Profit is the lifeblood of every form of business, be it a sole proprietorship, a partnership or a company. In its simplest form, profit is defined as “money earned in trade or business after paying the costs of producing and selling goods and services” (Cambridge Dictionary 2017). Companies strive to make and maximize profits to sustain highly competitive markets. You might think that the main goal of every company is profit, but this is not entirely true. Many companies these days have set a different goal. Satisfying their customers through continuous innovation has become their main goal, which means that making profits is the result and not the goal of their business. Companies that operate under this model end up making more profits than companies that focus directly on profit. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayApple is a great example of a successful company that focuses less on profits and more on providing innovative products. Apple is one of the most successful companies in the world not only for the profits it generates, but also for customer satisfaction and loyalty to the brand. Therefore, the success of companies is no longer measured by profits. Business success is strongly related to non-financial factors such as innovation, customer satisfaction, organizational purpose and impact on the community in which the organization operates. Furthermore, many organizations are more aware of how business and society are interconnected; and therefore practice some form of corporate social responsibility (CSR). The International Organization for Standardization defines CSR as “a balanced approach by which organizations address economic, social and environmental issues in a way that aims to benefit people, communities and society”. (McAdams and Leonard, 2003). CSR considers many issues such as social development, community involvement, environmental issues and human rights. In recent years, CSR has spread widely in the corporate world, imposing the need to incorporate CSR activities into the core business model of companies. This means having policies and procedures to integrate social, ethical, environmental and human rights into business operations and core strategy. CSR has many benefits such as building trust with customers and improving overall business performance. In my opinion, the best benefit a company can gain by implementing CSR policies is improving the company's image. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay People often tend to buy more from companies that care about society and the clean environment. Starbucks, for example, is concerned about the environment and strives to incorporate corporate social responsibility into its business operations. Their social responsibility strategy, in fact, is based on three pillars; Community, ethical sourcing and the environment (Vandeveld, 2015). The company is committed to ensuring that its coffee and products are produced and sourced responsibly and ethically. Furthermore, the company focuses on recycling and saving water and energy, thus respecting the environment. Another great benefit of CSR is that it allows companies to attract talent and retain staff. People seek to work for companies that care about their well-being and offer good working conditions.