Public accountability of companies: between social responsibility and total marketing

The article analyses the corporations social responsibility problem that requires an integrated approach, with taking into account legal, administrative, economic and political components.The subject of the article is a public (corporative) reporting institute, regarded: a) as a result of the struggle among various social interests, b) as an inner contradictory phenomenon combining within itself the answers to the social demand and technologies of the corporation positioning.The outcomes of the research: showing corporative social responsibility by preparing and publishing reports on a sustainable development is for corporations a sine qua non, dictated by the economic necessity, rather than a matter of moral choice. 74% of business companies make social reports with a view of their economic considerations. Preparation of public reports on the sustainable development, following preparation of financial reports, has become a market of corporative services on which consulting companies work and compete. The leading consulting companies on the corporative social responsibility (CSR) work both at the finance reporting market and take part in the development of accounting and auditing standards, and offer their services on implementing these standards.Conclusions: improvement and extension of the corporative social responsibility are not said to have made business more responsible, however, rational criticism of methods and practices of public reporting is to promote reforming this institute of social transparence without prejudice developing its positive potential.