment for growth and
expansion (Herman, and Stefanescu, (2017). Social values must be also considered by a business
entity in order to develop different types of ethics in business operations. Society also play a
major role in developing various consequences of traditions in social parameters which are to be
taken into consideration by the business. It is also one of the crucial role of board of directors of
a company to focus on major plans and policies which are to be developed. A company can set
its targets and aims at the starting of a financial year and achieve them with support of rules and
regulations. The different types of businesses in economy focus on ethical goals and policies of a
company in order to focus on key advantages. It is also one of the crucial role of a company to
deeply analyse different factors which are responsible for management of effective operations. In
corporate world social values and welfare of society are two major primary aims of a company
(Panda, & Rath, (2018). This is also one of the major functions of a company to deeply analyse
different competitive strategies to focus on ethical values and development.
In order to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of a company, it is important for a
business to focus on various parameters of business development . It is mainly important for a
company to analyse various competition based goals and objectives for performing social
welfare in a systematic manner. Stakeholders must be considered as an important part of a
business in order to manage various operations (Asakawa, & Kim, (2018). A company should
also hire professionally trained and skilled workers in order to serve customers and society in an
effective manner. There are various companies in the marketplace which focus on analysing
different parameters of learning in order to focus and develop systematic approaches. The
implementation of social policy of a company should be done with effective supervision and
monitoring for long term development of a company.
Friedman vs Freeman debate (Difference)
Friedman and Freeman have argued about the maximising the profits for the stakeholders
as well as shareholders so that they are being taken care of. As per their opinion, the best way to
take care of the shareholder is to pay attention to other stakeholders such as suppliers, customers,
communities, employees and the shareholders. Friedman was against the idea of social activities.
There must corporate stakeholder responsibility rather than corporate social responsibility. The

Edward Freeman argued that stakeholders holds that a company's stakeholders include the people
who are mainly affected by company and its working. This increase the participation and
supervision of the company towards different goals and objectives form the perspective of
various stakeholders. In the recent times, Freeman theory is used by various companies in order
to analyse the importance of shareholders.
The Friedman on the other hand states a view that organisations are compelled to increase
profitability and increase satisfaction of various shareholders. The shareholders are important
resource for the company, who should be given utmost priority. If the company is actively
involved in developing resources based on shareholders requirement, then it will grow and
expand at the marketplace. Friedman view is considered as major approach which is helpful in
increasing competitive strength of the company by development of crucial aspects.
My Opinion
I agree with both views given by Friedman and Freeman which are related to
development and taking care of its stakeholders. All major companies in the international and
national marketplace should focus on development of shareholders for increasing value of the
company. I recommend a company to analyse the needs and demand of different shareholders in
order to grow at the marketplace. I understand that there should be professional management and
department in a business to facilitate shareholder's interest and development. All major
companies should also develop a major strategic and planning framework for long term growth
of business. I also suggest that a business organisation should also focus on key objectives and
policies and achieve them with planning and strategy.

TASK 2
Company and CSR overview
Corporate social responsibility is considered as major function of a business which helps
in development of weaker sections of society. The companies focus on CSR based approaches in
order to develop effective operations and functions. Corporate social responsibility is also
considered as a major tool and technique which helps in promoting society oriented practices for
business development. In this section, to better understand various aspects of corporate social
responsibility example of Sainsbury's company is taken into consideration. Sainsbury's is a
multinational company which functions as retail sector supermarket chain to provide
essential goods and services to different customers. Sainsbury's company was founded in the
year 1869 and its headquarters are based in London, United Kingdom. The company is
performing functions and tasks related to corporate social responsibility in order to achieve
various goals and objectives. CSR is a major responsibility of a company in order to perform
major and specific operations for social development (Poblete, (2017). Every year Sainsbury's
donates 2% of its profit as a part of corporate social responsibility to create a goodwill and
reputation based approach at the marketplace. The CSR based laws and approaches are beneficial
in increasing competitive strength of a company in a set period of time.
The elements which are affected by Sainsbury's CSR actions
In the functioning of a business, when CSR based activities are performed society is
affected the most. Society is impacted by corporate social responsibility as CSR mainly includes
serving the society in a precise manner. All major companies in international and national
marketplace focus on implementation of corporate social responsibility with control and
supervision (Sharafizad, and Coetzer, (2017). In other words, society is one of the major part of
CSR which gets several types of benefits with support of clothing and shelter by company.
Sainsbury's has separate department for research and development to focus on operations related
to CSR. All major companies in global and domestic marketplace focus on CSR to donate
significant amount of revenue to develop social parameters of a company (Corporate social
responsibility by United Kingdom companies, 2022).

The way different stakeholders are responding
A company achieves favourable response from its different stakeholders when it
performs operations related to CSR. The positive response is major type of feedback which every
company wants from its customers. There are various advantages of performing corporate social
responsibility for a company in order to lead the marketplace. It is also one of the key role of
government to be important part of a business as a stakeholder to focus on CSR conducted by
different business organisations in the economy. Shareholders also gets benefits from operations
related to CSR as the goodwill and reputation of company is increased at the marketplace.
Shareholders should also get benefit of social approaches which are performed by a business in
order to realize importance of social values.
Critical understanding of Response from shareholders
The positive efforts made by Sainsbury's creates an effective impression on shareholders
which helps in long term growth. Shareholders get good premium from Sainsbury's and always
give feedback in a positive manner. Shareholders of Sainsbury's are also happy as the company
performs professional practices related to develop planning and strategies. If the shareholders
gives positive response then goodwill of a company increases along with increase in market
share of the company. In order to increase focus on shareholders, it is important for the business
to satisfy wants and needs of the customers.
Does Sainsbury's getting regular praise/criticism for CSR activities
The Sainsbury's company is always involved in performing corporate social
responsibility in an active manner. Employees of Sainsbury's also actively participate in
operations based on corporate social responsibility for focused development and growth. In the
recent times, management of different companies is praising CSR for gaining trust and faith of
whole society towards a business (Faroque, Morrish, & Ferdous, (2017). The CSR based
activities in an economy are also praised by government of different countries for the
achievement of aim and objectives related to society. The practice of corporate social
responsibility is also important for a business in order to develop functions in ethical an
systematic manner. In 2004 it has been rated as the worst lawbreakers on environmental and
social problems and are been seriously criticized about its CSR by independent companies
(Accountability / CSR Network, 2004). Sainsbury's has scored highest the most responding

company to the big challenges of society. Company also follow various ethical operations related
to corporate-responsibility in order to develop effective goals and objectives. The Sainsbury's
company has also donated about 310000 pound to British Red Cross society(Sainsbury's CSR
activities, 2022).
Is the criticism fair or biased in your view
In my viewpoint, the criticism is not fair as the corporate social responsibility is major
type of activity which helps a company to deliver different practices. Corporate social
responsibility based operations are ethical and legal manner to distribute major share of profit to
social enhancement. Economic targets of government are also achieved with help and support of
functions that are developed with assistance of CSR. In the corporate world, practice of corporate
social responsibility should be promoted by management of a company in order to achieve
majority of goals and objectives.

The efforts made by Sainsbury's to perform CSR along with my view on these efforts
Sainsbury's is considered as major company which put tremendous efforts to control
operations related to CSR. All companies in international marketplace should focus on
developing major efforts related to business practices. It is crucial role of a business to focus on
CSR based approaches and put efforts accordingly. In the corporate world, it is main role of top
level management and strategic management to develop focused approach related to CSR . In a
company's ideology, the utmost priority of business management to develop society.
In my views, company should put more efforts in order to analyse various aims and
objectives and perform rest of the mechanisms according to CSR. All companies in business
marketplace, should also take support of strategic management in order to analyse various goals
and objectives (Coviello, Kano, & Liesch, (2017). I consider that it is important for a business to
analyse all negative and positive factors that are useful for business growth. This is also key role
of a business to focus on analysing different goals and objectives on the basis of various
parameters.
Is CSR used by the company as a promotional method without real interest about the results
The corporate social responsibility is basically performed as a promotional method in
order to improve market strength of a company. Corporate social responsibility is done by
Sainsbury's in order to achieve various goals and achievement related to social welfare. The CSR
should not be considered as promotional method, it should be considered as ethical function of a
business activity. All major companies in recent times, mainly focus on their growth and
expansion at the marketplace. There are major business entities which also have a separate legal
department in order to develop practices related to corporate social responsibility. Main
companies in marketplace focus on standard level of operations using CSR based approaches to
develop at the marketplace.
Sainsbury's CSR Activities
The corporate strategy of the Sainsbury's is for the extended term development and it
concentrates on the main purpose of creating or generating the value for the customers so that
loyalty can be produced. Company is very much committed towards the society. It has created
many sustainable goals which includes decent work and the economic growth, zero hunger,
quality education and many others. It is committed towards producing healthy sustainable

products and also inculcated sustainability in its packaging and is against the wastage of food. It
has many charity commitment so that it can contribute towards the society.