The transformation of corporate sustainability model in the context of achieving the UN SDGs: evidence from the leading Russian companies

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yury E. Blagov ◽  
Anastasia A. Petrova-Savchenko
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Model Transformation ◽  
Corporate Social Performance ◽  
Corporate Sustainability ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Business Practices ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
Sustainability Model

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the current status and identify the main trends in leading Russian companies’ corporate sustainability model transformation in the context of achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). Design/methodology/approach A theoretical approach is based on the interpretation of corporate sustainability model transformation within the corporate social performance (CSP) framework. The corporate sustainability model is described according to Dyllick and Muff (2016) business sustainability (BST) 1.0-3.0 spectrum. The analysis is settled on survey data collected from leading Russian companies participated in the “Report on Social Investments in Russia” project conducted by the Russian Managers Association from 2008 to 2019. Findings This paper finds that the BST 2.0 is becoming a dominant model based on the “creating shared value” goal. The related CSP is characterized by their orientation to the principles of the UN Global Compact; by the emergence of a coordinating role for specialized departments of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and/or sustainability; and by the regular sustainability reporting. The SDGs are generally correlated with responsible business practices that are already in existence in companies. The emerging trend towards the advanced BST 3.0 model including the SDGs integration into the main business processes is constrained by the lack of active cooperation between companies. Research limitations/implications The research sample includes only large Russian companies with a significant industry diversity, participating in the “Report on Social Investments in Russia” project, thereby restricting the analysis of non-participants. The relatively low repetition of participants in this long-term project does also restrict the degree of generalization. Future research could be based on the findings of this paper to create and test hypotheses via a nationwide study of Russian businesses as well as cross-national comparative studies. Practical implications The analysis of the corporate sustainability model transformation through studying the key CSP framework elements could support Russian companies in creating systemic changes of their principles, processes and outcomes measurements in the context of achieving the UN SDGs. Originality/value This study contributes to existing literature by combining the corporate sustainability model transformation analysis with the CSP framework. It describes the experience of large Russian companies that publicly position themselves as national leaders in the field of CSR and sustainable development.

Responsible entrepreneurship: outlining the contingencies

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 538-553 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine Vallaster ◽  
Sascha Kraus ◽  
Norbert Kailer ◽  
Brooke Baldwin
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Value Creation ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Responsible Innovation ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Business Practices ◽  
Sustainable Business ◽  
Society Business ◽  
Content Type

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to give an up-to-date assessment of key topics and methods discussed in the current literature on responsible entrepreneurship. In the past years, sustainable development itself has become a more popular and important topic in the academic literature and hence the field of sustainable entrepreneurship has become a greater topic of interest and opportunity for solution. Therefore, a systematic literature review is conducted to assess new contributions to the field and its potential for the future of sustainable development, with a focus on responsible innovation.Design/methodology/approachSystematic, evidence-informed literature review following Tranfieldet al.(2003).FindingsBased on a conceptual literature review, five streams of research that responsible entrepreneurs distinguish from purely for-profit entrepreneurs are identified and discussed: walking the line between profit creation and value creation for society; business models of responsible entrepreneurs; their role in transforming society; getting ready to innovate responsibly; and the role of market incentives to foster sustainable business practices.Originality/valueThe structured literature review allows to identify future research paths. In detail, ideas as regards the management of upcoming tensions when trying to combine profit creation and value creation for society, and finally, the way innovation processes need to be rethought when innovating responsibly are discussed and outlined.

In search of ethics: from Carroll to integrative CSR economics

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 469-491 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sigmund Wagner-Tsukamoto
Keyword(s):  
Institutional Economics ◽  
Corporate Social Performance ◽  
Social Performance ◽  
Business Case ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Market Exchange ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Four Dimensions ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeRevisiting Carroll’s classic corporate social responsibility (CSR) pyramid framework, this paper aims to evolve a novel synthesis of ethics and economics. This yielded an “integrative CSR economics”.Design/methodology/approachThis theory paper examined how to conceptually set up CSR theory, argue its ethical nature and establish its practical, social and empirical relevance. Economic analysis reached out from contemporary institutional economics to Smith’s classic studies.FindingsThe paper reconstructed all of Carroll’s four dimensions of CSR – economic, legal, ethical and philanthropic responsibilities – through economics. The paper discounted a core assumption of much CSR research that economic approach to CSR, including the instrumental, strategic “business case” approach to CSR, were unethical and lacked any foundations in ethics theory. Integrative CSR economics reframes research on viability and capability requirements for CSR practice; redirecting empirical research on links between CSP (corporate social performance) and CFP (corporate financial performance).Research limitations/implicationsThe paper focused on Carroll as the leading champion of CSR research. Future research needs to align other writers with integrative CSR economics. Friedman or Freeman, or the historic contributions of Dodd, Mayo, Bowen or Drucker, are especially interesting.Practical implicationsThe paper set out how integrative CSR economics satisfies the “business case” approach to CSR and develops practical implications along: a systemic dimension of the market economy; a legal-constitutional dimension; and the dimension of market exchanges.Social implicationsIntegrative CSR economics creates ethical benefits for society along: a systemic dimension of the market (mutual gains); a legal-constitutional dimension (law-following); and the dimension of market exchange (ethical capital creation). Social benefits are not only aspired to but also are achievable as a business case approach to CSR is followed.Originality/valueThe paper’s main contribution is a new synthesis of economics and ethics that yields an “integrative CSR economics”.

scholarly journals Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainable Development in China: Current Status and Future Perspectives

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (16) ◽  
pp. 4392 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dongyong Zhang ◽  
Stephen Morse ◽  
Qiaoyun Ma
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Transformation ◽  
Large Population ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Environmental Consequences ◽  
Drivers Of Csr ◽  
Corporate Social

With a long history, large population, rapid economic growth, and major social transformation in recent years and the launch of the Belt and Road Initiative, China has increasingly become an important global player. However, the negative social and environmental consequences of such a fast and extensive economic expansion are becoming significant. A series of measures have been taken to tackle the current problems faced by the country, including the issuing of new laws and regulations, and the most recent is China’s ban on plastic waste imports. However, there is a significant gap between Chinese laws and their implementation. Therefore, more people are putting their hope in a combination of legislation and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to help address the current social and environmental problems faced by the country. This paper discusses the drivers of CSR in China and compares them to the drivers of CSR in the West. The paper also explores the extent to which CSR can make a contribution to solving the sustainable development challenges faced by China and discusses possible solutions if the current CSR pattern fails. Finally, the paper makes suggestions for future research on CSR in China.

Investigating the relationship between director’s profile, board interlocks and corporate social responsibility

2015 ◽  
Vol 53 (3) ◽  
pp. 553-570 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hazar Ben Barka ◽  
Ali Dardour
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Board Of Directors ◽  
Corporate Social Performance ◽  
Social Performance ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Board Interlocks ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to discuss a research model that presents three metrics of corporate social performance (CSP): board interlocks, director’s profile and corporate social responsibility (CSR). Design/methodology/approach – Based on social network theories, the authors argue the possible relationships between the three variables. The authors conduct the study on 255 directorships in the boards of 20 listed companies in France, which participate in Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) for 2010. Findings – The results show that director’s background and nationality diversity in the board are the most relevant attributes to discerning firms with high CSR scores. However, the relationship between board interlocks and CSR is not consistent. Some explanations are reported and discussed. Research limitations/implications – The research contributes to recognize the most influential variables in board composition for firms with high CSR scores, although it is based on a conceptual development and an explorative analysis. It could constitute the basis for future research which integrates modeling and multivariate analysis. Practical implications – Diversity in the board could be an effective tool to guide management for more CSR decisions. Social implications – The paper highlights the importance of diversifying the recruitment base when integrating new board members. This implies opening board networks to new profiles, in order to better meet stakeholders’ expectations regarding CSR. Originality/value – The paper contributes to board literature by highlighting the importance of combining individual attributes (director) with corporate ones (board of directors) to better assess the role of board of directors in the adoption of CSR’ practices.

Social enterprise marketing: review of literature and future research agenda

2019 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 121-135 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chinmoy Bandyopadhyay ◽  
Subhasis Ray
Keyword(s):  
Social Enterprise ◽  
Resource Constraints ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Business Practices ◽  
Social Entrepreneurs ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Keywords And Phrases ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to review existing literature on marketing in social enterprises (SEs). It identifies major trends and issues and highlights gaps in the existing knowledge base on social enterprise marketing (SEM). Design/methodology/approach Relevant articles on SEM were searched, following the PRISMA framework, in online databases using keywords and phrases like “marketing in social enterprises,” “marketing strategy/practice in social enterprises,” “social enterprise marketing” and “business practices in social enterprises.” After screening and checking for eligibility, 47 significant articles published in 21 peer-reviewed journals during 1995–2018 were selected for review. Findings The findings suggest that marketing in SEs has different issues and challenges when compared to marketing practices adopted by conventional business organizations. They are forced to address the varied expectations of the stakeholders in a resource-constrained situation, which creates problems for them. The review also highlights the fact that resource constraints, legacy mindset, and lack of marketing skills limit the impact of marketing practices in SEs. To address these issues, many social entrepreneurs survive through cost-effective marketing techniques. Originality/value To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first effort to identify and analyze extant literature in SEM. The resultant themes and research gaps highlight the current status of SEM literature. The paper can help SEs to understand and plan their marketing activities for better impact and profitability. Future research can draw on the findings of this review.

Epistemological development of corporate social responsibility: the evolution continues

2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 279-291 ◽  
Author(s):  
Norman Cameron Croker ◽  
Lisa Robyn Barnes
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Corporate Social Performance ◽  
Social Performance ◽  
Practical Importance ◽  
The Body ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Management Literature ◽  
Corporate Social

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the corporate social responsibility (CSR) and corporate social performance (CSP) in literature from its inception to 2013. Design/methodology/approach Using a bibliometric technique, the authors examine CSR’s epistemological orientation and determine whether it is primarily composed of authors building on each other’s work (“progressive”), or comprises the development of alternative constructs (“variegational”), or whether both orientations exist side-by-side within a dynamic, multidimensional concept. Findings The paper reviews bibliometric analysis of the epistemological evolution of the CSR concept within the management literature, from 1972 to 2002, using a dataset to that time of approximately 500 articles. Since then, the evolving CSR/CSP literature has transitioned the main CSR debate from a “whether or not to”, to a “how to” implement CSR debate, and the body of literature has grown to over 8,000 articles. The authors find that the progression of the CSR construct is both variegational and progressive. They identify that the predominant theoretical theme is based on stakeholder theory. Research limitations/implications The results of this research, identifying that the epistemological evolution of the CSR concept within the recent management literature can be characterised as being both variegational and progressive, adds a valuable contribution to the ongoing and increasing body of knowledge relating to CSR. Originality/value The results of this study may be of practical importance to scholars in identifying relevant foci for their future research into the CSR construct.

Fostering Responsible Business

2017 ◽  
pp. 309-330 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amir Hossein Rahdari
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Sustainability ◽  
Organizational Structures ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Business Practices ◽  
Business Organizations ◽  
Sustainable Business ◽  
Responsible Business Practices ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
Shed Light

Corporate social responsibility networks and associations play a significant role in fostering responsible business yet there exists a lacuna in the literature regarding the role of these networks and associations in augmenting responsible business practices. Furthermore, research studies with regard to how they function seem to be non-existent. Following this line of argument, this study attempts to shed light on these ambiguities by examining three leading networks. The results suggest that corporate sustainability and responsibility networks and associations play the role of facilitators, by providing tools and services, and incentivize business organizations to take measurable actions towards corporate sustainability. Moreover, they function as the engine of growth for responsible and sustainable business ecosystem. With their growing influence and the mainstreaming of responsible practices, a review of their objectives, organizational structures, types of activities, practices and impacts using a reviewing framework would provide a solid background for future research.

Determinants of CSRD in non-Asian and Asian countries: a literature review

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yasir Abdullah ◽  
Nurwati A. Ahmad-Zaluki ◽  
Nazahah Abd Rahim
Keyword(s):  
Rapid Development ◽  
Share Price ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Asian Countries ◽  
Content Type ◽  
International Media ◽  
Price Performance ◽  
Corporate Governance Mechanisms ◽  
Corporate Social

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to review the current status of research works on corporate social responsibility disclosure (CSRD) in both non-Asian and Asian countries. It seeks to provide an overview of existing literatures to facilitate future research. Design/methodology/approach The present study used the content analysis of 64 empirical research papers from 41 countries from 1990 to 2020 to show the rapid development of and global focus on CSRD. Various CSRD measures had been used in previous researches on the extent and quality of disclosure. Findings Company characteristics, namely, company size, age, profitability, industry, share price performance and corporate governance mechanisms and their impact on CSRD, were investigated. Crucial variances between the determinants of CSRD in non-Asian and Asian countries were also reviewed. In non-Asian countries, especially the advanced ones, specific stakeholders such as regulators, the environment, shareholders, ownership and media are considered very significant in the disclosure of CSR information. Meanwhile, in Asian countries, CSRD is more affected by external strength and stakeholders, which include international capital markets, creditors, the environment, international media and ownership. Research limitations/implications The determinants of CSRD, namely, community, workplace, environment and marketplace issues received very little pressure from the public. This paper suggests that there is a need for more studies examining CSRD in non-Asian and Asian (emerging) countries. Social implications Business organisations in non-Asian and Asian countries should take social practices into consideration in their CSRD decision-making. This review highlights the significance of merging organisational and social activities. Originality/value This study adds value by examining CSRD aspects that were not reviewed in previous studies on CSRD in non-Asian and Asian countries. This study provides a comprehensive review of the determinants of CSRD in both non-Asian and Asian countries.

Corporate environmental communication: a closer look at the initiatives from leading manufacturing and IT organizations in India

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. 843-859
Author(s):  
S.M. Ramya ◽  
Aysha Shereen ◽  
Rupashree Baral
Keyword(s):  
Voluntary Disclosure ◽  
Stock Exchange ◽  
Manufacturing Sector ◽  
Corporate Sustainability ◽  
Environmental Communication ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Environmental Initiatives ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
Climate Crisis

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the level of environmental communication and the predominant themes of environmental initiatives and technologies used in India. Design/methodology/approach In this exploratory study, a manual content analysis was conducted using print and website data related to corporate environmental communication of 60 Indian companies listed in the Bombay Stock Exchange, representing the top thirty from manufacturing and information technology (IT) sector each. Findings The authors classified the level of importance based on seven attributes, distinguished between hard and soft disclosure and identified the prevalent environmental practices and technologies in each sector. The authors found that the environmental communication of the IT sector is technology-based than the manufacturing sector, but both are weak in acknowledging climate change. Practical implications Managers, across the two sectors, can make their organizations environmentally responsible by learning and applying the current practices/technologies and reap benefits by mimetic isomorphism or create competitive advantage. Originality/value Building on the theoretical and practical works in corporate sustainability and corporate social responsibility communication literature, the authors contribute to the stakeholder theory and voluntary disclosure theory. The findings of the study provide the much-needed base for future research that links the engineering and management community to take the scholarship further to prevent the climate crisis.

Fostering Responsible Business

2019 ◽  
pp. 1519-1541 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amir Hossein Rahdari
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Sustainability ◽  
Organizational Structures ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Business Practices ◽  
Business Organizations ◽  
Sustainable Business ◽  
Responsible Business Practices ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
Shed Light

Corporate social responsibility networks and associations play a significant role in fostering responsible business yet there exists a lacuna in the literature regarding the role of these networks and associations in augmenting responsible business practices. Furthermore, research studies with regard to how they function seem to be non-existent. Following this line of argument, this study attempts to shed light on these ambiguities by examining three leading networks. The results suggest that corporate sustainability and responsibility networks and associations play the role of facilitators, by providing tools and services, and incentivize business organizations to take measurable actions towards corporate sustainability. Moreover, they function as the engine of growth for responsible and sustainable business ecosystem. With their growing influence and the mainstreaming of responsible practices, a review of their objectives, organizational structures, types of activities, practices and impacts using a reviewing framework would provide a solid background for future research.

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