BUSINESSES HAVE FAR BIGGER RESPONIBILITIES – 3 OBSERVATIONS I love the way that Coca Cola, as part of its corporate social responsibility programme, donates thousands of dollars each year to children’s sport in Australia. After utilising children’s television viewing time to encourage the consumption of a drink that has 13 teaspoons of sugar in each […]

BUSINESSES HAVE FAR BIGGER RESPONIBILITIES – 3 OBSERVATIONS I love the way that Coca Cola, as part of its corporate social responsibility programme, donates thousands of dollars each year to children’s sport in Australia. After utilising children’s television viewing time to encourage the consumption of a drink that has 13 teaspoons of sugar in each can, Coke try to take the moral high ground by encouraging children to burn off those calories. All this at a time when obesity is a bigger problem than it has ever been. More than 50% of all adults in Australia are overweight and increasing volumes of evidence suggest that obesity finds its roots in childhood. Of course, Coca Cola is not alone. Mc Donalds is another of the many businesses using corporate social responsibility to develop a positive community image as their behaviour as manufacturers or marketers is increasingly questioned on ethical grounds. Is…