Cadbury’s Ethics and the Spirit of Corporate Social Responsibility

The relationship between ethical values and economic behaviour was popularised by Max Weber: proposing a connection between successful capitalism and the asceticism of the Protestant tradition in his ‘Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism’, he suggested that worldly success was held to be a symbol of salvation. A contemporary of Weber, George Cadbury, may yet remain the pre-eminent example of commercial Quaker faith in action: as a notable Protestant, recognised for his business success and other worldly achievements, Cadbury might be cited in support of Weber’s argument.

This argument rejects any such resemblance as superficial. It suggests that The Religious Society of Friends, the discipline of which shaped the ethical values of several generations of the Cadbury family, at no point subscribed to a soteriology as simplistic as Weber’s. For them, as a sect dismissing the authority of dogma, and seeking to avoid doctrine, both the responsibility and authority for salvation remained at all times within the individual.

This chapter examines the extent to which Cadbury deserves his reputation for singularity in business, and attempts an assessment of the evidence that he be considered the originator of what is now termed Corporate Social Responsibility. Perhaps of equal importance, it raises the question as to whether the man himself would have wished for such a label.

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Notes

A late acquaintance of the author described how they used cultural icons to assist audit work during the 1980s: “Company flag flying, Bentley in the car park, fish tank in reception = nothing in the bank…”.

A review of the qualitative data provided in the study also suggests that experience of being ‘driven’ by a ‘vision’ clearly overlaps with the concept of ‘Leadership Effectiveness’ (see Appendix).

Thomas M. Jones, Will Felps and Gregory A. Bigley (2007) Ethical Theory and Stakeholder-Related Decisions: The Role of Stakeholder Culture, The Academy of Management Review, Vol. 32, No. 1 (Jan., 2007) 137–155.

The contemporary value of this amount, some £8000 to £10,000, is between £840,000 (Real Prices) to £6.5 million (Labour Value). It remains a significant sum, by either count.

The detailed volume of reports by Hassall also includes some retractions by the Commission, as in the case of Fry’s who challenge the analysis. A useful set of references for those interested in Food Law can be found online at www.artisanfoodlaw.co.uk

See Eric Hobsbawm & Terence Ranger, ed. (1983). The Invention of Tradition. Cambridge University Press. Curiously, the recently-appointed Professor Rowlinson has excluded this paper from his extensive publications list.

It would worthwhile to research what proportion of these firms or brands are still operating: the impression from reading is a surprisingly high percentage.

The Bournville Musical Theatre company lives on today, although not in the original concert hall, now a corporate training facility.

See correspondence between Cadbury Bros and Pearson dated 12Nov1878 and 7mo.31 1879, (Carrington 31, 34).

N.C.R. showed commercial acumen by first inventing an internal ‘suggestion’ duplicating machine, then marketing it.

Of significance here are the additions: the chapter runs to 6 pages in the third edition compared with 2 in the second, with 12 advices rather than 6.

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Authors and Affiliations

1. University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK Andrew Fincham

1. Andrew Fincham