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Social responsibility is being aware of your actions and understanding how they affect the community and the world around you. This individual behavior collectively builds socially responsible conglomerates. When the goods or items sold are those that benefit others in a positive way and in some ways make them better persons for having done business with responsible people, then that business is socially responsible.

A business is socially responsible when it does not in any way use or abuse another person, country or the environment. Examples of all three:

1. Responsible people oriented work places value their workers. They do not overwork them. They see that they have two fifteen minute rest breaks and a lunch break in their eight hour day.

2. Responsible businesses are fair in their international dealings. They do not have price differences for each country.

3. Responsible businesses do nothing to harm the environment. As much as possible they regulate their carbon dioxide emissions to meet the standards approved by their governments.

An example of social responsibility is seen locally when an Elder Bierman clothing store gives discounts to customers who bring in old clothing for Goodwill Industries. Goodwill Industries itself is a prime example of social responsibility. It recycles donations of old clothes, furniture and appliances and sells them to finance their job training for handicapped persons. Its success is directly correlated to its responsible behavior. Goodwill Industries benefits society by supplying society with needs above and beyond what is required of business.

Socially responsible businesses reward the community for their support by sponsoring little league, soccer and other community activities. Children who other wise would not be eligible for extracurricular sports events - price of uniforms and equipment, etc., are benefited by these concerns.

Hospitals that have as their basic concerns the health of the community, and are not run as money makers, are socially responsible. They do their share of charity work and looking after the wellness of the community as well as taking care of the sick. Of course to do their work in a responsible manner, they do insist on payment but in emergencies, no one is turned away. These hospitals work within the rules of their governing systems and do not set out to usurp governmental controls or to overcharge.

Without the cooperation and involvement of the people in a community there would be no need for businesses to move in and set up and hire the local workers. Therefore socially responsibility is not one sided, the employees as well as the employers must interact in such a way that the community is better for having them there.

Each state and each area have their own bylaws that they help them in directing their social responsibilities. Changes in laws that rule communities and states must be voted on by socially responsible citizens before they are allowed into a community. Or this is the way it is supposed to work but sometimes irresponsible places of business do happen. Many irresponsible businesses concerns are kept out of places by concerned citizens because their influence would be degrading to the community.

Banks that are out to make as much money as possible by allowing people to buy mortgages even thought they know the applicants can't afford the payments are not socially responsible. It does not matter that every other bank in the country is doing just that. Common sense tells us that someone is going to pay and that someone is the poor family who got sucked into debt. They were not wise enough to know the difference between need and want and the bank knew better but kept quiet.

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