Vastutusresponsibility

Vastutusresponsibility is a portmanteau used in some cross-cultural and ethical discussions to describe the integration of the Estonian term vastutus with the English concept of responsibility. Vastutus, generally understood as duty or obligation, is paired with responsibility to emphasize both internal duty and external accountability in a single framing.

In conceptual terms, vastutusresponsibility signals a holistic view of duty that encompasses personal conscience, ethical conduct, and the obligation to answer for outcomes to relevant stakeholders. It invites consideration of how duties are distributed across individuals, organizations, and communities, and how accountability mechanisms—such as governance, transparency, and redress—support those duties.

Applications of the idea appear in areas like corporate governance, leadership, public administration, and education, particularly in multilingual or multinational settings. For example, leaders may be expected to demonstrate vastutusresponsibility by fulfilling duties to employees, customers, shareholders, and society while being answerable for the social and environmental consequences of their decisions.

Critically, vastutusresponsibility is not a widely standardized term and is sometimes viewed as a linguistic or conceptual blend rather than a distinct academic category. Potential criticisms include ambiguity and the risk of duplicating existing notions of responsibility and accountability without adding clear value.

See also: Responsibility, Accountability, Duty, Ethics, Corporate social responsibility.