scholarly journals Corporate social responsibility in times of crisis: business actions during the COVID-19 pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 909-927
Author(s):  
Luiz Henrique Vieira da Silva ◽  
Cibele Roberta Sugahara ◽  
Denise Helena Lombardo Ferreira

Between the years 2019 and 2020, humanity was affected by one of the most serious pandemics in recent history, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The socioeconomic tragedy required the complete mobilization of governments, companies, and other organizations to contain and combat the disease. Shedding light on the role of companies, this article set out to analyze, through descriptive, qualitative and documentary research, the various manifestations of Corporate Social Responsibility in Brazilian companies during the pandemic, with the Agenda 2030 as a backdrop for Sustainable Development and related initiatives. It became evident that, while on the one hand, organizations are strongly invited to act in the containment of world events harmful to human life, by extension, socially responsible companies must bear the commitment to work together to mitigate the impacts of climate change and to eradicating hunger and poverty, equally urgent and necessary demands.

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 288-334 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stéphanie Giamporcaro ◽  
Jean-Pascal Gond ◽  
Niamh O’Sullivan

ABSTRACTAlthough a growing stream of research investigates the role of government in corporate social responsibility (CSR), little is known about how governmental CSR interventions interact in financial markets. This article addresses this gap through a longitudinal study of the socially responsible investment (SRI) market in France. Building on the “CSR and government” and “regulative capitalism” literatures, we identify three modes of governmental CSR intervention—regulatory steering, delegated rowing, and microsteering—and show how they interact through the two mechanisms of layering (the accumulation of interventions) and catalyzing (the alignment of interventions). Our findings: 1) challenge the notion that, in the neoliberal order, governments are confined to steering market actors—leading and guiding their behavior—while private actors are in charge of rowing—providing products and services; 2) show how governmental CSR interventions interact and are orchestrated; and 3) provide evidence that governments can mobilize financial markets to promote CSR.


Organization ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 416-432 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carl Cederström ◽  
Michael Marinetto

This article explores the ‘liberal communist’, a conceptual and satirical figure originally elaborated in the work of Slavoj Žižek (2008). The liberal communist claims (1) that there is no opposition between capitalism and the social good; (2) that all problems are of a practical nature, and hence best solved by corporate engagement and (3) that hierarchies, authority and centralized bureaucracies should be replaced by dynamic structures, a nomadic lifestyle and a flexible spirit. This analysis of the liberal communist has at least two implications for research on CSR. First, it examines the ideological role of CSR by moving beyond a propaganda view, instead offering an ideological reading that focuses on the ways in which CSR seeks to obliterate any existing contradictions between ‘philanthropic actions’ on the one hand and ‘profit-seeking business activities’ on the other hand. Second, it demonstrates how critique is not necessarily what corporations seek to avoid, but something that they actively engage in.


2020 ◽  
Vol 62 (5) ◽  
pp. 713-734
Author(s):  
Darryn Snell ◽  
Victor Gekara

Within many coordinated market economies, labour unions have demonstrated to be key actors in shaping corporate social responsibility. Researchers have, however, paid surprisingly little attention to the role of unions in shaping corporate social responsibility strategies and responses in liberal market contexts. This article extends the emerging research on unions and corporate social responsibility through a case study which investigates union influences over corporate social responsibility within the liberal market context of Australia. We conceptualise the role of unions in corporate social responsibility in this context through an industrial relations lens with particular reference to collective bargaining. Drawing on qualitative data, the case study examines the Ford Motor Company’s recent closure of its Australian assembly operations which was hailed by a wide range of stakeholders as an exemplar of ‘best practice’ in their assistance of displaced workers. We conclude that, while highly socially responsible, Ford’s actions were far from voluntary but influenced by a combination of union influence and a ‘subsidised’ corporate social responsibility, where the state, unable and/or powerless to legislate good corporate social behaviour, chose to financially underwrite its cost to the firm. The study represents one of the first studies to demonstrate how unions shape corporate social responsibility strategies of firms in liberal market contexts and how ‘subsidised’ corporate social responsibility becomes an alternative political solution within such a context.


2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 98-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen E. Bear

Organic Delights is an experiential exercise designed to help undergraduate business students learn about corporate social responsibility (CSR). In this exercise, students assume the role of a senior manager of a fictional restaurant and caterer. The challenge for the managers is to evaluate and choose among six proposals to promote the company’s CSR. Students are first requested to evaluate the proposals on their own and then, later, to evaluate the proposals by working with a group of students who represent the company management team. The exercise enables students better understand the concept of CSR and reflect on the meaning and obligations of socially responsible business leadership. The exercise and recommendations for the debriefing are provided.


Author(s):  
Kingsly Awang Ollong

Inadequate provision of infrastructural and social facilities by governments for citizens' use calls for intervention of corporate organizations and individuals to contribute/provide for other people via social obligation. By virtue of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), many communities and individuals have been developed to dependable levels. Through it, the general wellbeing of individuals, groups and communities, growth and development are encouraged and promoted while stimulating innovative business. Government multiple taxes, business unfriendly policies, unions' agitations, and scamming by some ill-intentioned citizens are impediments to efficient CSR by multinational companies in Cameroon. Though the rate of participation by business entities in being socially responsible is not encouraging, this chapter singles out a few MNCs that have distinguished themselves by sharing their enormous profits with the communities in which they operate. This chapter uses case studies of three Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCGs), that is, MTN, Guinness Cameroun SA, and British American Tobacco to ascertain that corporate social responsibility by MNCs has helped to ameliorate living conditions of local communities.


2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (8) ◽  
pp. 72-79
Author(s):  
P. S. SHCHERBACHENKO ◽  
◽  
D. M. STOLBUN ◽  

The concept of corporate social responsibility is becoming more and more widespread and developing in Russia and abroad. The principles of socially responsible behavior act as an attribute of modern corporations more often. In the current realities, corporate social responsibility becomes more and more important as an obligatory component of the strategy of corporations, catering for their business reputation. In particular, the corporations’ business reputation constituted one of the most important components of their intangible assets. The article focuses on the impact of corporations’ socially responsible policies on their business reputation, as well as on their functioning and development on the market in general in the face of constantly increasing competition. The author provides a practical review of the influence of corporate social responsibility on the level of business reputation on the example of Gazprom, Sberbank and Tele2.


2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Erum Shaikh

Research on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is not new but relatively very few researches have been focused on the influence of CSR on the organizational performance (OP), employee commitment (EC) and on the mediating role of EC with the CSR and OP. The current study was conducted on the sample size of 806 employees working in two reputable banks of Pakistan. The current study uses the PLS-SEM 3.0 version to test the proposed hypotheses. The results of current research study revealed the significantly positive link between the CSR with the performance of the organization, CSR with EC and the study also found the positive results of mediating role of EC between the CSR and OP. The study also suggests some significant future implication regarding the importance of CSR actions and its uses that can increase the commitment level of the employees, they feel proud to become part of that organizational who is socially responsible and the performance of the organization will also be enhanced.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Syed Moudud-Ul-Huq

Purpose This paper aims to examine the impacts of both Sharīʿah supervision and corporate social responsibility on banks’ risk-taking behavior and profitability. The analysis empirically uses dynamic and balanced panel data from 12 banks of Bangladesh for 2010–2019. Design/methodology/approach Dynamic panel generalized method of moments has been used primarily to examine the effects of Sharīʿah supervision and corporate social responsibility on risk-taking behavior and profitability. Later, the authors validate the core results using three-stage least squares and incorporates alternative risk and profitability measures in the baseline equation. Findings This study finds that Sharīʿah supervision heterogeneously derives benefits for Islamic banks and Islamic windows. Though there is no significant impact of female diversity on risk relying on board diversification, the bank can strengthen profitability. On the one hand, the annual changes in board composition reduce (increase) risk (financial and stability efficiency) but compromise profitability. Notably, socially responsible banks have been characterized as risk-averse and better stabilized (in terms of solvency and efficiency), more efficient and profitable. Originality/value Very few studies are available in the current literature which examine the impacts of Sharīʿah supervision and corporate social responsibility on either bank performance or risk-taking in the developing economy’s context.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document