Social Responsibility

Social responsibility is the need and desire to perform an act of services or obligation to society and those around you. Our beliefs and thoughts regarding society are what define our place and social footprint. A social footprint is an act that we believe and perform to further better society. Making a conscious decision regarding society is governed by various things key of them being our own perception of society. If we view society as bad and retrogressive, then it is very likely that we will not have any desire to make any form of social impact or have a valid and strong social footprint. However, if our perception of society is constructive and positive, then there is a very high likelihood that we will desire and strive to make a social impact and develop a stringer social footprint (Henriques 45). My own social footprint is making a change in my support of a green environment and taking various measures to ensure I care for the environment and live an eco-friendly life. This footprint requires drawing resources from environmental conservations and care. This implies that in order to make my social footprint have a basis, then there is need for a foundation in environmental conservation and use of eco-friendly resources.

College education is very essential in the quest to achieve environmental care and conservation. In order to achieve the goal to an eco-friendly society, college education plays an integral part in giving students the knowledge needed to properly care for the environment and various things to avoid. College education appeals to a higher sense of responsibility and understanding in most individuals. Lessons are taught on various conservation mechanisms and how to live an eco-friendly life. College education teaches students to form their own opinions and perspectives towards various social issues and make valid conclusions. Indeed when forming one’s social footprint, college education plays a major role in giving them the background knowledge and information needed to implement this(Henriques 35). The place of college education in helping one to implements their social footprint and assume a more proactive approach towards social responsibility can therefore not be downplayed. It is important that students in college are taught on issues relating to environmental conservation and social responsibility so that they can develop a more concrete social footprint. This will enable them to achieve a state of self-pride once they are able to follow through with their social footprint.

Indeed Boyle and Fred Pierce help inform one’s understanding of individual, global and social responsibility with regards to an individual’s social footprint. Individual repsonsibility is directly inclined towards one’s persinal social footprint. This is determined by how someone relates to others in spociety on an idividual basisis. Boyle speculates that individual repsonsibility has a direct co-relation to one’s social footprint and their desire to have a social impact. The major decision an individual makes in relation to their social footprint afffects their individual social responsibility. Global repsonsibility also affcets one’s socail footprint invarious ways. The deisre to have a global impact can be delivered either through implementing an economic or environmental footprint. An economic footprint is likely to have more global impact and effect on a financial scope(Henriques 23). An environemtntal footprint affects global responsibility in apspects of care and conservation of nthe environemnt on a more global scale. Corporates and companies have a greater social responibility to play on a global scope. Their social footprint is hence larger and wider in reach compared to an individual social footprint. Both Boyle and Fred Pierce agree that some certain factors help inform on the social footprint on an indivdual or global scope. These factors include production, distribution and consumption.

In the book, Confessions of an Eco-Sinner by Fred Pierce (2008), he highlights the impact of social responsibility and footprint in an individuals life, especially with focus on consumer consuption. He argues that the position onf many individuals who have an environmental focused social footprint is hypocritical in nature. Fred highlights the hypocrisy of suburban and urban greens in their pretences of sacing the eatrh while at the same time continuing with business approaches that contradict their stand (Pearce 18). Distribution of goods and services are adding to the social decay of the environemnt and contrbuting to global pollution. Both Boyle and Fred argue that production of goods using social friendly measures is just hearsay and the actual methods of implementing social responsibility are actually being neglected (Pearce 14). From their work, one can now have a better understanding of the situation and soocial footprint that comes from well-meaning but muddle-headed thinking. With focus on consumption, Fred argues that we are not in a position to cover the costs that stem from the subsidizing of our accustomed western lifestyle. We can deduce from the work that indeed socially, consumption of good and services that result from subsidizing our western lifestyle will result in future generations paying the price (Pearce 21). This means that innocent children in generations will pay the price unless measures of managing social responsibility are taken and a more concrete social footprint is adopted.

Personally, I am satisfied that there is a responsibility to reduce ones, social footprint. This measure is a step forward towards helping more and more people assume social responsibility. The importance of taking these measures is to ensure that responsibility falls on all parties involved. This mean that on a more individual level, every person will feel an innate need and desire to have a social impact and take the duty of social responsibility more seriously. Every person will have their own self-drive to become socially responsible and there is a very likelihood that society will progress from this approach (Henriques 21). Furthermore, corporates and companies will also understand the role they have to play in their social responsibility usually delivered through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs. I hence believe that this is a forward step towards achieving social justice and other key goals that have been the target of similar social programs for years on end.

In conclusion, such an action is more likely to promote social justice and responsibility. Social justice can only be achieved if all the stakeholders assume responsibility and become liable for their actions. Unless this happens, then social justice will remain in a state of equilibrium with either parties not yielding and this is a recipe for failure. This will also lead to lack of progress and society will remain in a state of hibernation. Production, distribution and consumption needs to be regularized and various moderation measures taken to ensure that society remains both responsible and active in its quest to achieve true progress. College education and other factors highlighted in the discourse hence play a major role in helping to achieve this goal.

Works Cited

Henriques, Adrian. Corporate Impact: Measuring and Managing Your Social Footprint. London: Earthscan, 2010. Internet resource.

Pearce, Fred. Confessions of an Eco-Sinner: Tracking Down the Sources of My Stuff. Boston: Beacon Press, 2008. Internet resource.