Corporate social responsibility as a fundamental discipline: Our response to mainstream it in SMEs

The ever increasing demand of stakeholders for business transparency and responsible contribution are a clear indication of increased societal and environmental awareness. From social justice in the workplace to philanthropic activities, these growing demands can become a burden for some organisations, as new regulations are constantly being introduced to satisfy our global needs. This pressure is greater for SMEs as they have considerably fewer resources in terms of time, funds and knowledge to adapt to these changes. This situation is aggravated by the fact that a majority of SMEs are unaware of their societal and environmental impacts, thus making them more susceptible to fail to meet the demands of a highly competitive and regulated market. Institutions of Higher Education are aware of the above and have tried to introduce education in the area of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in the curricula of engineering students. However, the introduction of this material has not produced the desired effect. Therefore, it is the purpose of this research project to; increase awareness of sustainable CSR practices in SMEs by illustrating that these practices can lead to profit rather than costs, and to highlight the need to integrate CSR as a fundamental area of study in the education of engineering students. The results will be used to develop a model aimed at facilitating the implementation of CSR practices in SMEs. Additionally, teaching material will be produced with the hope that this information will be included in the curriculum of engineering students in the near future.