1.0 Introduction
Being socially responsible implies playing more than just an economic role in society. Increasingly, firms are being expected by society to play a direct role in meeting community needs in the arts and education, in health and environmental matters, and in social welfare, in addition to their roles as employers and producers. In response to the pressure to be socially responsible, many firms have developed their own social or community programme. They are aimed at demonstrating that corporate organizations are just as capable as individuals of being “good citizens”.
1.1 Background Of The Study
Social responsibility is the obligation of business men to pursue those lines of action, which are desirable in terms of the objectives and values of society- Bowen (1953). The social responsibility of business is whatever the society decides that is in recent years.- Lawal (1993).
The fundamental purpose of business in all, are to produce and distribute goods and services in such a way that benefits communities at different times in place. Thus social responsibility implies a sense of obligation and accountability of individuals and institutions to society beyond their basic primary functions. This emphasizes voluntary and discretionary activities and programmes which are borne out of philanthropic patriotic zeal and gesture of the benefactor undertaken for the sake of public good.
A consensus of opinion has been arrived at from various intellectual debates as pointed out by Eirgido (1995: 20) that “business owes social responsibility to a diversity of publics affected by the activities or operations of the business. Such publics include- employees, the community, the government, the society.
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