What, if any, is the law, regulation and practice concerning corporate social responsibility?
Beyond the need to comply with laws and regulations that are generally applicable in the U.S., there are few if any corporate law requirements that address social responsibility. Matters of social responsibility are instead addressed in the context of the best interest of the company and the risk that the company’s prospects and valuation could suffer if it develops an unsavoury reputation among customers, employees and other interested parties. Recently, companies have faced more shareholder proposals relating to social and environmental matters; also companies often disclose on their websites any positive social and environmental accomplishments.
