Resumen: Peru is a Latin American country with one of the most powerful and dynamic emerging economies in the world; however, it reveals considerable inconsistencies and socioeconomic inequalities. This research demonstrates that business ethics and corporate social responsibility are closely related with the welfare state of the country/region where a company is incorporated. Research work has been carried out on the case of the product "Pura Vida", of the Gloria Company, implementing a mixed research method (documentary, quan and qual) in which a descriptive collection of data from different sources, in relation to the company and the crisis with Pura Vida milk, has been used; additionally, an ad hoc survey has been conducted on a sample of Peruvian citizens to know their insight in relation to the relevant aspects of business ethics and corporate responsibility and their opinion regarding the specific case being investigated; finally, in-depth interviews were held with the company''s management staff. It is shown that without a certain degree of welfare state, it is difficult to implement ethics and social responsibility in companies and in society as a whole. In addition, the main concerns of Peruvians regarding ethics and social responsibility can be observed. Idioma: Inglés DOI: 10.3390/su12083348 Año: 2020 Publicado en: Sustainability (Switzerland) 12, 8 (2020), 3348 [18 pp.] ISSN: 2071-1050 Factor impacto JCR: 3.251 (2020) Categ. JCR: ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES rank: 124 / 273 = 0.454 (2020) - Q2 - T2 Categ. JCR: ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES rank: 60 / 125 = 0.48 (2020) - Q2 - T2 Categ. JCR: GREEN & SUSTAINABLE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY rank: 30 / 44 = 0.682 (2020) - Q3 - T3 Categ. JCR: GREEN & SUSTAINABLE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY rank: 6 / 9 = 0.667 (2020) - Q3 - T3 Factor impacto SCIMAGO: 0.611 - Energy Engineering and Power Technology (Q1) - Environmental Science (miscellaneous) (Q1) - Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment (Q1) - Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law (Q1) - Geography, Planning and Development (Q1)