"Lack of social responsibility" according to whom?
How much do major U.S. corporations donate to charity, Mega? Most people don't even know the number. I've looked up some stats, and it's pretty impressive. Example...Pfizer (in 2004) gave 21% of its income to charity; they have programs specially designed for people who can't afford to pay for their medicine; they employ 110,000 people; and, at least here in the US, I think it's safe to assume these are damn good jobs. WalMart, in 2010, announced plans to donate $250 million in cash and $1.75 billion worth of food over the next five years to fight hunger in the United States. In 2009 113 companies donated cash totalling over $4.9 billion. Goldman Sachs increased its giving by 353% in 2010, to $315.4 million; other financials followed suit as their profits began to rebound. Citigroup -- $100 million in cash. Pfizer topped the list in 2010, giving more than $3 billion in cash and products (and, btw,l Pfizer is the largest researcher of medicines on planet earth); Oracle $2.3 billion; Merck $1.2 billion; Wells Fargo $219-million; and these numbers I'm throwing out are just the tip of the iceburg.
Big Businesses Won
Big bad WalMart has brought affordable goods to rural areas that were being gouged by local shopkeepers. For
years, Chicago politicians blocked WalMart's store on the south side in support of unions who were determined to bring WalMart employees into their fold. This is an area where people have to drive 15-20 miles for a chain store and affordable prices. And fresh produce. Yes, in Chicago. The community clamored for the store....for the 400 jobs...for the cost-savings WalMart would allow And finally the community won.
Do the CEOs of these companies make a lot of money? Yeppers. But if the guy who heads the largest medicinal research company in the world isn't worth $13.7 million (in '09), then tell me how A Rod is worth $27.5 million; Tiger Woods $110 million; in 2004, Payton Manning received the largest signing bonus in sports history: $34.5 million; his yearly income for ten years? $42 million.
Maybe these demonstrators should be at playing fields protesting
those salaries.
Capitalism is a wonderful thing...