Assessing Arms Makers' Corporate Social Responsibility

Abstract

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has become a focal point for research aimed at extending business ethics to extra-corporate issues; and as a result many companies now seek to at least appear dedicated to one or another version of CSR. This has not affected the arms industry, however. For this industry has not been discussed in CSR lierature, perhaps because few CSR scholars have questioned this industry's privileged status as an instrument of national sovereignty. But major changes in the organization of political communities call traditional views of sovereignty into question. With these considerations in mind I assess the U.S. arms industryon the basis of CSR requirements regarding the environment, social equity, profitability, and use of political power. I find that this industry fails to meet any of these four CSR requirements. . . . So, I conclude, they should be held responsible for the foreseeable consequences that flow from use of their products, be it via civil liability or responsibility under international human rights standards.