Nokia’s CSR in environmental dimension

   As Nokia claims on its official website: “we love the future – it’s what our strategy is all about”, it has collaborated with its partners in both upstream and downstream of the supply chain on green innovation proactively in order to improve environmental performance.

　誠如Nokia在其官方網站所宣稱：「我們熱愛未來－這是我們的企業策略所關切的。」它已與供應鏈上下游的合作夥伴，前瞻地在綠色創新上進行協同合作，以期能改善環境績效。

   Green innovation can be categorised to two types: proactive and reactive green innovation. Proactive green innovation is defined as active innovation on environmental issues for various purposes, such as leading in the market, obtain competitive advantages, seizing opportunities, or decreasing cost. On the other hand, reactive green innovation is the passive innovation on environmental issues in order to comply with environmental regulations, meet the demands from stakeholders, or respond to competitors' challenges.

　綠色創新可以分為兩類：前瞻式與回應式的綠色創新。前瞻式綠色創新的定義為在環境議題上，基於不同目的而採取的主動創新，像是在市場上取得領先、獲取競爭優勢、掌握機會、或降低成本。另一方面，回應式綠色創新則為了遵循環保規範、符合利害關係者的要求、或對競爭者的挑戰做出回應，而在環境議題上被動地進行創新。

   Nokia considers the environment during the entire life cycle of its products. As the eco-friendly mobile introduced in previous article “CSR: Nokia's eco-friendly phone”, the traditional lithium battery is replaced by a bio-degradable battery - no need for rare metals and no waste problem is generated. Nokia keeps integrating resources among its supply chain and innovating proactively. It attempts to lead in the concept of sustainability for the society and the environment. On the basis of its CSR strategy in environmental dimension - create a more sustainable future, the collaboration between Nokia and its partners in green innovation can be one critical factor to achieve environmental and economic success in market in the long run.

　Nokia在產品的整個生命週期中對環境做出了考量。如在前文「CSR: Nokia's eco-friendly phone」中所介紹的生態友善手機，生物可分解電池取代了傳統的鋰電池－不需用到貴金屬且不產生廢棄問題。Nokia持續整合其供應鏈中的資源、並持續進行前瞻式創新。它試圖為社會與環境導入永續發展的概念。Nokia基於環境維度的CSR策略－創造更為永續發展的未來，而與其合作夥伴在綠色創新方面進行協同合作，長期下來能成為在環境與經濟上致勝的關鍵因素。

Reference:

*Nokia official website: About us

*Chen et al (2012), "Origins of green innovations: the differences between proactive and reactive green innovations", Management Decision, 50: 368-398.

CSR: Nokia's eco-friendly phone

While Apple and Samsung are fighting with each other on the problems of their patent strategy, Nokia keeps devoting to the environmental dimensions of CSR (corporate socialresponsibility). According to the Nokia Sustainability Report 2011, in order to achieve its business vision of being a leading company in environmental performance, Nokia continues seeking new approaches of reducing impact on environment, as well as developing new partnerships both inside and outside the industry. And the eco-friendly mobile that we will discuss in the following section is just one of Nokia’s efforts in environmental CSR.

當Apple與Samsung在互打專利大戰之際，Nokia持續地為CSR（企業社會責任）進行努力。根據Nokia的2011年永續經營報告，Nokia持續地尋求減輕對環境影響的方法、以及在企業內部與外部發展新的合作夥伴關係，以期能達成在環境績效上的領航企業之願景。而下文中將要介紹的生態友善手機，則是Nokia在環境CSR上的努力之一。

(source: Nokia official website)

This eco-friendly mobile was designed by a Chinese designer Daizi Zheng and was first introduced to the public in 2010. Zheng proposes the idea that a mobile could work on a bio-battery according to the glycolysis reaction.

此生態友善的手機由中國設計師Daizi Zheng所設計，於2010年首度發表。Zheng提出手機能用以糖解反應進行發電的生化電池所運作。 

(source: dezeen magazine)

Glycolysis is a process that transforms glucose to energy (and H2O and CO2) by enzymes. Zheng thought the traditional mobile battery produces a disposal problem and has adverse impact to the environment. However, this bio-battery only needs some soft drink such as cola for work. It can generate electricity for the mobile in an eco-friendly way – no need for rare metals and other materials for manufacturing and generates no disposal problem because it is bio-degradable. Zheng claimed that this bio-battery has the potential to operate 3-4 times longer than lithium batteries.

糖解是葡萄糖經由酵素催化產生能量（以及水與二氧化碳）的過程。Zheng認為傳統的手機電池造成廢棄處理問題、且對環境有負面影響。然而此生化電池僅需一些軟性飲料，例如可樂，即可運作。它能以生態友善的方式產生手機所需的電力－不需要貴金屬或其他製造所需的原物料、且因為它是生物可分解的，所以不會有廢棄處理的問題。Zheng宣稱此生化電池的續航力有望較傳統鋰電池高上3-4倍。

(source: dezeen magazine)

(source: dezeen magazine)

(source: dezeen magazine)

(source: dezeen magazine)

Some rumours said this technology could be commercialised within years. It is admirable that Nokia keeps concerning environmental issues in business operations. It has shown its ambition on promoting a more sustainable lifestyle in this cola mobile case. We expect more innovative and eco-friendly products available in the future.

　有傳聞說此技術數年內即可商業化。諾基亞在其企業營運上持續關切環境議題是很教人激賞的。在這個可樂手機的例子中，它已顯現在推動更為永續發展的生活方式上的雄心壯志。我們期待在未來能有更多創新且生態友善的產品能問世。

Reference:

*Nokia Sustainability Report 2011

*Daizi Zheng: Nokia "green" phone

*dezeen magazine: Eco-friendly phone for Nokia by Daizi Zheng

Corporate social responsibility

   Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a popular term for business nowadays because the relationship between business and the society is closer and more important than before. But what is CSR? Dozens of definitions are available for it, depending on the perspective for CSR. One review literature from Norway has summarised 37 definitions and categorised them to 5 dimensions. This paper has become one of the most cited paper in the field of CSR. On the basis of this paper, following is the introduction to CSR.

   由於企業與社會之間的關係較過去更為緊密與重要，因此對於現在的企業而言，企業社會責任（Corporate social responsibility, CSR）可說是一個熱門的字兒。但是甚麼是CSR呢？關於CSR已有數十種的定義，端視對CSR的觀點而定。有一篇來自挪威的回顧文獻整理了37個定義，並將之歸類為5個維度，這篇已經成為CSR領域中最常被引用的文獻之一了。接下來將基於這篇文獻介紹CSR。

   Basically, CSR can be regarded as the contribution from business to specific sustainable development goals. According to the 5 dimensions identified in this Norwegian literature, such goals include environmental, social, economic, stakeholder, and voluntariness aspects. The environmental dimension focuses on the natural environment, it is generally applied to mean the extent to which business activity negatively impacts on the natural environment; social is concerned about the relationship between business and its local community and the whole society; economic includes socio-economic or financial aspects, as well as the description of CSR in terms of business operation; stakeholder aims on the demands or requirements from stakeholders or stakeholder groups; voluntariness is on the basis of ethical issues, it indicates actions taken proactively instead of complying with the regulations passively.

   基本上CSR可以被視為企業對於特定的可永續發展目標所做出的貢獻。根據此挪威文獻的5個維度，這些目標包括了環境、社會、經濟、利害關係者、與自願等方面。環境維度聚焦於天然環境，通常用於指企業活動對天然環境造成負面影響的程度；社會則是關於企業與其所在社區及整體社會之間的關係；經濟則包括了社經或財務方面，以及由企業營運的角度對CSR所進行的敘述；利害關係者則將目標放在利害關係者或其族群的要求或需求；自願則與倫理道德議題有關，是指採取前瞻積極的行為，而不僅只是被動遵循規範。

   Take the focal company in Taiwan, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd (TSMC), as an example, it has started its effort on CSR since 2007 and has set 7 dimensions as the goals for itself: morals, business ethics, economy, rule of law, work/life balance, caring for the earth and the next generation, and philanthropy. As Morris Chang, the chairman and CEO of TSMC, mentioned, they believe they can act as a stabilizing force in society, and inspire others to follow, and make society better in the long run.

   以台灣的重點企業台積電為例，台積電從2007年起致力於CSR，並設定了7個維度為努力目標：道德、企業倫理、經濟、法規、工作/生活的平衡、對地球與下一代的關懷、以及慈善事業。誠如董事長兼CEO的張忠謀先生所言，他們相信他們能夠做為社會穩定的力量、鼓勵其他企業跟進、並長久下來使得社會更美好。


Reference:
1) Dahlsrud (2008), "How Corporate Social Responsibility is Defined: an Analysis of 37 Definitions", Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 15: 1-13.
2) Corporate Social Responsibility, TSMC: http://www.tsmc.com/english/csr/index.htm