As well as making money, businesses also have social responsibilities. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Businesses

have always sought to make a profit, but it is becoming increasingly common to hear people talk about the social obligations that

companies

have. I completely agree with the idea that

businesses

should do more for

society

than simply make money. On the one hand, I accept that

businesses

must make money in order to survive in a competitive world. It seems logical that the priority of any

company

should be to cover its running costs,

such

as employees’ wages and payments for buildings and utilities. On top of these costs,

companies

also

need to invest in improvements and innovations if they wish to remain successful. If a

company

is unable to pay its bills or meet the changing needs of customers, any concerns about social responsibilities become irrelevant.

In other words

, a

company

can only make a positive contribution to

society

if it is in good financial health.

On the other hand

,

companies

should not be run with the sole aim of maximising profit; they have a wider role to play in

society

. One social obligation that owners and managers have is to treat their employees well, rather than

exploiting

Wrong verb form

exploit

show examples

them. For example, they could pay a “living wage” to ensure that workers have a good quality of life. I

also

like the idea that

businesses

could use a proportion of their profits to support local charities, environmental projects or education initiatives.

Finally

,

instead

of trying to minimise their tax payments by using accounting loopholes, I believe that

company

bosses should be happy to contribute to

society

through the tax system. In conclusion, I believe that

companies

should place as much importance on their social responsibilities as they do on their financial objectives.