This field is focused on the social and environmental responsibility of cooperatives, including their impact on local communities and the environment.
Business Ethics: The principles and values that guide business conduct and decision making, including responsibility towards stakeholders such as employees, customers, suppliers, and the community.
Sustainable Development: Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs, by balancing economic, social, and environmental considerations.
Corporate Social Responsibility: The concept whereby companies integrate social and environmental concerns in their business operations and interactions with stakeholders.
Triple Bottom Line: The principle that sustainable businesses should strive to achieve economic, social, and environmental benefits, or a "triple bottom line" of profits, people, and planet.
Sustainable Supply Chain: The process of managing a network of suppliers and customers to ensure that social and environmental concerns are considered throughout the entire value chain, from raw materials to end-of-life disposal.
Social Enterprise: A business that is carried out for a social or environmental purpose, with profits reinvested to further that purpose rather than distributed to shareholders.
Community Development: The process of empowering communities to improve their own economic, social, and environmental conditions, often through the formation and support of cooperatives.
Stakeholder Engagement: The process of engaging with stakeholders to understand their needs, concerns, and perspectives, and integrating their input into business decision making.
Corporate Governance: The system of principles, policies, and practices by which a company is directed and controlled, including accountability, transparency, and ethical behavior.
Shared Value: The concept of creating economic value in a way that also creates value for society, by identifying and addressing social and environmental challenges as business opportunities.
Environmental sustainability: This is the responsibility that a cooperative must take to protect the environment by reducing its carbon footprint, promoting renewable energy, and conserving natural resources.
Community involvement: Cooperative social responsibility can include supporting local communities by contributing to community projects, sponsoring community events, and engaging with community members.
Consumer protection: Cooperatives must ensure the safety and quality of their products and services by adhering to industry standards and regulations.
Ethical sourcing: This involves using ethical and sustainable sourcing practices to ensure that products are sourced responsibly, and labor practices are fair and just.
Employee welfare: Cooperatives have a responsibility to ensure the welfare of their employees, including providing fair wages, adequate benefits, and a safe working environment.
Social equity: Cooperatives should strive to promote social equity by providing equal opportunities to all individuals, regardless of race, gender, religion, or socioeconomic status.
Stakeholder engagement: This involves engaging with all stakeholders, including members, customers, suppliers, and employees, to ensure their needs and expectations are met and to promote transparency and collaboration.
Charitable giving: Cooperatives may choose to donate a portion of their profits to charitable causes or community projects.
Transparency and accountability: Cooperatives should be open and transparent about their operations, financial performance, and decision-making processes, and be accountable for their actions and decisions.
Government compliance: Cooperatives have a responsibility to comply with all relevant laws and regulations, including tax laws, corporate governance regulations, and environmental protection laws.