۱٫ Introduction

۲٫ The essence and dimensions of disability

۳٫ Corporate Social Responsibility and the paradigm of normalization

۴٫ Corporate Social Responsibility and managing diversity

۵٫ Summary

References

Many scholars and companies are showing a growing interest in corporate social ersponsibility, a concept whereby companies decide voluntarily to contribute to solving socially important issues. This term is used then to describe what some researchers perceive as a company’s obligation to be sensitive to the needs of all the stakeholders in its business operations. However, that concept is too often understood in means of ecology and being environmentally friendly and unfortunately merely few companies decide to consider social aspects in means of disabled consumers. A key to the success of every entrepreneurship that exists under the dynamically changing conditions of modern markets and economies lies in skill ful managing contacts with other market participants – does not matter whether the participant is a supplier, a competitor, a buyer or a final consumer. That is why all groups should be treated in an equal way – including disabled consumers, as they all – taken together or separately – can influence and create the future success of the company. This theoretical paper exemplifies the situation of disabled consumers in Poland, explores corporate practices related to CSR and shows the significance of the CSR concept considering disability in building competitive and efficient company.

Introduction

Constantly growing group of disabled persons is usually noticed only in categories problems and challenges in different spheres of everyday social and economic reality. The globalization of the phenomenon of disability in the society is inevitable and is bringing the number of adverse effects such as the destabilization of budget or the appreciable increase of own shares in the future social security of individuals. However proper research and understanding of the phenomenon and its consequences could facilitate designing business and social operations that would help disabled consumers become competent participants in the society and the market rather than marginalized and deprecated incidental users. As Monachino and Moreira noticed (p. 53), health problems, including different types of disabilities, constitute a fundamental component of social engagement of corporate social responsibility. The acknowledgement of that fact creates new needs for international discussion on the role of different corporations in the society and the effectiveness of corporate activities.