What is the role of the individual in corporate social responsibility?

Jim;
You pose an intersting question, however I doubt if corportions were created to commit irresponsible actions. Corporate goals are two-fold; profits and growth. Nothing other than profits and growth are even a consideration, certainly the well-being of those that make-up their employee base is not even apart of the equation. Moreover corporate employees are little more than difference between their annual salaries and their productiviy, i.e., profits and growth. Corporate behaviors are more about stock holder interests. Only corporate heirarchy are about making important decisions. Lower echelon decisons must be inline from those that come from the top of command chain. As far as ethics are concerned; there are more Ken Lays in corporate America that even you would anticipate. Fradulant practice is rampid among CEO's, CFO's, and etc. at the top whereas should a lower end employee so much as get caught taking a company owned pen home they will be fired for stealing. Ethics in corporate Ameica is a double standard. Factually, globalism has changed corporate ideals and objectives. They are no longer loyal to America's soverienty, they are simply and exclusively loyal to growth and profits; the well being of their stock holders.

hi, this is a complex question. Of course, businesses are only collections of individuals, and policy and culture are the result of individuals deciding how to do business. For large corporations, the lower echelons needs to be engaged. But, interestingly, the major ethics issues in business are not at the lower echelons but in the executive suites. This is where the high-pressure decisions occur which cause the line between ethics and self-interest to snap. The CEO determines the corporate behviour. If s/he flounders, then so does the organization. Corporate accountability is the sum of personal accountabilities. And it always starts and ends with leadership.
elaine cohen

I am quite sure, and i agree with Arnold, that the main purpose of a corporation is profit and growth. I agree also for irresponsible actions of corporations and the main reason is profit-sharing; The CEO with the board wants profits for them selfs, thats why, obvious, exists corruption. Corruption is a combination of individualism or a small team + profit-sharing = against common good). The second reason corporations do irresponsible actions is the darkness-ignorance of management. In the end, if corporations are created maybe LUCK is a good reason for that (in many cases).
The dynamics between personal ethics and corporate behavior are usually by far too different; it is difficult to mix these two important elements. Finally, the individual (worker) and the CEO must have responsibility so the corporation could be social responsible.