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105-623: PCC SE is an international chemicals , silicon and logistics corporation. Headquartered in Duisburg , Germany , the PCC Group has about 3,300 employees worldwide. It comprises 66 subsidiaries located at 41 sites in 17 countries, with production facilities in Europe , Asia and the United States. The sole shareholder of the group's parent and holding company PCC SE is Waldemar Preussner , chairman of

210-418: A profit motive when participating in corporate philanthropy and community volunteering. On the other hand, the remaining corporate social initiatives can be examples of cause marketing, in which there is both a societal interest and a profit motive. CSR may be based within the human resources , business development or public relations departments of an organisation, or may be a separate unit reporting to

315-613: A $ 5 trillion global enterprise, and the EU and U.S. chemical companies are the world's largest producers. Sales of the chemical business can be divided into a few broad categories, including basic chemicals (about 35% - 37% of dollar output), life sciences (30%), specialty chemicals (20% - 25%) and consumer products (about 10%). Basic chemicals, or "commodity chemicals" are a broad chemical category including polymers, bulk petrochemicals and intermediates, other derivatives and basic industrials, inorganic chemicals , and fertilizers . Polymers are

420-423: A CSR perspective, while critics argue that CSR distracts from businesses' economic role. A 2000 study compared existing econometric studies of the relationship between social and financial performance, concluding that the contradictory results of previous studies reporting positive, negative, and neutral financial impact were due to flawed empirical analysis and claimed when the study is properly specified, CSR has

525-467: A better impact on the surrounding community. In addition, national and international standards, laws, and business models have been developed to facilitate and incentivize this phenomenon. Various organizations have used their authority to push it beyond individual or industry-wide initiatives. In contrast, it has been considered a form of corporate self-regulation for some time, over the last decade or so it has moved considerably from voluntary decisions at

630-416: A business enterprise that emerge from neighborhoods, environmental groups, local stakeholders, and other elements of the surrounding civil society". Social License to Operate can be determined as contractual grounds for the legitimacy of activities and projects a company is involved in. It refers to the level of support and approval of a company's activities by its stakeholders. Displaying commitment to CSR

735-427: A company's economic actions to particular interest groups within society and to society at large. Social accounting emphasizes the notion of corporate accountability . Crowther defines social accounting as "an approach to reporting a firm's activities which stresses the need for the identification of socially relevant behavior, the determination of those to whom the company is accountable for its social performance and

840-468: A differentiation strategy. They concluded that managers could determine the appropriate level of investment in CSR by conducting a cost-benefit analysis in the same way they analyze other investments. Reinhardt (1998) found that a firm engaging in a CSR-based strategy could only sustain an abnormal return if it could prevent competitors from imitating it. The relationship between corporate social responsibility and

945-428: A firm's corporate financial performance is a phenomenon that is being explored in a variety of research studies that are being conducted across the world. Based on these research studies, including those undertaken by Sang Jun Cho, Chune Young Chung, and Jason Young, a positive relationship exists between a firm's corporate social responsibility policies and corporate financial performance. To investigate this relationship,

1050-774: A foundation for consumers to verify that their products are socially sustainable . Due to an increased awareness of the need for CSR, many industries have their verification resources. They include organizations such as the Forest Stewardship Council (paper and forest products), International Cocoa Initiative, and Kimberly Process (diamonds). The United Nations Global Compact provides frameworks not only for verification, but also for reporting human rights violations in corporate supply chains. The rise of ethics training inside corporations, some of which are required by government regulation, has helped CSR to spread. Such training aims to help employees make ethical decisions when

1155-613: A healthy, educated workforce, sustainable resources, and an adept government to compete effectively. For society to thrive, profitable and competitive businesses must be developed and supported to create income, wealth, tax revenues, and philanthropy. The Harvard Business Review article "Strategy & Society: The Link between Competitive Advantage and Corporate Social Responsibility" provided examples of companies that have developed deep linkages between their business strategies and CSR. CSV acknowledges trade-offs between short-term profitability and social or environmental goals, but emphasizes

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1260-504: A large scale. John Roebuck and Samuel Garbett were the first to establish a large-scale factory in Prestonpans, Scotland , in 1749, which used leaden condensing chambers for the manufacture of sulfuric acid. In the early 18th century, cloth was bleached by treating it with stale urine or sour milk and exposing it to sunlight for long periods of time, which created a severe bottleneck in production. Sulfuric acid began to be used as

1365-661: A major chemicals firm in the early 20th century in America. Polymers and plastics such as polyethylene , polypropylene , polyvinyl chloride , polyethylene terephthalate , polystyrene and polycarbonate comprise about 80% of the industry's output worldwide. Chemicals are used in many different consumer goods, and are also used in many different sectors. This includes agriculture manufacturing, construction, and service industries. Major industrial customers include rubber and plastic products, textiles , apparel, petroleum refining, pulp and paper , and primary metals. Chemicals are nearly

1470-562: A more efficient agent as well as lime by the middle of the century, but it was the discovery of bleaching powder by Charles Tennant that spurred the creation of the first great chemical industrial enterprise. His powder was made by reacting chlorine with dry slaked lime and proved to be a cheap and successful product. He opened the St Rollox Chemical Works , north of Glasgow , and production went from just 52 tons in 1799 to almost 10,000 tons just five years later. Soda ash

1575-403: A neutral impact on financial outcomes. Critics have questioned the "lofty" and sometimes "unrealistic expectations" of CSR, or observed that CSR is merely window-dressing , or an attempt to pre-empt the role of governments as a watchdog over powerful multinational corporations . In line with this critical perspective, political and sociological institutionalists became interested in CSR in

1680-595: A positive response. Somerville also found that consumers are loyal and willing to spend more on retailers that support charity. Consumers also believe that retailers selling local products will gain loyalty. Smith (2013) shares the belief that marketing local products will gain consumer trust. However, environmental efforts are receiving negative views, given the belief that this would affect customer service. Oppewal et al. (2006) found that not all CSR activities are attractive to consumers. They recommended that retailers focus on one activity. Becker-Olsen (2006) found that if

1785-493: A pyramid of responsibilities, namely, economic, legal, ethical, and philanthropic responsibilities. While Carroll was not defining CSR, but simply arguing for the classification of activities, Sheehy developed a definition differently following the philosophy of science—the branch of philosophy used for explaining phenomena. Carroll extended corporate social responsibility from the traditional economic and legal responsibility to ethical and philanthropic responsibility in response to

1890-495: A range of reporting guidelines and standards that serve as frameworks for social accounting, auditing, and reporting: Legal requirements for social accounting, auditing, and reporting exist in nations like France. However, international or national agreement on meaningful social and environmental performance measurements has not been achieved. Many companies produce externally audited annual reports that cover Sustainable Development and CSR issues ("Triple Bottom Line Reports"), but

1995-526: A risk of agency costs, a law academic may consider that discretion to be an appropriate expression of what the law demands from directors. In the 1930s, two law professors, A. A. Berle and Merrick Dodd, famously debated how directors should be made to uphold the public interest: Berle believed there had to be legally enforceable rules in favor of labor, customers and the public equal to or ahead of shareholders, while Dodd argued that powers of directors were simply held on trust. Corporate social responsibility

2100-630: A site separate from the production plant(s). The scale of chemical manufacturing tends to be organized from largest in volume ( petrochemicals and commodity chemicals ), to specialty chemicals , and the smallest, fine chemicals . The petrochemical and commodity chemical manufacturing units are on the whole single product continuous processing plants. Not all petrochemical or commodity chemical materials are made in one single location, but groups of related materials often are to induce industrial symbiosis as well as material, energy and utility efficiency and other economies of scale . Those chemicals made on

2205-571: A socially responsible company makes safe, high-quality products; for Germans it provides secure employment; in South Africa it makes a positive contribution to social needs such as health care and education. Even within Europe, the discussion about CSR is very heterogeneous. A more common approach to CSR is corporate philanthropy . This includes monetary donations and aid given to nonprofit organizations and communities. Donations are made in areas such as

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2310-512: A variety of outside markets, an improved reputation, and stakeholder relationships. In all cases (emerging markets vs. developed economies), implementing CSR policies into the daily activities and framework of a company has been shown to allow for a competitive advantage versus other companies, including the creation of a positive image for the company, improved stakeholder relationships, increased employee morale, and attraction of new consumers who are committed to social responsibility. Despite all of

2415-485: A variety of uses) coincided with the beginnings of the Industrial Revolution . One of the first chemicals to be produced in large amounts through industrial processes was sulfuric acid . In 1736 pharmacist Joshua Ward developed a process for its production that involved heating sulfur with saltpeter, allowing the sulfur to oxidize and combine with water. It was the first practical production of sulphuric acid on

2520-579: A wide variety of solid, liquid, and gaseous materials. Most of these products serve to manufacture other items, although a smaller number go directly to consumers. Solvents , pesticides , lye , washing soda , and portland cement provide a few examples of products used by consumers. The industry includes manufacturers of inorganic - and organic -industrial chemicals, ceramic products, petrochemicals, agrochemicals, polymers and rubber (elastomers), oleochemicals (oils, fats, and waxes), explosives, fragrances and flavors. Examples of these products are shown in

2625-622: Is PCC Rokita SA, headquartered in Brzeg Dolny . Among its products are polyether polyols, a feedstock used in the manufacture of PU foams for items such as mattresses. It is also a chlorine producer. PCC Exol SA, Brzeg Dolny, is a Polish manufacturer of surfactants. In the Silicon & Derivatives segment, PCC operates a silicon metal production facility in Húsavík, Iceland, which is powered by 100% electricity from renewable energy sources. The plant obtains

2730-423: Is a list of the top 25 chemical companies by chemical sales in 2015. (Note: Chemical sales represent only a portion of total sales for some companies.) Top chemical companies by chemical sales in 2015. [REDACTED] London , United Kingdom From the perspective of chemical engineers, the chemical industry involves the use of chemical processes such as chemical reactions and refining methods to produce

2835-517: Is achieved within and given by communities, which is defined as "a social unit of any size that shares common values, or that is situated in a given geographical area". Lacey suggested that social license can take a long time for a corporation or industry to achieve, but social license can be lost very quickly for a variety of factors, including changes in stakeholder expectations, technology, or other disturbances. Gunningham et al. stated that meeting and exceeding regulations to build reputational capital

2940-427: Is economically vital, saying: "in certain circumstances, [natural resource-based industries] cannot afford to do otherwise". In communities with a diverse economy, achieving social license is often much more complex than in local communities, which depend economically on the natural resource industry. In research undertaken by Ketola et al. , the writers believed that the forest products industry in rural Michigan in

3045-412: Is generally understood as a strategic initiative that contributes to a brand's reputation. As such, social responsibility initiatives must coherently align with and be integrated into a business model to be successful. With some models, a firm's implementation of CSR goes beyond compliance with regulatory requirements and engages in "actions that appear to further some social good, beyond the interests of

3150-407: Is not directly undertaken by the companies, they become accountable to the stakeholders. These surrounding issues have prompted supply chain management to consider the corporate social responsibility context. Wieland and Handfield (2013) suggested that companies must include social responsibility in their reviews of component quality. They highlighted the use of technology to improve visibility across

3255-557: Is one way to achieve a social license, by enhancing a company's reputation. As stated in Enduring value: the Australian minerals industry framework for sustainable development the concept of the 'social license to operate', then defined simply as obtaining and maintaining broad community support and acceptance. Unless a company earns and maintains that license, social license holders may intend to block project developments; employees may leave

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3360-484: Is the process by which several organizations, including suppliers, customers, and logistics providers, work together to provide a value package of products and services to the end-user, who is the customer. Corporate social irresponsibility in the supply chain has greatly affected the reputation of companies, leading to many costs to solve the problems. For instance, incidents like the 2013 Savar building collapse , which killed over 1000 people, pushed companies to consider

3465-459: The CEO or the board of directors . An engagement plan can assist in reaching the desired audience. A corporate social responsibility individual or team plans the goals and objectives of the organization. As with any corporate activity, a defined budget demonstrates commitment and scales the program's relative importance. Social accounting is the communication of social and environmental effects of

3570-404: The Industrial Revolution matured. Originally, large quantities of alkaline waste were vented into the environment from the production of soda, provoking one of the first pieces of environmental legislation to be passed in 1863. This provided for close inspection of the factories and imposed heavy fines on those exceeding the limits on pollution. Methods were devised to make useful byproducts from

3675-463: The United States may have received a social license through the channels that mining corporations initially established and the long history of logging and copper mining in the area continued to shape the attitudes and identities of industry participants to present day. They found that local stakeholders and local industry operators have shared history and experience as having limited power to control

3780-421: The public benefit , or to conduct ethically oriented business and investment practices. While once it was possible to describe CSR as an internal organizational policy or a corporate ethic strategy similar to what is now known today as Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG); that time has passed as various companies have pledged to go beyond that or have been mandated or incentivized by governments to have

3885-477: The supply chain . Corporate social responsibility includes six types of corporate social initiatives: All six of the corporate initiatives are forms of corporate citizenship. However, only some of these CSR activities rise to the level of cause marketing , defined as "a type of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in which a company's promotional campaign has the dual purpose of increasing profitability while bettering society." Companies generally do not have

3990-791: The $ 546 billion global specialty chemical market was 33% Paints, Coating and Surface Treatments, 27% Advanced Polymer, 14% Adhesives and Sealants, 13% additives, and 13% pigments and inks. Speciality chemicals are sold as effect or performance chemicals. Sometimes they are mixtures of formulations, unlike " fine chemicals ," which are almost always single-molecule products. Consumer products include direct product sales of chemicals such as soaps , detergents , and cosmetics . Typical growth rates are 0.8 to 1.0 times GDP. Consumers rarely come into contact with basic chemicals. Polymers and specialty chemicals are materials that they encounter everywhere daily. Examples are plastics, cleaning materials, cosmetics, paints & coatings, electronics, automobiles and

4095-745: The 1862 London International Exhibition, anticipated many of the modern aesthetic and utility uses of plastics. The industrial production of soap from vegetable oils was started by William Lever and his brother James in 1885 in Lancashire based on a modern chemical process invented by William Hough Watson that used glycerin and vegetable oils . By the 1920s, chemical firms consolidated into large conglomerates ; IG Farben in Germany, Rhône-Poulenc in France and Imperial Chemical Industries in Britain. Dupont became

4200-469: The Amani Orphans’ Home Mbigili (AOHM), a Tanzanian non-governmental organization that cares for AIDS orphans in the region. Group companies PCC Rokita SA and PCC Exol SA received a silver and a gold medal, respectively, from the international collaborative sustainability platform, EcoVadis, for their reporting on corporate social responsibility . From 2016 to 2019, PCC Rokita SA was included in

4305-502: The British soda industry was able to rapidly expand. James Muspratt 's chemical works in Liverpool and Charles Tennant's complex near Glasgow became the largest chemical production centres anywhere. By the 1870s, the British soda output of 200,000 tons annually exceeded that of all other nations in the world combined. These huge factories began to produce a greater diversity of chemicals as

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4410-518: The European Chemical industry saw its sales increase from 295 billion Euros to 539 billion Euros, a picture of constant growth. Despite this, the European industry's share of the world chemical market has fallen from 36% to 20%. This has resulted from the huge increase in production and sales in emerging markets like India and China. The data suggest that 95% of this impact is from China alone. In 2012

4515-784: The Food and Drug Administration. Pesticides, also called "crop protection chemicals", are about 10% of this category and include herbicides , insecticides , and fungicides . Specialty chemicals are a category of relatively high-valued, rapidly growing chemicals with diverse end product markets. Typical growth rates are one to three times GDP with prices over a dollar per pound. They are generally characterized by their innovative aspects. Products are sold for what they can do rather than for what chemicals they contain. Products include electronic chemicals, industrial gases , adhesives and sealants as well as coatings, industrial and institutional cleaning chemicals, and catalysts. In 2012, excluding fine chemicals,

4620-571: The Hungarian Association for Environmentally Aware Management (KÖVET) refers to "Deep CSR" and the role of a "Truly Responsible Enterprise". Gergely's definition of "Deep CSR" is the behaviour displayed by a "Truly Responsible Enterprise" (TRE), which: The five principles of the TRE are: In competitive markets, the cost-benefit analysis of CSR initiatives can be examined using a resource-based view (RBV). According to Barney (1990), "formulation of

4725-803: The RBV, sustainable competitive advantage requires that resources be valuable (V), rare (R), inimitable (I) and non-substitutable (S)". A firm introducing a CSR-based strategy might only sustain high returns on their investment if their CSR-based strategy could not be copied (I). However, should competitors imitate such a strategy that might increase overall social benefits? Firms that choose CSR for strategic financial gain are also acting responsibly. RBV presumes that firms are bundles of heterogeneous resources and capabilities that are imperfectly mobile across firms. This imperfect mobility can produce competitive advantages for firms that acquire immobile resources. McWilliams and Siegel (2001) examined CSR activities and attributes as

4830-520: The Respect Index, the social responsibility index of companies listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange. Chemical industry Various professionals are involved in the chemical industry including chemical engineers, chemists and lab technicians. Although chemicals were made and used throughout history, the birth of the heavy chemical industry (production of chemicals in large quantities for

4935-458: The Table below. Related industries include petroleum , glass , paint , ink , sealant , adhesive , pharmaceuticals and food processing . Chemical processes such as chemical reactions operate in chemical plants to form new substances in various types of reaction vessels. In many cases, the reactions take place in special corrosion-resistant equipment at elevated temperatures and pressures with

5040-505: The U.S. there are 170 major chemical companies. They operate internationally with more than 2,800 facilities outside the U.S. and 1,700 foreign subsidiaries or affiliates operating. The U.S. chemical output is $ 750 billion a year. The U.S. industry records large trade surpluses and employs more than a million people in the United States alone. The chemical industry is also the second largest consumer of energy in manufacturing and spends over $ 5 billion annually on pollution abatement. In Europe,

5145-609: The acquisition of a total of 50% of Thai polyols and polyurethane producer IRPC Polyol Company Ltd. In Iceland, PCC commissioned, in 2018, a silicon metal production plant at a cost of around US$ 300 million powered by geothermal energy. In 2023, PCC generated consolidated revenue of €993.6 million. Earnings before interest and other financial items, taxes, depreciation and amortization ( EBITDA ) amounted to €112.3 million, and earnings before taxes (EBT) were €-20.8 million. The group annual report for 2023 lists 45 material portfolio companies as affiliated entities of PCC SE, allocated to

5250-621: The alkali. The Solvay process was developed by the Belgian industrial chemist Ernest Solvay in 1861. In 1864, Solvay and his brother Alfred constructed a plant in Charleroi Belgium. In 1874, they expanded into a larger plant in Nancy , France. The new process proved more economical and less polluting than the Leblanc method, and its use spread. In the same year, Ludwig Mond visited Solvay to acquire

5355-862: The answers are unclear. The most direct benefit is reducing the likelihood of "dirty hands", fines, and damaged reputations for breaching laws or moral norms. Organizations see increased employee loyalty and pride in the organization. Common CSR actions include: The term "social license" was introduced in 1997 and has since been applied in multiple resource extraction industries to describe changes in company-community interactions. This use of social license has included an understanding of how acceptance levels impact resource development operations within these industries. Gunningham et al. state corporations comply with their social license by operating within societal expectations and avoiding activities (or influential elements within them) considered unacceptable, and define social license it as "the demands on and expectations for

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5460-436: The arts, education, housing, health, social welfare, and the environment, among others, but excluding political contributions and commercial event sponsorship. Another approach to CSR is to incorporate the CSR strategy directly into operations, such as procurement of Fair Trade tea and coffee. Creating shared value , or CSV, is based on the idea that corporate success and social welfare are interdependent. A business needs

5565-533: The benefits, it is important to note that several drawbacks exist, including possible accusations of hypocrisy, the difficulty of measuring the social impact of CSR policies, and oftentimes placing companies at a disadvantage against competitors when prioritizing CSR ahead of advancing a company's R&D. A large body of literature urges businesses to adopt non-financial measures of success (e.g., Deming 's Fourteen Points, balanced scorecards ). While CSR benefits are hard to quantify, Orlitzky, Schmidt and Rynes found

5670-440: The chemical, plastics, and rubber sectors are among the largest industrial sectors. Together they generate about 3.2 million jobs in more than 60,000 companies. Since 2000 the chemical sector alone has represented 2/3 of the entire manufacturing trade surplus of the EU. In 2012, the chemical sector accounted for 12% of the EU manufacturing industry's added value. Europe remains the world's biggest chemical trading region with 43% of

5775-541: The clustering and integration mentioned above, some 50% of the United Kingdom's petrochemical and commodity chemicals are produced by the Northeast of England Process Industry Cluster on Teesside . Specialty chemical and fine chemical manufacturing are mostly made in discrete batch processes. These manufacturers are often found in similar locations but in many cases, they are to be found in multi-sector business parks. In

5880-701: The companies is to obtain and maintain the Social License to Operate. Based on the Requisite Organization , to achieve this goal, a company needs to: A positive relationship has been shown to exist between CSR and a firm's corporate financial performance. However, results from these analyses may need to be examined under different lenses for emerging and developed economies, especially since firms based in emerging economies oftentimes have weak firm-level governance. For companies operating in emerging markets, engaging in CSR practices enables widespread reach into

5985-407: The company as the social contract the company has with the social license holders (employees, trade unions, communities, government) for them to manifest positive intention to support the business short- and long-term objectives by "providing managerial leadership that nurtures the social good and also gives the foundation for sustainable growth in organizational results." The primary objective for

6090-459: The company for a company that is a better corporate citizen: and companies may be under ongoing legal challenge. Issues related to the government's measurement of corporations' social license include its role in licensure processes, the penalties for non-compliance, or the community's ability to halt a project if a corporation is not responsive to their concerns, are still subject to global concern. Regardless of government involvement, social license

6195-542: The company to make a positive impact on the environment and stakeholders including consumers, employees, investors, communities, and others. From an ethical perspective, some businesses will adopt CSR policies and practices because of the ethical beliefs of senior management: for example, the CEO of outdoor-apparel company Patagonia, Inc. argues that harming the environment is ethically objectionable. Proponents argue that corporations increase long-term profits by operating with

6300-578: The construction of a production plant for Oxyalkylates in Malaysia in a joint venture with Petronas Chemicals Group which was commissioned in 2023. The company is the name sponsor of the PCC Stadium in Duisburg, the home venue of local soccer teams. PCC SE supports the homeless relief association Gemeinsam gegen Kälte Duisburg e.V., German children's rights organization Deutscher Kinderschutzbund in Duisburg and

6405-870: The consumer. Annually the American Chemistry Council tabulates the US production volume of the top 100 chemicals. In 2000, the aggregate production volume of the top 100 chemicals totaled 502 million tons, up from 397 million tons in 1990. Inorganic chemicals tend to be the largest volume but much smaller in dollar revenue due to their low prices. The top 11 of the 100 chemicals in 2000 were sulfuric acid (44 million tons), nitrogen (34), ethylene (28), oxygen (27), lime (22), ammonia (17), propylene (16), polyethylene (15), chlorine (13), phosphoric acid (13) and diammonium phosphates (12). The largest chemical producers today are global companies with international operations and plants in numerous countries. Below

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6510-550: The context of theories of globalization , neoliberalism , and late capitalism . Since the 1960s, corporate social responsibility has attracted attention from a range of businesses, academics and stakeholders and been referred to by a number of other terms, including "corporate sustainability", "sustainable business", "corporate conscience", "corporate citizenship", "purpose", "social impact", "conscious capitalism ", and "responsible business". A wide variety of definitions have been developed, but with little consensus. Part of

6615-749: The data from the European Chemical Industry Council shows that five European countries account for 71% of the EU's chemicals sales. These are Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Italy and the Netherlands. The chemical industry has seen growth in China, India, Korea, the Middle East, South East Asia, Nigeria and Brazil. The growth is driven by changes in feedstock availability and price, labor and energy costs, differential rates of economic growth and environmental pressures. Just as companies emerge as

6720-449: The definition problem has arisen because of the different interests represented. A business person may define CSR as a business strategy, an NGO activist may see it as ' greenwash ' while a government official may see it as voluntary regulation. "In addition, disagreement about the definition will arise from the disciplinary approach." For example, while an economist might consider the director's discretion necessary for CSR to be implemented

6825-428: The development of appropriate measures and reporting techniques." Modern CSR has a wide range of different standards, frameworks and metrics for reporting and disclosing the social, environmental and economic issues. However, there is no single, fixed standard and the complex, dynamic and contextual nature of CSR means different companies and stakeholders adopt different approaches depending on their needs. There are

6930-546: The dollar output of the chemistry business) include differentiated chemical and biological substances, pharmaceuticals , diagnostics, animal health products , vitamins , and pesticides . While much smaller in volume than other chemical sectors, their products tend to have high prices - over ten dollars per pound - growth rates of 1.5 to 6 times GDP , and research and development spending at 15 to 25% of sales. Life science products are usually produced with high specifications and are closely scrutinized by government agencies such as

7035-547: The early 19th century. The coal tar and ammoniacal liquor residues of coal gas manufacture for gas lighting began to be processed in 1822 at the Bonnington Chemical Works in Edinburgh to make naphtha , pitch oil (later called creosote ), pitch , lampblack ( carbon black ) and sal ammoniac ( ammonium chloride ). Ammonium sulphate fertiliser, asphalt road surfacing , coke oil and coke were later added to

7140-455: The employed resources." Businesses have changed when the public came to expect and require different behavior [...] I predict that in the future, just as in the past, changes in public attitudes will be essential for changes in businesses' environmental practices. Most consumers agree that while achieving business targets, companies should engage in CSR efforts at the same time. Most consumers believe companies doing charity work will receive

7245-563: The environment, and how others perceive competitor CSR strategy. Meehan, Meehan and Richard developed a model known as the 3C-SR model, published in a frequently cited article in 2006, which aimed to offer "a new strategic approach to corporate responsibility". Their model sought to fill the gap between corporate social responsibility definitions and strategy, which the authors perceived to be an issue, and to provide guidance to managers on connecting businesses with ethically-aware consumers. An approach described by Tóth Gergely and published by

7350-503: The firm and that which is required by law". Furthermore, businesses may engage in CSR for strategic or ethical purposes. From a strategic perspective, CSR can contribute to firm profits, particularly if brands voluntarily self-report both the positive and negative outcomes of their endeavors. In part, these benefits accrue by increasing positive public relations and high ethical standards to reduce business and legal risk by taking responsibility for corporate actions. CSR strategies encourage

7455-433: The first synthetic perfumes. German industry quickly began to dominate the field of synthetic dyes. The three major firms BASF , Bayer , and Hoechst produced several hundred different dyes. By 1913, German industries produced almost 90% of the world's supply of dyestuffs and sold approximately 80% of their production abroad. In the United States, Herbert Henry Dow's use of electrochemistry to produce chemicals from brine

7560-415: The identifiable behaviour of individual businesses risks not including what he calls " unincorporated market behaviour" within the scope of CSR - actions attributable to market processes, and also calls for other factors including "brand citizenship" and "illegitimate, informal or illegal activity" to be considered as part of a more complete picture. The term "brand citizenship" has been put forward because

7665-431: The impacts of their operations on society and the environment. On the other hand, the horsemeat scandal of 2013 in Europe affected many food retailers, including Tesco, the largest retailer in the United Kingdom, leading to the dismissal of the supplier. Corporate social irresponsibility from suppliers and retailers has greatly affected the stakeholders who lost trust in the affected business entities. Although sometimes it

7770-438: The larger economic forces acting upon them. Local actors are more likely to have values similar to those of stakeholders, have established some history in the area, and have had the time to develop meaningful relationships within the community. This shared experience shaped the process of acquiring a social license. Nonlocal actors are likely to experience a much lesser degree of social license than local actors. Furthermore, many of

7875-681: The largest group subsidiary. PCC SE has placed minority stakes of two Polish chemical companies on the Warsaw Stock Exchange , PCC Rokita SA (initial public offering in 2014) and PCC Exol SA (2012). Logistics company PCC Intermodal S.A. (IPO in 2009) was delisted from the Warsaw Stock Exchange in 2018. As a major divestiture, in 2009, PCC sold its Polish subgroup PCC Logistics to Deutsche Bahn AG (today DB Cargo Polska ). Investments further afield include US specialty surfactants developer PCC Chemax, Inc. Activities are also being pursued in Asia through

7980-667: The largest of scales are made in a few manufacturing locations around the world, for example in Texas and Louisiana along the Gulf Coast of the United States , on Teesside ( United Kingdom ), and in Rotterdam in the Netherlands . The large-scale manufacturing locations often have clusters of manufacturing units that share utilities and large-scale infrastructure such as power stations , port facilities , and road and rail terminals. To demonstrate

8085-697: The largest revenue segment and includes all categories of plastics and human-made fibers. The major markets for plastics are packaging , followed by home construction, containers, appliances, pipe, transportation, toys, and games. Principal raw materials for polymers are bulk petrochemicals like ethylene, propylene and benzene. Petrochemicals and intermediate chemicals are primarily made from liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), natural gas and crude oil fractions. Large volume products include ethylene , propylene , benzene , toluene , xylenes , methanol , vinyl chloride monomer (VCM), styrene , butadiene , and ethylene oxide . These basic or commodity chemicals are

8190-426: The level of individual organizations to mandatory schemes at regional, national, and international levels. Moreover, scholars and firms are using the term " creating shared value ", an extension of corporate social responsibility, to explain ways of doing business in a socially responsible way while making profits (see the detailed review article of Menghwar and Daood, 2021). Considered at the organisational level, CSR

8295-509: The main financing instrument of the group holding company. The PCC group has expanded and diversified through acquisitions and project investments. Particularly in Poland and elsewhere in Central and Eastern Europe, PCC acquired various previously state-owned companies, which it then modernized and expanded. In 2010, PCC completed the takeover of a Polish chemicals producer, known today as PCC Rokita SA,

8400-450: The main producers of the chemical industry, we can also look on a more global scale at how industrialized countries rank, with regard to the billions of dollars worth of production a country or region could export. Though the business of chemistry is worldwide in scope, the bulk of the world's $ 3.7 trillion chemical output is accounted for by only a handful of industrialized nations. The United States alone produced $ 689 billion, 18.6 percent of

8505-526: The manufacture of superphosphate of lime . Processes for the vulcanization of rubber were patented by Charles Goodyear in the United States and Thomas Hancock in England in the 1840s. The first synthetic dye was discovered by William Henry Perkin in London . He partly transformed aniline into a crude mixture which, when extracted with alcohol, produced a substance with an intense purple colour. He also developed

8610-606: The materials used in home construction. These specialty products are marketed by chemical companies to the downstream manufacturing industries as pesticides , specialty polymers , electronic chemicals, surfactants , construction chemicals, Industrial Cleaners, flavours and fragrances , specialty coatings, printing inks, water-soluble polymers, food additives , paper chemicals , oil field chemicals, plastic adhesives, adhesives and sealants , cosmetic chemicals , water management chemicals , catalysts , and textile chemicals. Chemical companies rarely supply these products directly to

8715-434: The opportunities for competitive advantage from building a social value proposition into corporate strategy. CSV gives the impression that only two stakeholders are essential – shareholders and consumers. Many companies employ benchmarking to assess their CSR policy, implementation, and effectiveness. Benchmarking involves reviewing competitor initiatives, measuring and evaluating the impact those policies have on society and

8820-437: The product line. The late 19th century saw an explosion in both the quantity of production and the variety of chemicals that were manufactured. Large chemical industries arose in Germany and later in the United States. Production of artificial manufactured fertilizer for agriculture was pioneered by Sir John Lawes at his purpose-built Rothamsted Research facility. In the 1840s he established large works near London for

8925-578: The product will meet required specifications . More organizations within the industry are implementing chemical compliance software to maintain quality products and manufacturing standards. The products are packaged and delivered by many methods, including pipelines, tank-cars, and tank-trucks (for both solids and liquids), cylinders, drums, bottles, and boxes. Chemical companies often have a research-and-development laboratory for developing and testing products and processes. These facilities may include pilot plants and such research facilities may be located at

9030-480: The public perception of an organisation may be associated with its branding rather than its corporate identity: McIntosh uses Virgin as an example. Similarly, Anne Bahr Thompson uses the same term and observes that companies adopting socially responsible behaviours are primarily investing in their reputations . In the 21st century, corporate social responsibility in the supply chain has attracted attention from businesses and stakeholders. A corporation's supply chain

9135-695: The quartzite raw material from the PCC quarry in Poland. The Logistics segment is dominated by PCC Intermodal S.A., a combined road and rail logistics services provider in Eastern Europe with five wholly owned container transshipment terminals in Poland and Germany. The company operates container block train services between the Polish inland terminals of PCC, seaports located in Germany, and the Benelux countries, among other destinations. This segment manages major projects such as

9240-683: The reports vary widely in format, style, and evaluation methodology (even within the same industry). Critics dismiss these reports as lip service, citing examples such as Enron 's yearly "Corporate Responsibility Annual Report" and tobacco companies' social reports. In South Africa, as of June 2010, all companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) were required to produce an integrated report in place of an annual financial report and sustainability report. An integrated report reviews environmental, social, and economic performance alongside financial performance. This requirement

9345-516: The researchers conducted a regression analysis and preceded the analysis with the provision of several measures that they utilized to serve as proxies for key financial performance indicators (i.e. return on assets serves as a proxy for profitability). Initially, CSR emphasized the official behaviour of individual firms. Later, it expanded to include supplier behaviour, the uses to which products were put, and how articles were disposed of after they lost value. Malcolm McIntosh notes also that focussing on

9450-893: The resources affected by forest management are held in the public trust, so it is essential for both industry actors and community stakeholders to feel engaged and involved in decisions regarding local natural resource management. Baines and Edwards shared similar findings in New Zealand's aquaculture sector regarding the importance of relationships and communication between industry and local stakeholders. They find that social license depends on relationships and building trust. Smaller, local companies tend towards relationships that are relational as opposed to transactional, possibly due to their ongoing community presences and communication abilities, which are better for fostering these relationships and trust building. In research of Requisite Organization , Elliott Jaques defines Social License to Operate for

9555-400: The revenue output) make up the oldest of the chemical categories. Products include salt , chlorine , caustic soda , soda ash , acids (such as nitric acid , phosphoric acid , and sulfuric acid ), titanium dioxide , and hydrogen peroxide . Fertilizers are the smallest category (about 6 percent) and include phosphates , ammonia , and potash chemicals. Life sciences (about 30% of

9660-484: The rights to use his process, and he and John Brunner formed Brunner, Mond & Co. , and built a Solvay plant at Winnington , England. Mond was instrumental in making the Solvay process a commercial success. He made several refinements between 1873 and 1880 that removed byproducts that could inhibit the production of sodium carbonate in the process. The manufacture of chemical products from fossil fuels began at scale in

9765-630: The rising concerns on ethical issues in businesses. A review of 14,523 articles found that stakeholder perspective is the most prevalent dimension of corporate social responsibility. This view is reflected in the Business Dictionary that defines CSR as "a company's sense of responsibility towards the community and environment (both ecological and social) in which it operates. Companies express this citizenship (1) through their waste and pollution reduction processes, (2) by contributing educational and social programs, and (3) by earning adequate returns on

9870-439: The seven segments: Polyols & Derivatives, Surfactants & Derivatives, Chlorine & Derivatives, Silicon & Derivatives, Trading & Services, Logistics, and Holding & Projects. The group's main revenue generator are the three Chemicals segments Polyols & Derivatives, Surfactants & Derivatives and Chlorine & Derivatives. Its production activities are located primarily in Poland. The largest company

9975-595: The social initiative done by the company is not aligned with other company goals it will have a negative impact. Mohr et al. (2001) and Groza et al. (2011) also emphasise the importance of reaching the consumer. Some commentators have identified a difference between the Canadian (Montreal school of CSR), the Continental European , and the Anglo-Saxon approaches to CSR. It has been described that for Chinese consumers

10080-475: The starting materials used to manufacture many polymers and other more complex organic chemicals particularly those that are made for use in the specialty chemicals category. Other derivatives and basic industrials include synthetic rubber , surfactants , dyes and pigments , turpentine , resins , carbon black , explosives , and rubber products and contribute about 20 percent of the basic chemicals' external sales. Inorganic chemicals (about 12% of

10185-538: The supervisory board. In October 1993, Waldemar Preussner and partners established Petro Carbo Chem Rohstoffhandelsgesellschaft mbH (today PCC Trade & Services GmbH), a commodity trading company, in Duisburg. In 1998, PCC AG was formed as a spin-off and in February 2007, converted into a Societas Europaea (SE). In 1998, PCC SE was one of the first medium-sized German companies to start issuing bonds directly, independently of banks. Since then, corporate bonds have formed

10290-508: The total world chemical output in 2008. Corporate social responsibility Corporate social responsibility ( CSR ) or corporate social impact is a form of international private business self-regulation which aims to contribute to societal goals of a philanthropic , activist, or charitable nature by engaging in, with, or supporting professional service volunteering through pro bono programs, community development , administering monetary grants to non-profit organizations for

10395-458: The use of catalysts . The products of these reactions are separated using a variety of techniques including distillation especially fractional distillation , precipitation , crystallization , adsorption , filtration , sublimation , and drying . The processes and products or products are usually tested during and after manufacture by dedicated instruments and on-site quality control laboratories to ensure safe operation and to assure that

10500-430: The world's exports and 37% of the world's imports, although the latest data shows that Asia is catching up with 34% of the exports and 37% of imports. Even so, Europe still has a trading surplus with all regions of the world except Japan and China where in 2011 there was a chemical trade balance. Europe's trade surplus with the rest of the world today amounts to 41.7 billion Euros. Over the 20 years between 1991 and 2011,

10605-440: Was a commercial success that helped to promote the country's chemical industry. The petrochemical industry can be traced back to the oil works of Scottish chemist James Young , and Canadian Abraham Pineo Gesner . The first plastic was invented by Alexander Parkes , an English metallurgist . In 1856, he patented Parkesine , a celluloid based on nitrocellulose treated with a variety of solvents. This material, exhibited at

10710-459: Was defined by Sheehy as "international private business self-regulation". Sheehy examined a range of different disciplinary approaches to defining CSR. The definitions reviewed included the economic definition of "sacrificing profits", a management definition of "beyond compliance", institutionalist views of CSR as a "socio-political movement," and the law's focus on directors' duties. Further, Sheehy considered Archie B. Carroll's description of CSR as

10815-546: Was implemented in the absence of formal or legal standards. An Integrated Reporting Committee (IRC) was established to issue guidelines for good practice. One of the reputable institutions that capital markets turn to for credible sustainability reports is the Carbon Disclosure Project , or CDP. Consumers of goods and services should verify corporate social responsibility and the results of reports and efforts. The accounting, auditing, and reporting resources provide

10920-606: Was patented in 1791 by Nicolas Leblanc who then built a Leblanc plant at Saint-Denis . He was denied his prize money because of the French Revolution . In Britain, the Leblanc process became popular. William Losh built the first soda works in Britain at the Losh, Wilson and Bell works on the River Tyne in 1816, but it remained on a small scale due to large tariffs on salt production until 1824. When these tariffs were repealed,

11025-528: Was used since ancient times in the production of glass , textile , soap , and paper , and the source of the potash had traditionally been wood ashes in Western Europe . By the 18th century, this source was becoming uneconomical due to deforestation, and the French Academy of Sciences offered a prize of 2400 livres for a method to produce alkali from sea salt ( sodium chloride ). The Leblanc process

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