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With the growing influence of corporations in shaping economies and communities, the role of businesses has extended beyond generating profit. Modern enterprises are increasingly expected to contribute positively to society through ethical practices, environmental sustainability, and social welfare. As Well as Making Money, Businesses Also Have Social Responsibilities IELTS Writing Task 2 essay will explore the extent to which companies should balance profit-making with their social responsibilities. It will examine three perspectives — agreeing with the view, disagreeing with the view, and taking a mixed position- to analyse how businesses can achieve both economic growth and social impact in today’s competitive world.
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Making Money and Social Responsibility: IELTS Writing Task 2 Overview
Businesses today are expected to do more than earn profits; they are increasingly judged on their social and ethical impact. In IELTS Writing Task 2, candidates may be asked whether they agree or disagree that companies should balance profit-making with social responsibility. Understanding this topic helps students present clear arguments, explore multiple perspectives, provide relevant examples, and structure a cohesive essay to achieve a high band score.
To grasp the key points, perspectives, and essay strategies in a concise way, refer to the table below. Further, we will discuss the topic for Band 8 preparation in the form of sample structures, full essays, and lexical resources.
| Points to Discuss | Description for IELTS Writing Task 2 |
| Perspectives | Agree: Businesses should focus on both profit and social responsibility, as ethical practices and sustainable development strengthen reputation and long-term success. Disagree: Companies should prioritise profit, as financial stability and growth indirectly benefit society through jobs, innovation, and taxation. Mixed: Profit is essential, but social responsibility complements it by building public trust, sustainability, and brand loyalty. |
| Essay Focus | Present ideas logically, provide real or realistic examples, maintain cohesion, and balance arguments to create a high-scoring Task 2 essay. |
| IELTS Tips | Explore all viewpoints, use business and social responsibility-related vocabulary, connect each point to examples, and employ linking phrases for clarity and coherence. |
Explore: IELTS Vocabulary Words
Sample Structure 1: Agree with the Opinion
The sample structure outlines how to present a clear and logical argument fully supporting the idea that businesses should balance profit-making with social responsibilities. It helps organise thoughts into a coherent essay with focused paragraphs, strong reasoning, and relevant examples.
Introduction
- Define the dual role of modern businesses — profit generation and social contribution.
- Clearly state your opinion: agree that businesses should balance financial success with social responsibility.
- Briefly mention key reasons: ethical duty, sustainable growth, and public trust.
Body Paragraph 1: Ethical Responsibility and Public Trust
- Topic Sentence: Businesses have moral obligations that go beyond generating revenue.
- Explanation: Ethical business conduct and community welfare initiatives enhance reputation and consumer confidence.
- Example: Tata Group’s investment in education and healthcare strengthens both society and its brand image.
- Concluding Idea: Acting responsibly helps companies achieve long-term stability and customer loyalty.
Body Paragraph 2: Sustainability and Long-Term Profitability
- Topic Sentence: Social and environmental responsibility supports sustainable growth and economic success.
- Explanation: Eco-friendly operations and reinvestment in social causes attract conscious consumers and ensure long-term profits.
- Example: Patagonia’s reinvestment of profits to combat climate change illustrates how sustainability and profitability can align.
- Concluding Idea: Responsible practices safeguard resources, build trust, and ensure business continuity.
Conclusion
- Restate Opinion: Businesses must maintain a balance between profit-making and social duty.
- Summarise Key Points: Ethics and sustainability create credibility, customer loyalty, and long-term success.
- Closing Thought: When companies integrate social responsibility into their operations, they achieve both economic and moral progress.
Sample Essay 1
The purpose of business extends beyond profit generation in today’s world. Modern companies are increasingly expected to contribute positively to society while pursuing financial success. I strongly agree that businesses should balance profit with social welfare, as this approach fosters ethical integrity, sustainability, and long-term public trust.
To begin with, ethical responsibility and social contribution strengthen a company’s reputation and ensure its long-term growth. Businesses that prioritise community welfare gain credibility and consumer loyalty. For instance, the Tata Group in India has consistently invested in education and healthcare initiatives, creating a positive social impact while maintaining commercial success. By aligning profitability with moral duty, companies not only enhance their brand image but also contribute to societal development.
Furthermore, socially responsible practices promote environmental and economic sustainability. Modern consumers increasingly prefer companies that adopt eco-friendly operations and reinvest profits in meaningful causes. For example, Patagonia has built its identity around environmental activism, using its revenue to combat climate change. Such actions prove that sustainability and profitability can coexist harmoniously, benefitting both business and society.
In conclusion, businesses should strike a balance between earning profits and fulfilling their social responsibilities. Ethical conduct, sustainable operations, and community engagement ensure lasting success and trust. Ultimately, a socially committed business contributes not only to economic progress but also to moral and environmental well-being.
| List of Difficult Words Used in Sample 1 | Meaning | Synonyms | Antonyms |
| Ethical | Morally right; conforming to accepted standards | Moral, virtuous, principled | Immoral, corrupt, dishonest |
| Obligations | Duties or responsibilities | Duties, responsibilities, commitments | Freedoms, exemptions |
| Credibility | Quality of being trusted or believed | Reliability, trustworthiness, integrity | Unreliability, dishonesty |
| Philanthropic | Concerned with helping people, especially through donations | Charitable, humanitarian, benevolent | Selfish, uncharitable |
| Sustainability | Ability to maintain ecological, social, or economic balance over time | Durability, endurance, continuity | Depletion, instability |
| Initiatives | Planned actions or strategies to achieve a goal | Programs, projects, schemes | Inaction, negligence |
| Loyalty | Faithfulness or devotion | Allegiance, fidelity, devotion | Disloyalty, betrayal |
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Sample Structure 2: Disagree with the Opinion
The Sample Structure 2 demonstrates how to write a well-structured disagreement essay, emphasising that businesses should focus primarily on profit rather than social responsibilities. It guides the writer to develop logical points supported by examples, showing that economic growth, job creation, and market efficiency can have greater societal impact than direct corporate social initiatives.
Introduction
- Define the business’s primary goal: generating profit and ensuring sustainability.
- State opinion: I disagree that businesses should prioritise social responsibilities over profit.
- Mention reasons: economic growth, job creation, and operational efficiency.
Body Paragraph 1: Profit as the Core Objective
- Topic sentence: Profitability is the fundamental purpose of any business.
- Explanation: Profits allow companies to sustain operations, invest in innovation, and create employment opportunities.
- Example: Apple reinvests billions into research and development, driving global innovation and technological advancement.
- Concluding idea: By focusing on profit, businesses indirectly benefit society through economic growth and employment generation.
Body Paragraph 2: Government and Resource Constraints
- Topic sentence: Social welfare is primarily the responsibility of governments, not corporations.
- Explanation: Businesses often lack the resources, expertise, and mandate to manage social programs effectively.
- Example: Governments levy corporate taxes to fund public education, healthcare, and social schemes, while companies contribute through revenue and employment.
- Concluding idea: Diverting focus to social duties may reduce efficiency and competitiveness, so businesses serve society best by concentrating on their core economic role.
Conclusion
- Restate opinion: Profit remains the central goal of any business.
- Summarise key points: Businesses support society through growth, taxes, and employment rather than direct social programs.
- Closing thought: A thriving economy, driven by profitable companies, ultimately produces greater social benefits than scattered corporate social initiatives.
Sample Essay 2
The primary function of any business is to generate profit, as profitability ensures survival, expansion, and innovation. While social responsibility is a commendable concept, I disagree that businesses should prioritise it equally with making money. Sustainable economic growth itself is the most meaningful contribution companies can make to society.
Profit is the cornerstone of every successful business. Financial strength enables organisations to create employment, pay taxes, and invest in cutting-edge technologies. For instance, Apple reinvests billions of dollars into research and development, producing innovations that enhance global living standards. By concentrating on profitability, businesses stimulate progress that indirectly benefits society through increased job opportunities and technological advancement.
Moreover, the responsibility for social welfare fundamentally lies with governments, not private enterprises. Governments already collect corporate taxes to finance essential services such as education, healthcare, and infrastructure. Expecting corporations to shoulder additional social obligations risks blurring the line between governance and commerce. When businesses focus on their economic goals, they indirectly empower governments to deliver social welfare more effectively.
In conclusion, although social responsibility holds value, it should not supersede the central aim of profit generation. Businesses best serve society by creating wealth, generating employment, and supporting public revenue through taxation. A robust economy led by profitable enterprises ultimately fosters greater social well-being than direct corporate welfare efforts.
| List of Difficult Words Used in Sample 2 | Meaning | Synonyms | Antonyms |
| Profitability | Ability to make financial gain | Earning capacity, gainfulness, revenue generation | Loss, unprofitability |
| Economic growth | Increase in a country’s production of goods and services | Development, expansion, prosperity | Recession, decline |
| Mandate | Authority or instruction to act | Authorization, command, directive | Restriction, prohibition |
| Competitiveness | Ability to compete effectively | Efficiency, capability, rivalry | Weakness, inferiority |
| Diverting | Redirecting attention or resources | Redirecting, reallocating, channeling | Focusing, concentrating |
| Sustain | To maintain or support | Maintain, uphold, continue | Abandon, neglect |
| Entrepreneurship | Starting and managing new business ventures | Business initiative, enterprise, venture | Inactivity, stagnation |
Also Read: Less Common Words in IELTS: Vocabulary, Idioms, Tips and PDF
Sample Structure 3: Mixed Opinion
The Sample Structure 3 provides a framework for expressing a balanced viewpoint, recognising that businesses should pursue profit while also fulfilling social responsibilities. It helps in presenting both perspectives coherently, using relevant examples and cohesive arguments to show how financial success and ethical practices can complement each other for sustainable growth.
Introduction
- Introduce the Topic: Discuss the ongoing debate about whether businesses should focus solely on profit or also on social responsibility.
- State Opinion: Both profit-making and social responsibility are equally essential for modern businesses.
- Mention Reasons: A balanced approach promotes sustainable growth and builds long-term trust.
Body Paragraph 1: Importance of Profitability
- Topic Sentence: Profitability remains the foundation of every successful business.
- Explanation: Without sufficient revenue, companies cannot survive, innovate, or contribute to social causes.
- Example: Amazon’s consistent profits enable it to invest in global community and sustainability programs.
- Concluding Idea: Financial stability provides the foundation for fulfilling broader social responsibilities.
Body Paragraph 2: Role of Social Responsibility
- Topic Sentence: Social commitment strengthens a company’s reputation and aligns it with ethical consumer expectations.
- Explanation: Corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives enhance brand image, employee morale, and customer loyalty.
- Example: Unilever’s Sustainable Living Plan improved its environmental impact while boosting sales.
- Concluding Idea: Responsible business practices ensure long-term success by earning both public trust and market advantage.
Conclusion
- Restate Opinion: Profit and social responsibility complement one another in sustaining a successful enterprise.
- Summarise: Profitability enables responsibility, and responsibility preserves profitability.
- Closing Thought: The future of business lies in achieving a balanced model that combines economic strength with ethical purpose.
Sample Essay 3
In today’s global economy, there is an ongoing debate about whether businesses should focus exclusively on generating profit or also assume responsibility for social welfare. In my opinion, both goals are equally vital, as financial success ensures stability, while social commitment fosters trust and long-term sustainability.
Profitability remains the cornerstone of every thriving enterprise. Without steady revenue, companies cannot operate effectively, innovate, or invest in community development. For instance, Amazon channels a portion of its substantial profits into educational and social initiatives worldwide. Profit, therefore, is not merely a financial objective but a necessary foundation that enables wider societal contribution.
Equally significant is a company’s responsibility toward society and the environment. Modern consumers value ethical conduct, sustainability, and fair treatment of workers. Unilever’s “Sustainable Living Plan” is a clear example of how adopting eco-friendly and socially conscious practices can strengthen brand reputation and drive financial growth. Responsible corporate actions build credibility and secure lasting consumer loyalty.
In conclusion, businesses should neither pursue profit in isolation nor treat social responsibility as secondary. Both aspects are interdependent and essential. Profit enables responsibility, while responsibility preserves profit. Together, they form the foundation of sustainable success in the modern business world.
| List of Difficult Words Used in Sample 3 | Meaning | Synonyms | Antonyms |
| Interconnected | Linked or related | Interrelated, interdependent, associated | Independent, unrelated |
| Sustainability | Maintaining balance without depletion | Continuity, preservation, endurance | Depletion, neglect |
| Public trust | Confidence that society places in an organization | Credibility, faith, reliability | Distrust, skepticism |
| Shared value | Creating economic value while addressing societal needs | Mutual benefit, collective gain, joint advantage | Self-interest, one-sided gain |
| Balance | Equal consideration of two or more priorities | Harmony, equilibrium, stability | Imbalance, disproportion |
| Enduring | Lasting over time | Permanent, lasting, long-term | Temporary, fleeting |
| Ethical | Morally right | Virtuous, principled, honorable | Immoral, unethical |
In conclusion to the IELTS Writing Task 2, As well as making money, businesses also have social responsibilities, profit generation remains essential for any company’s survival and growth. However, financial success alone cannot guarantee long-term stability. Social responsibility plays an equally significant role in maintaining public trust, ethical integrity, and sustainable development. Ultimately, the most successful businesses are those that balance profitability with moral responsibility, contributing to both economic progress and societal well-being.
Explore: Get Your IELTS Writing Score Checked For FREE
Ans. The essay question asks candidates to discuss whether businesses should focus only on profit-making or also take responsibility for social welfare. It evaluates the ability to analyse both economic and ethical perspectives and to present a balanced or opinion-based argument.
Ans. A clear four-paragraph structure works best:
– Introduction (state your opinion)
– Body Paragraph 1 (supporting point 1)
– Body Paragraph 2 (supporting point 2 or counterpoint)
– Conclusion (summarise and restate your opinion clearly).
Ans. To present a balanced opinion, acknowledge the importance of both profit-making and social responsibility. For example, you can write that Profit provides the resources needed to support social initiatives, while ethical practices ensure long-term trust and brand loyalty. Use linking words like however, moreover, on the other hand, and therefore to show contrast and connection between ideas.
Ans. Incorporate academic and business-related terms such as profitability, sustainability, ethical responsibility, consumer trust, corporate image, and economic growth. Avoid repetition and ensure lexical variety to achieve a higher band score.
Ans. Even if the stance leans toward one side, it is important to acknowledge the value of both aspects. For instance, you can write that Profit provides stability, while social responsibility ensures long-term trust. Such phrasing reflects critical thinking and helps attain a higher score in Task Response and Coherence & Cohesion.
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