The Affect Of Corporate Social Responsibility Sport Essay Example

industry is increasingly realizing the importance of sustainable tourism and the changing attitudes of consumers towards ethics and environmental consciousness (Henderson, 2007). This has prompted industry stakeholders to address social responsibility. In addition, industries are acknowledging the benefits of identifying corporate social opportunities and becoming leaders in environmental matters (Grayson and Hodges, 2009).

According to Mintel (2007), the cruise industry aims to attract a potential 20 million passengers by 2012. However, cruise liners still have a significant negative impact on the environment due to pollution. Moreover, communities at destinations often report minimal economic benefits (Responsible travel, 2008).

To ensure future growth and profitability, the cruise industry recognizes that the oceans they sail in are important ecosystems that contribute to the overall cruise experience. Therefore, it is crucial to prioritize sustainability for these oceans. Cruise lines have acknowledged their responsibility towards the natural pelagic environment and ports they visit. They have invested in policies, processes, and engineering measures aimed at reducing environmental waste and promoting sustainable growth. This commitment extends beyond legal requirements and strives for an environmentally sustainable future (International Council of Cruise Liners, 2007).

Consumers now prefer responsible travel options where they consider the impact of their journeys on ecosystems.The increasing focus on corporate social responsibility within organizations has led stakeholders and decision-makers to undertake environmental and social initiatives in order to achieve sustainable growth and profits. However, Responsible Travel argues that the cruise line industry often neglects social responsibility, with concerns about ethics, transparency, and accountability. The cruise industry faces environmental risks due to emissions of pollutants such as grey water, sewage, solid waste, oil, ash, and smoke. Organizations must demonstrate ethical social responsibility to avoid

financial penalties and negative impacts on the environment. Carnival Cruise is an example of unethical behavior in this regard, having been fined $18 million for dumping waste into the ocean. Additionally, cruise lines contribute more CO2 emissions than long-haul airlines according to The Guardian report from 2006. Waste disposal treatment is another area where the cruise industry falls short in terms of addressing its negative impact on the environment. Finally, human rights issues are also a significant concern within the cruise industry according to Tourism Concern (2009).In the cruise line industry, Jenkins (2007) uncovered alarming working conditions where employees from third-world countries are forced to work long shifts and receive meager wages. Royal Caribbean and Carnival have been reported for cases of abuse and assault towards their workers (Jenkins, 2007). Sunderland, Heather, and Wood (2007) highlight that Carnival has a history of environmental damage and negligence towards disabled staff. Lawsuits have also been filed by employees regarding unpaid overtime. The lack of community benefits from cruise line drives is concerning. While some argue that these drives bring economic advantages through employment opportunities, evidence suggests they actually have negative effects on the economy and socio-cultural aspects. This is because passengers are often encouraged to make purchases onboard, discouraged from going ashore, and have limited interactions with local communities. Robertson (2008) states that this leads to minimal economic benefits per passenger, sometimes as low as ?40. To address the ecological impact caused by the cruise industry, changes are being made in cruise line drives which now embrace Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). These changes focus on implementing environmental initiatives using technologyVarious cruise lines, such as Costa sails, Crystal

cruises, Disney sail Line, and Royal Caribbean International (Travelgreen, 2008), implement stringent CSR policies and procedures. They prioritize the well-being of the local community at their ports of call and provide social responsibility training for both passengers and employees. Princess Cruise has taken steps to ensure employee safety and protect the environment through a wellness policy (Frank and Arison, 2007). Norse Cruise Liner was recognized by Conde Nast for its CSR efforts in environmental conservation and poverty alleviation within communities. They also offer social responsibility training to crew members and passengers (Norse Cruise Line, 2008). Ecoventura sail Line has been acknowledged by Conde Nast Traveller for their CSR practices that include providing educational scholarships to Ecuadorian students and enhancing the local community's well-being through business opportunities. Additionally, they invest in technology to reduce carbon emissions (Ecoventura, 2009). However, it is important to consider that employing individuals from countries where English is not widely spoken could potentially jeopardize the safety and security of cruise lines.Measures are being taken to mitigate the risk. According to Martin and Lomperis (2002), sail line drives can demonstrate societal duty towards their employees by training them in English language use, leading to improved job performance and communication. This ultimately results in increased profitability and minimized risk for employee safety and security. Sail line drives can surpass legal compliance by taking additional steps that yield higher returns and mitigate various risks.

Moreover, sail line drive corporations are increasingly concerned about ocean noise's impact on marine life. They are collaborating with major Non-Governmental Organizations to address these concerns, showcasing their commitment to sustainability (Andrews, 2008). These efforts offer rewards that enhance cruise line drives'

reputation, brand image, market competitiveness, talent attraction, and customer preference (Husted and Allen, 2007).

However, inconsistent corporate social responsibility (CSR) actions and contradictions pose risks for the industry (Greenberg, 2007). Galbreath (2009) suggests that integrating social responsibility into business operations has a positive long-term effect on profitability. However, achieving this requires active shareholder participation, effective employee communication, and investment in socially responsible service delivery.Corporations must prioritize responsible citizenship in their strategies and business structures rather than disregarding responsibility as a worthless investment. According to Russo and Fouts (1997), organizations engaged in environmental and socio-cultural stewardship should consistently demonstrate genuine support through ongoing actions. Failure to align with these principles can pose a significant risk to the organization's reputation and brand. For instance, the Queen Elizabeth 2 cruise ship incorporated advanced technology for waste management; however, concerns were raised by conservationists about the fuel consumption of large ships like QE2, which are often referred to as floating cities (Johnson, 2002). Consequently, cruise lines could face ethical and environmental scrutiny from analysts' behaviors.

Royal Caribbean uses Haiti as a tourist destination. In accordance with social responsibility, the cruise line docks at the port and provides financial assistance and goods relief to support the local community. Nevertheless, there is an ongoing debate regarding the impact of tourists who disembark from these cruises and their impact on their surroundings. It is expected that cruise lines take a more serious and responsible approach towards environmental matters.

A recent study conducted by 'friends of the Earth' in 2009 exposed poor pollution control standards among some top cruise lines.The text highlights that tourists often choose cruises based on promises of beautiful scenery and greenery, but

the negative impact on the environment and society is not emphasized. Analysts also express concerns about taking responsible steps to improve the society and economy of these destinations. The responsibility for maintaining facilities on land and at sea for cruise ships falls on the ports-of-call and local community, yet they receive little return on investment due to the lack of initiative and responsibility from cruise lines towards the community. Therefore, proposed actions include investing in engineering to protect the environment, using air current power to reduce fuel consumption while mooring, involving staff in societal responsibility efforts, encouraging riders to explore destinations supporting community business growth with transparent records, and implementing policies that instill CSR strategies. According to analysis (Cruise Industry News, 2010; Tracy, 2002), investors would initiate these actions as CSR dimensions are gradually being implemented in such enterprises.
References:
- Andrews, H. (2008) Regulating Ocean Noise: A Collaborative and Creative International Approach [Online]. Social Science Research Network. Retrieved from: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1095021 [Accessed 8 March 2010].The impacts of the cruise industry on tourism destinations can be found in a study by Brida, J.G. and Aguirre, S.Z. (2008) [Online]. The study can be retrieved from http://ssrn.com/abstract=1298403 [Accessed 7 March 2010].

Corporate social responsibility and financial performance in the Australian context is discussed in a report by Brine, M., Brown, R., and Hackett, G. (2008) [Online]. The report can be accessed at http://www.treasury.gov.au/documents/1268/PDF/04_CSR.pdf [Accessed 8 March 2010] as published by the Australian Government.

Positive steps on uneven ground in the Caribbean cruise industry are highlighted in an article by Cruise Industry News (2010) [Online]. The article can be found at http://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news-articles/67-articles/3777-spring-2010-carribean-positive-steps-on-uneven-ground.html [Accessed 7 March 2010].

The perspective of and potential for enfranchisement, codes

of conduct and guidelines relating to corporate social responsibility in the tourism industry are explored by Dodds, R. and Joppe, M. (2005) [Online]. The publication is available at http://www.ifc.org/ifcext/economics.nsf/AttachmentsByTitle/CSR+in+the+Tourism+Industry/$FILE/CSR+in+the+Tourism+Industry.pdf [Accessed 6 March 2010], published by International Finance Corporation: World Bank Group.

Ecoventura cruising has been named best overall sail line at the 3rd Annual World Savers Congress 2009 according to an article from Ecoventura (2009) [Online]. Further details can be found at http://www.ecoventura.com/news_detail.aspx?a=227 [Accessed 8 March 2010].The text includes citations from various sources discussing topics related to corporate societal responsibility. The first citation is from a journal article by Galbreath (2009) titled "Building corporate societal duty into scheme." The second citation is from Grayson and Hodges (2009), an online article titled "Corporate societal chance - Taking ethical hazards to market" retrieved from Ethical Corporation's website. The third citation is from a journal article by Greenberg (2007) titled "Making Corporate societal duty an everyday portion of the business of concern: offering realistic options for regulative reform." The fourth citation is from an online article titled "Is cruising any greener than winging?" published in The Guardian in 2006. Lastly, the fifth citation is from Henderson (2007), a journal article titled "Corporate societal duty and touristry: hotels companies in Phuket Thailand after the Indian Ocean tsunami" published in Hospitality Management.Herrmann, K. (2004) - "Corporate societal duty and sustainable development: the European Union enterprise as a instance survey", Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies, Vol.11, No.2, pp.204-232.
Husted, B.W., and Allen, D.B. (2007) - "Strategic corporate societal duty and value creative activity among big houses", Long Range Planning., Vol.40, No.1, pp.594-610.
International Council of Cruise lines (2008) - "The Cruise Industries Commitment

to The Environment" [Online].ICCL. (2010).Retrieved from: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.hollandamerica.com/assets/news/ICCL_Environment.pdf [ Accessed 6 March 2010 ].
Jenkins, J. (2007).Crew and riders pay monetary value for merriment on sail line drives [ Online ].BBC Radio.Retrieved from: hypertext transfer protocol://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressrelease/stories/2007/08_august/27/fun.shtml [ Accessed 12 March 2010 ].
Johnson, D. (2002 ).'Environmentally sustainable sail touristry: a world cheque ', Marine Policy, Vol.26, No.1, pp.261-270.
Klein,R.A.(2009).Geting a Grip on Cruise Ship Pollution[ Online ].Friends of the Earth.Retrieved from :hypertext transfer protocol: //www .foe.org/sites/default/files/CruiseShipReport_Klein.pdf[Accessed 8 March 2010].
Knox,S.and Maklan,S.(2004).'Corporate societal duty:moving beyond investing towards mensurating results',European Management Journal ,Vol .22,No .5,
pp508-16.Loper,C.(2005).The text provides citations and references related to tourism and cruise lines from various sources, including the Mintel database reports, a press release from Norwegian Cruise Line, an article from Associated Press, and information from Responsible Travel and Lighthouse Foundation websites. The text contains both citations and links to online sources.

References:
- 'Overview of the socioeconomic impacts of sail touristry', Proceedings of the 14th Biennial Coastal Zone Conference, Louisiana, July, pp.2-3.
- Martin, W.M. and Lomperis, A.E. (2002).'Determining the cost benefit, the return on investing and the intangible impacts of linguistic communication plans for development', TESOL Quarterly, Vol.36, No.3, pp.399-429.
- McIntosh M., Leipziger D., Jones K., and Coleman G. (1998). Corporate Citizenship.London: Pitman Publishing.
- Mintel (2003).'Eco and Ethical Tourism'.Mintel Report - UK - October [ Online ]. Retrieved on 4 March 2010 from Mintel database hypertext transfer protocol: //academic.mintel.com/
- Mintel (2007) ‘Holiday Lifestyles Responsible Tourism'. Mintel Report - UK - January [Online]. Retrieved on 4 March 2010 from Mintel database hypertext transfer protocol: //academic.mintel.com/
-Mintel (2007) ‘How to broaden appeal: luxury versus mass market '.Mintel Report Cruises-UK-April [Online].The following texts were retrieved from various sources:

- Norse Cruise Line

(2008) Norse Cruise Line Selected by Conde Nast Traveller as a Leader in Social Responsibility [Online]. Retrieved from: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.ncl.com.nclweb/pressroom/pressRelease.html?storyCode=PR_082008.[Accessed 8 March 2010].

- Pemberton, M. (2009) ‘Environmental group rates cruise lines on pollution, gives Holland America highest rating'. Associated Press, 17 September, p.7. Retrieved from Factiva Database hypertext transfer protocol: //www.global.factiva.com.

- Responsible Travel (2008) How responsible are cruise line drives?[Online]. Responsible Travel. Retrieved from: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.responsibletravel.com/copy/Copy902268.htm.[Accessed 8 March 2010].

- Robertson, G. (2008) Cruise Tourism Report- 2008 [Online]. Lighthouse Foundation. Retrieved from: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.lighthouse-foundation.org/index.php?id=251;L=1.[Accessed 7 March 2010].

- Russo, M.V. and Fouts, P.A. (1997) ‘A Resource Based Perspective on Corporate Environmental Performance and Profitability', The Academy of Management Journal, Vol.40, No.3.pp.534-559.

- Sims.R.R. (2003) Ethics and corporate societal duty: why giants fail. USA: Greenwood Publishing Group.

- Sunderland, R., Stewart, H., and Wood, Z. (2007) Named and shamed: City's ethical dunderheads [Online]. The Observer.Retrieved from https://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2007/sep/02/5.
The text includes several references to online sources discussing various aspects of the tourism industry. The first source, Tourism Concern, provides information on working conditions in the industry. The second source, Ocean Blue Foundation, discusses the importance of whistle-blowing and sail enfranchisement. The third source, US Travel Association's Travelgreen website, highlights cruise lines' social responsibility programs. Lastly, there is a reference to a blog post on WordPress that analyzes Royal Caribbean's decision to resume trips to Haiti in terms of corporate social responsibility and potential offensiveness.