If the world of business was a human being he or she would have brains to burn, unlimited energy and a particularly large neck. The question is, would it have a heart? A social conscience is not something readily associated with big business.
However, companies are increasingly looking at ways to enhance their relationship with the community in which they operate.
Such moves are not made without an agenda. If the firm of Profit, Money and Bonus regularly contributes to various charities, it increases its public standing. These positive perceptions are important but businesses also acknowledge the all-round benefits of being a good citizen.
During the past decade, ethical issues have become more and more a part of corporate life. These include the treatment of employees, a company's relationship with trade unions, its attitude towards the environment and its social responsibilities. New legislation is continually being introduced to protect our ever fragile environment and it is crucial that business responds to these changes. Marks and Spencer, for example, has just finished a programme where CFCs were removed from their refrigeration system and replaced with ozone friendly equivalents.
The retail giant is also involved in a recycling programme and has contracted an energy conservation company to examine how savings of water, heat and electricity can be made in its Irish stores.
"We aim to be a good corporate citizen," says Mr Mark Brown, manager of the Grafton Street store in Dublin. "With 600 stores worldwide, we have the community coming to us in huge numbers, we need to make sure that the community is looked after."
Obviously, business is primarily concerned with attaining the biggest profit margins, but some are also in the position to take the greater needs of society into account.
To this end the Electricity Supply Board works closely with people who have difficulty paying their bills. According to Mr Barney Whelan of the ESB, this procedure "stems from the serious wish of the board not to see people getting into the hands of the money lenders".
This ethical stance also emanates from the knowledge that, while people may be in arrears today, they could be fully paying customers tomorrow. Showing goodwill towards the disadvantaged can mean that the overall public view of an organisation will be an enduringly positive one.
Ethics of another kind are a constant issue in the financial services industry. Recent controversies and allegations of irregularities in banking highlighted the importance of maintaining ethical standards in the sector.
The fundamental principles of banking are ones of integrity, confidentiality, professionalism, loyalty and legality. The code of practice supported by the Institute of Bankers provides "a collective statement of standards for personal and corporate behaviour" to which all in the sector should adhere.
"Personal integrity is a quality which cannot be created or preserved by written rules alone," it reads. "Ultimately, the ethical conduct of banking depends upon the behaviour of individual bankers at all levels."
According to Mr Felix O'Regan of the Irish Bankers' Federation, it is crucial that banks maintain the confidence and trust in customers. That, he said, "will remain the bedrock of the banking business".
"Despite problems which occurred earlier this year, evidence suggests that such issues are not endemic in the system and that banking is serving its base well."
The banking sector also stresses the worth in investing in the local community, particularly with regard to education.
The Paymaster Programme is an initiative designed to help prepare post-primary students for their impending financial responsibilities. Resources provided in the pack include notes on personal finance, borrowing and repayment.
The industry's overall financial commitment to schools' education programmes stands at £300,000. In addition, an information campaign on the euro is planned before the end of the year.
Relationships with trade unions is another ethical area which can prove divisive. Esat Telecom, the mobile telecommunications company, recently came under fire for not responding to union requests to allow their employees to join a union.
Its stance has resulted in another union, ASTI (the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland), threatening to boycott future Young Scientist Exhibitions. Esat is the main sponsor of the event.
Returning to the issue of "giving something back", large corporate groups are often in the position to help smaller firms progress. Smurfit Ireland runs a venture investment scheme which has created 400 jobs over the past four years. To date Smurfit has invested in 25 growth-oriented Irish businesses.
According to Mr Peter Webster, the chairman and chief executive of Smurfit Ireland, these investments will ultimately realise a return for the company but profit is not the main objective. "As a much larger business that has obviously been very successful, we try to put something back and we have done that in a very structured and visible way," he says.
Behind the scenes many large companies are involved in charitable exercises that most of the time will not hit the headlines. Whether motivated by public relations or a recognition of their social responsibilities, the wider community stands to benefit .
