Oxford Review of Economic Policy
Vol. 26, Issue 2, Pages 164-181
June 2010
Abstract
We examine the concept of firms sacrificing profits in the social interest within the environmental realm, with particular focus on the case of the United States by addressing four key questions. May they do so within the scope of their fiduciary responsibilities to their shareholders? Can they do so on a sustainable basis, or will the forces of a competitive marketplace render such efforts and their impacts transient at best? Do firms, in fact, frequently or at least sometimes behave this way, reducing their earnings by voluntarily engaging in environmental stewardship? Should firms carry out such profit-sacrificing activities (i.e. is this an efficient use of social resources)? We address these questions through the lens of economics, including insights from legal and business scholarship. Adapted from the source document.
Citation
Reinhardt, Forest L., and Robert N. Stavins. "Corporate Social Responsibility, Business Strategy, and the Environment." Oxford Review of Economic Policy 26.2 (June 2010): 164-181.