South Africans expect the companies that people work for and buy from to comply with local regulations or address social issues such as the environmental challenges facing the world. These companies start by making efforts to comply, but some are quick to question the strategic value of addressing the issue at hand.Over the years, some large SA companies adopted social responsibility programmes. Later, they began to understand these programmes as part of the triple bottom line approach to doing business.This goes beyond the focus on making profit, and includes social responsibility (to workers and communities in the vicinity of a company’s operation) as well as environmental responsibility (to respect resources such as land and water). Many more companies now appreciate the strategic value of social and environment responsibility.SA also has regulations that govern enterprise development. A few firms have been active in this space.For example, when Walmart acquired Massmart a few ye...
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