Do Companies Have a Conscience? Reflections on the Moral Subjectivity of Organizations

Abstract

Contemporary organizations are one of the most important actors in social life. This is particularly true of business organizations whose activity often has extremely moral consequences. The aim of the paper is to present the problem of moral subjectivity and reflection on the possibility of recognizing an organization as a moral subject. The basis for the considerations were three reference points developed in subsequent parts of the article. The first is the category of moral responsibility. The second concerns the approach of moral subjectivity through the process of moral development. The third point is the category of conscience. Each of these points has been described as an attribute of a moral subject. On the basis of the examples, comments and discussions cited, the arguments for and against the attribution of the organization of moral subjectivity were confronted.