Social Responsibility

Research reveals the rhetorical tricks Rush Limbaugh used to minimize personal responsibility as he apologized to the woman he called a slut.

Politicians take note: Research shows the fine line between claiming regret and taking responsibility.

Program to bring an entrepreneurial approach to social problems doles out some more money from its small kitty.

New research finds people who feel a strong connection with their social group are more likely to dehumanize outsiders.

A Midwestern university experiments in teaching empathy not merely through classroom curriculum, but by having students live the lives of the working poor.

While some argue that using Facebook, using Twitter and using their peers have awakened democracy in repressive lands, others argue they are lulling civic engagement to sleep in democracies.

Alcoa has made "Fortune" magazine's list of Most Admired Companies and the prestigious Dow Jones Sustainability Index, but the aluminum company's rhetoric doesn't always match its performance.

Most major companies around the world have embraced the linked ideas of sustainability and responsibility. More of them need to embrace a sustainable and responsible reality.

DuPont is proud of its "publicly established environmental goals," but the company has also faced lawsuits over allegations of contamination, and it's associated with 103 Superfund sites.

Patagonia, Honest Tea, The Timberland Company and Seventh Generation Inc. talk the talk of corporate social responsibility and appear to walk the walk.

Cargill has also endured food recalls, environmental lawsuits and deforestation claims despite claiming that "corporate responsibility is part of everything we do."

Arguing that while government may not be the answer, it can be part of the answer, the newish Office of Social Innovation leverages issue-oriented entrepreneurship with federal dollars.

B Lab wants to separate companies that merely claim they are responsible from those that actually do good in the world. But can a logo really change the way America does business?