Stern on CSR

Stefan Stern has a go at CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) in the Financial Times today. “Thank goodness,” he writes, “now the recession’s here we can forget all that nonsense about [CSR] and get back to trying to make some money.”

Consumers will buy cheap, unethical stuff anyway, he says. Not because they are evil, but often because they have no choice. And the notion about businesses and consumers coming together as one big happy family to save the planet belongs in fantasyland.

But how about seeing the main social responsibility of companies to a) pay taxes, b) treat their staff well and c) do no harm. Is there room for that idea here on Earth?