He Social commitment Or social responsibility is a concept referred to the obligation that falls on a group of people that make up a society, individually or group. That obligation can be with themselves and / or with the rest of society.
This term makes an assessment of the effect of the decisions made by the group. This assessment can be negative or positive and falls within the framework of ethics, legal or other areas.
The social responsibility or commitment establishes that every individual has an obligation with the rest to the society because it belongs to her.
A society Is composed of each person who participates in it and what it does or does not do, even if it is a minimal action, it has repercussions on social life.
The commitment or obligation of each human being is with the rest of society, in order to obtain collective well-being and contribute to social balance.
The origin of this term and what it represents comes with the creation of the term"historical materialism", where man has a fundamental role in the development of society where he has the responsibility of educating himself to learn to solve the problems that surround him .
Social commitment in history
The human being since he began his life in community and established a society, has been forced to comply with certain rules for a better coexistence.
These rules are adapted to the place and the time, therefore, they are in constant evolution.
Ancient Greece
In the ancient Greece The sense of social commitment was made present. Citizens had a public life in which they had to hold debates, participate and give their opinions in the dialogues held in the main square or in the agora.
Therefore, the participation of each one was a contribution for the whole community.
Middle Ages
Then in the Middle Ages , All were guided by the rules were made according to religious beliefs. Every action was done in order to obtain salvation.
If any person acted against religion, he was punished. The responsibility was to demand respect for religion so that its rules were fulfilled.
Modern age
Later came the intellectual movement that characterized the Modern age . At this stage reason was the main guide. The rights of man were developed and slavery began to disappear.
The responsibility or social commitment was based on defending the freedom and the rights of the man in the society.
The State also took on the responsibility of defending individuals and demanding respect for and compliance with the social rules of the time.
Contemporary age
For the Contemporary Age, the scientific and technological boom takes hold of all areas of society.
Education, efficacy, efficiency and communicative skills formed some of the requirements for being part of a functional society.
These behaviors become a responsibility to society. The companies are the ones that have the power because the market has a prominent figure since it moves the money that sustains the society.
Who determines social commitment?
Social commitment is a historical entity, which means that it changes and adapts to the time, place and mentality of the people who inhabit at a certain time.
In each age the sense of good and bad changes depending on the historical and cultural development of the community.
The responsibility of the people is with the moral society. In addition to this, the rules of coexistence are dictated by the entity that has the greatest power at the moment, thus can be mentioned to the church, the State or companies.
The social commitment currently
Social responsibility or commitment is considered a non-mandatory regulation or also called soft law.
This has been embodied in various international agreements. These include the"Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights"adopted by UNESCO.
This concept has been extended to institutions or sectors where proposals are made to become aware of the social commitment that must be met.
Thus, most companies and institutions are responsible for showing their duty to society, their commitment through actions that contribute to social welfare.
Many companies have as a priority within their objectives, to act as a useful entity to society by creating and training human talent, to cooperate with the country's technological development and to promote its economy, among others.
Areas where social commitment is applied
Life in society includes all areas, including health, economy, environment, food, education, among others.
All together help to form life in society, so social commitment encompasses all these areas.
Health is a sensitive issue and of paramount importance to individuals. That is why, for the most part, companies, the State and institutions always make decisions that address this issue in order to safeguard the health of the individuals involved.
Decisions about health are linked to the environment. The more friendly the ecosystem is the actions performed by any institution or company, the more protected the health of people.
Also, if there is health control and a suitable environment, food could be assured.
The State is responsible for promoting and enforcing certain standards to ensure security in these areas.
Education is also paramount. The State or the figure of greater power in this environment has the task of promoting a quality education that reaches all individuals for the better development of the life of the citizen and of society in general.
For a good performance in the education sector, the rest of the areas must be covered.
References
- Agüera, I. (2004). Leadership and Social Commitment. Mexico: BUAP.
- Frederick, W. (2006). Corporation, be Good!: The Story of Corporate Social Responsibility. USA: Dog Ear Publishing.
- García, J and Mondaza, G. (2002). Youth, University and social commitment: An experience of community insertion. Spain: Narcea Ediciones.
- Hopkins, M. (2012). Corporate Social Responsibility and International Development: Is Business the Solution? UK: Earthscan
- Mulgan, G. (2006). The Manifesto for Social Innovation: What it is, why it matters and how it can be accelerated. UK: The Young Foundation.
- Wueste, D (1994). Professional Ethics and Social Responsibility. England: Rowman & Littlefield.
- Youniss, J and Yates, M. (1997). Community Service and Social Responsibility in Youth. USA: University of Chicago Press.