Analysis of definition «social responsibility» and its intergrated interpretation in pharmacy

• Main Author: N. О. Tkachenko
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Zaporozhye State Medical University 2013-06-01
• Series: Zaporožskij Medicinskij Žurnal
• Subjects: social responsibility; determination; society
• Online Access: http://zmj.zsmu.edu.ua/article/view/14090/11916

It is not possible to introduce the basic principles of social responsibility (SR) by domestic pharmaceutical enterprises without analysis of international experience. There is no unified and authoritative definition of social responsibility concept in business. It is scientific polemics that fills the concept of social responsibility with different content, it is stipulated by methodological competition of theoretical approaches from different points of view: sociology, management and economics, law, philosophy, etc. Transformation of social values and priorities requires a change in management practices, ensuring the integration of principles, methods and SR instruments in the activity of pharmaceutical companies. The aim of the work was to study and create approaches to the understanding of social responsibility, determination of its content in the pharmaceutical sector. Materials and methods: We used such methods of investigations: analysis and synthesis of information sources of data, marketing analysis, concerning understanding of social responsibility, determining its nature in the pharmaceutical sector. In this work components of the conception were analyzed in various aspects and their integration into the definition of SR business. To accomplish the appropriate corporate civil role, the firm must fulfill obligations – economical - to earn enough profit for its own joint-stock fund to satisfy shareholders, to provide products to satisfy buyers, to create new jobs and new material values for their own business, to promote innovation, legal - to stick to the Law, ethical - to be moral, honest, fair and respect people rights, to avoid harm or social injustice; philanthropic - to carry out useful work for the community. Despite the huge number of approaches in the determining of SR, all the approaches are identical in the same thing: SRB - it is the responsibility of the company (the firm) to all physical and legal persons which it deals with in the normal course of business and to the society as a whole. According to the ISO-26000 Standard “The Guidance on social responsibility” the basic principles of social responsibility are defined: accountability, transparency, ethical behavior, interaction with the party interested, the legal norm, the international norm, human rights. One of the important global landmarks in the development of social responsibility issues became the UN International initiative - United Nations Global Treaty (Global Compact). It is a voluntary initiative that unites private companies, UN agencies, business associations, non-governmental organizations and trade unions in a single forum for stable development through responsible and innovative corporate leadership. Ukraine joined The Global Compact in April 2006. At present, the number of the Global Compact participants in Ukraine exceeds 130. This national network was set up for the purpose of extending the initiative of corporate social responsibility in Ukraine, exchange of experience, training, and joint actions. Conclusion: The approaches of understanding of social responsibility from different points of view: sociology, management and economics, law and philosophy were analyzed and summarized. Despite the variety of approaches in determining the SR, all the approaches are united in the same: SRB - it is the responsibility of company (firm) to all physical and legal persons which it deals with in the normal course of business and to the society as a whole. The fundamental principle of social responsibility is the respect for the priority of the law and compliance with the obligations defined by the law. At the same time, social responsibility includes consistent actions of companies, organizations, within the law, and the recognition of obligations to another party, which are not caused by the legislation. Pharmacy, as a socially oriented industry requires a specific approach to the definition of “social responsibility” and integrated introduction of SR basic principles in the activities of enterprises.