HRD with a conscience: practicing socially responsible HRD

Abstract

This paper defines organizational social consciousness, addresses stakeholder vs. stockholder needs, presents definitions of organizational social responsibility and defines socially conscious HRD. The paper concludes with a continuum for socially conscious HRD that incorporates: serving an educative and supportive role to help organizations uphold implied contracts and expectations of the organization, promoting ethical management and leadership, advocating for stakeholders, broadening definitions and measures of organization performance, challenging and revising socially 'unconscious' policies and practices, analysing and negotiating power relations, and promoting the use of organization resources to create social benefit and improve social welfare.