The harshest criticism of corporate social responsibility is that companies are essentially immoral, or rather amoral. It’s said that money trumps everything, and that ethical behavior will always surrender—or simply be ignored—in the eternal quest for wealth. As the Spanish and Portuguese conquistadors pillaged and destroyed in the name of gold (and God), so too will companies chase profits no matter the consequences. Critics say that it’s in their DNA. Pollution, industrial accidents, obesity, low wages, global warming, and other misfortunes that may result are just collateral damage. The charge is that companies may – at least most of the time -- observe the letter of the law, but not the spirit of the law. My experience is that that’s an accurate description of the tobacco industry. But what about other, more legitimate industries? Are they inherently amoral? What about the giant gas and oil companies, which are often attacked for rapaciousness? There’s certainly cause for criticism.
The 2010 BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico was the largest marine
