Socially responsible business means that companies do the right thing for their customers. Companies consider profit, consumer satisfaction, and societal well being as equally important in the way business is conducted. Governments often enact laws that force businesses to function ethically.
Consumers also can force businesses to act ethically regarding their purchases.
For example, in the United States today, consumers and consumer activists boycott over 800 products. This chapter is on socially responsible business. Teachers and students want to know about ways in which businesses are held accountable to customers for goods and services that they sell. This chapter will provide teachers and students with opportunities to learn more about socially responsible business and about doing the right thing. In the United States, businesses are often judged by their socially responsible behaviors.