Corporate Social Responsibility is about managing business interactions with people, the environment and the economy. It means contributing to economic and social development in a way that safeguards our natural resources and the environment, and respects the rights of each individual.

CSR is usually understood as the private sector's contribution to sustainable development. While governments may introduce laws that protect the environment as well as its citizens' current and future economic and social needs and rights, many businesses recognise a responsibility and a commercial advantage in going beyond what is required by law when managing their impacts on society, the environment and the economy.

Businesses must therefore not only balance responsibilities to the environment, society and the economy today, they must also ensure the future sustainability of those three elements.