Corporate social responsibility-the notion that companies must conduct business in a way beneficial to various stakeholders and the environment-is getting into the mainstream practices of large corporations. The belief that businesses have obligations to society that go beyond making money is not new, however. High-minded corporate chieftains have long talked about doing well and doing good.

The advocates of corporate social responsibility seek to marry profit and purpose. The theory is that socially responsible companies will outperform their peers by seizing new opportunities, reducing their risks, energizing their workforces, and building a stellar reputation that will pay off with customers and investors.

While companies like DuPont, McDonald's, and Ben & Jerry's have been leading the way towards a more socially responsible world, some skeptics maintain that current efforts lack seriousness, and may even be short-lived given harsh bottom-line realities. After all, no one has yet been able to demonstrate conclusively that corporate social responsibility can boost shareholder value. Even so, there can be no doubt that companies focused on long-term profit as opposed to short-term value are likely to keep trying.