Directing CSR and Corporate Sustainability Towards the Most Pressing Issues

Ásványi, Katalin; Zsóka, Ágnes

Several pressing issues of the world today are strongly related to the failures of sustainability as well as corporate and individual responsibility . Obviously, we need a wide range of toolset to tackle those problems, including regulatory and voluntary measures, according to the nature and severity of the issue. The awareness of the necessity to incorporate sustainability and responsibility into the decision making also at the micro level became common. We can witness how specific companies committed themselves to manage their CSR activities at a strategic level and how they mobilise their core business expertise to tackle social and environmental problems – through their operation, volunteering, in-kind assistance, financial assistance, and further CSR tools. However, we can also witness several other companies obviously missing the point which areas and problems they really need to focus on when it comes to responsible business practices. In 2015, the United Nations set up 17 Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs ) which provide an applicable framework for companies to find the right direction how they can contribute best to solve the most pressing sustainability issues. By 2030, several companies committed themselves to end poverty, manage inequalities, handle the problem of climate change, etc. thus creating a better future for the earth and humanity. This chapter highlights perspectives and approaches of CSR and provide case studies upon how economic , social, and ecological problems are addressed by the corporate world. Those examples can serve either as role models or as lessons for companies to direct their interests to solving the most pressing issues and to properly develop their own CSR strategies.