Resumen
Two of the most used concepts relating to corporate activity at present are those of sustainability and of social responsibility. Implicit within the discourse is that these are concepts which are optional for an organization to introduce, and yet, much effort is put into persuasion that they are of benefit. In this paper, we take a different stance. Not only are these concepts essential ethically as a part of the social contract but they are also essential as a strategic imperative for the very survival of the organization. Thus, we seek to move the discourse from social responsibility to social obligation. Keywords: social responsibility; sustainability; ethics; social contract; social obligation