Our Responsibility as Entrepreneurs

As entrepreneurs, we have the power to decide the internal set up the company as well as the morals and values of the community of employees. Our company will impact community surrounding them, these being your employees, your customers, and the environment. How we decide to set the foundation of our companies matters. We have a social responsibility for all those whom our company interacts with.

Photo Via AAUW.org

In America men and women do not get paid the same wage for equal work. The chart above shows a couple different states and the United States average showing that women take home only 80% of what a man takes home on average. Just so we are clear that means for every dollar a man earns a woman earns only $0.80. This number is disheartening but as entrepreneurs and people starting business we have the ability to start to right this wrong. We have the ability and the fullest of responsibilities to rectify this injustice. According to AAUW, the pay gap won’t close until 2152. 135 years is ridiculous this needs action now.

Our companies have social responsibilities that should be upheld because it is the right thing to do. But there is a benefit to transparent corporate social responsibilities. To whom we are responsible for differs depending on the nature of your company. In an article on Self Growth, Marion says, “For instance, to a banker, his social responsibility is to lend money even to the poor producers, and not only to the rich ones. To manufacturers, their social responsibility is to create quality products, and not to pollute the environment.”

In the medical profession the World Medical Association says, “I WILL NOT PERMIT considerations of age, disease or disability, creed, ethnic origin, gender, nationality, political affiliation, race, sexual orientation, social standing or any other factor to intervene between my duty and my patient.” The companies that we start need to follow this in our interactions with customers, employees, and all others your companies interact with will be treated with respect and kindness.

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