Corporations Already “Give Back”; What Can We “Give Back” to Them
The notion of "giving back" is greatly misunderstood, especially with regard to corporations. Corporations already contribute in a variety of ways to society: providing employment and meaningful work for individuals, engaging individuals in cooperative teamwork, and producing goods and services that society wants. To ask, or some cases demand, corporations to make additional contributions demonstrates a fundamental misunderstanding of the benefits corporations already provide to society.
Finally, corporations are places of personal fulfillment. Individuals have choices. They do not have to work for a company, and if they choose to do so, they can work at a large, medium, or small business or start their own business. They can also choose not to work at all and bear the consequences of that decision. Many employees find their job to satisfy both their physical and some or all of their spiritual needs. Employment with a corporation will satisfy some of the employees physical needs and thus make that person less of a burden on society. Therefore, for corporations that employs thousands of employees — Walmart, for example — is taking a burden from society at large and contributing to society by allowing those individuals to be self-reliant. A corporation is naturally involved in an anti-poverty program. In addition, a corporation by providing employment rather than a handout may also be satisfying a spiritual need of its employees. The employee feels that his or work has value, that he or she is not a burden to others, and that he or she is engaged in a productive enterprise.
Accordingly, it is imperative not to diminish the importance of corporations, large and small, in society, and to understand the many benefits corporations already contribute to society that are not reflected in the debate about “giving back.” Corporations already “give back”. The only question is whether society is doing enough to allow corporations to thrive so the corporations can continue to contribute in these meaningful ways. What can society do to “give back” to corporations to make sure they grow and multiply?
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