Family businesses are most often perceived by the public as small businesses, but they are often large multinational companies that have been in business for many decades. These are companies that are very specific, primarily due to the inheritance process, as fewer family businesses survive the third generation of heirs, but companies that survive more generational changes have very high potential for long-term success. Social responsibility is recognized as one of the factors that can have a pronounced positive impact on the business of family businesses, which is especially important in a situation where the reputation of the company or family is damaged. In practice, it is recognized that the concept of social responsibility is often used exclusively for promotional purposes, without the desire to create real change, which is why additional efforts are needed to create changes that will have a positive impact on society and the environment. and ultimately have a positive impact on the company’s operations. That is, it is necessary to find a balance between investing in the development of corporate social responsibility expressed through monetary expenditures and the benefits that will have the company, society and the environment. On the example of selected family businesses in the Republic of Croatia, it can be seen that the implementation of the concept of social responsibility in the business of family businesses can have a positive impact on their operations, which is why it is necessary to actively encourage the application of social responsibility in companies. in the territory of the Republic of Croatia.