Achieving corporate social responsibility: the ethics of souvenirs

This paper is designed to contribute to the development of a set of guidelines for ethical decision-making in the souvenir industry. It is argued that souvenirs often depict the culture and heritage of Indigenous minority populations who may not be well equipped to protect their cultural identity or prevent stereotyping or the exploitation of their culture by other more commercially minded individuals or organizations. While such stereotyping and exploitation is probably unintentional, a framework for operation is needed to ensure that potentially vulnerable populations are not disenfranchised by their limited participation in an industry society. It is hoped that the proposed guidelines will make a positive contribution towards reconciliation between the political majority and Indigenous people throughout the world.