As well as making money, businesses also have social responsibilities. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

To begin, large corporations in particular are well placed to address problems that governments alone cannot solve efficiently. To clarify, sizeable companies command substantial budgets and specialised expertise, meaning that when they invest in initiatives such as reducing industrial emissions or funding local schools, the results are often more immediate and far-reaching than equivalent government programmes, which are frequently slowed by bureaucracy and limited public funding. Moreover, businesses that behave responsibly tend to build lasting trust with consumers, which in turn secures their long-term profitability. For instance, a company that visibly reduces plastic packaging or pays its workers fairly cultivates a loyal customer base, since people increasingly prefer to support ethical brands over cheaper but exploitative alternatives. Over time, this reputational advantage can translate into a durable competitive edge, as consumers who trust a brand's ethics are more likely to remain loyal even when rival products are offered at a lower price.

Nevertheless, this expectation should not be applied uniformly to every business regardless of scale. Small and medium-sized enterprises typically operate on thin profit margins and cannot absorb the costs of extensive community programmes or environmental upgrades without risking closure. Imposing the same social obligations on a small family-run shop as on a multinational corporation would be both unrealistic and counterproductive, potentially forcing smaller competitors out of the market altogether and reducing consumer choice, while leaving the very corporations best able to fund such initiatives comparatively unaffected.

To conclude, I am convinced that businesses, particularly large and well-resourced ones, should accept social responsibilities alongside their pursuit of profit, whereas smaller enterprises should be held to more proportionate expectations that reflect their limited capacity.