CSR in China

This chapter presents challenges in China's governance outlook within a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) analysis of China's social, environmental and economic resources and potential impacts in other countries. The purpose of this article sheds light of how CSR in China is emerging as a doorway to a) promote understanding of changes in firm governance for general managers through state and corporate socially responsible practices and b) to explain that preserving the environment and preventing pollution is necessary if China would like to trade with the West and enter global markets with other countries that place importance of governance and CSR principles.

Socially Responsible Mining Corporations

Mining is impact intensive regardless of commodity and scale. A socially responsible mining company, at a minimum, does not knowingly irreparably harm the community's ability to sustain itself after the mine closes. This chapter examines the mining sector in the Philippines: the public concerns, CSR responses and the challenges mining companies face in the country. Information was gathered through a review of academic and grey literature, key informant interviews and content analysis of Sustainability / CSR Reports. Many of the companies invest in the community as well as minimise their environmental impacts. A few invest in the community but appear to ignore people's right to a healthy environment. The chapter argues that mining can become an instrument for inclusive growth in the Philippines only if there is social peace, and that a streamlined and transparent mining policy regime, equitable benefits sharing and demilitarisation of mining areas will help bring this about.

Determinants of Corporate Social Responsibility Disclosure in Latin American Companies

The oil and gas sector exerts a major influence on the global economy. However, its negative impact on the environment and society has provoked increasing concerns about its activities and consumption of natural resources. Therefore, and in view of the fact that Latin America has the world's largest conventional oil reserves, the aim of this paper is to analyse the voluntary disclosure of information on the corporate social responsibility (CSR) of oil and gas companies operating in Latin America, and to study the factors that may influence the provision of this information. The results obtained show that although companies in this sector are becoming more aware of the impact of their activity, greater efforts need to be made with respect to CSR. We find that the largest, most profitable oil and gas companies tend to publish the most complete CSR reports.

Internet-Based Social Reporting in Emerging Economies

This chapter examines how public banks operating in Egypt and the UAE respond to stakeholders' needs. It uses content analysis to explore the volume, nature, and quality of social information presented on the websites of these banks and the way in which these banks use web technology to report such information. The results indicate that public banks in both countries made more disclosures about corporate social responsibility (CSR) and community issues. Nevertheless, they lag behind stakeholders' expectations in regard to information about employees and cultural issues. Furthermore, the UAE banks tend to offer better stakeholders access to social information than Egyptian banks. However, both have a long way to go in better facilitating interaction with stakeholders. There is evidence to suggest that social reporting by public banks' in both countries is still below the expectations of the Muslim and global communities.

East vs. West Approaches to Reporting Corporate Sustainability Strategies to the World

This chapter applies Hofstede's cultural dimensions to compare how companies located in Western and Eastern regions present their corporate sustainability strategies to their stakeholders. We compare ten pairs of West-East companies and find that differences in the corporate sustainability strategies they report can be related to geo-political and socio-cultural differences as described by Hofstede. Our findings can serve as a tool for companies in both regions to gain a better understanding about which sustainability initiatives are of more concern, depending on the region they operate.

Empirical Evidence on Corporate Governance Impact on CSR Disclosure in Developing Economies

This chapter investigates the influence of the board composition and leadership on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) disclosure. The empirical study of 68 Tunisian listed companies and 100 Egyptian listed companies reveals that board independence, foreign directorship, female directorship and state directorship, influence positively CSR disclosure. However, these findings indicate that CEO duality has a negative impact on CSR disclosure. Overall, the findings are consistent with the agency theory as well as the stakeholders theory and suggest that CSR disclosure seems to result from the willingness to meet shareholders' expectations in terms of transparency and voluntary disclosure of non-financial information.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in China

Despite a growing recognition of national contexts in predicting the dynamics of corporate social responsibility (CSR), the limited prior research has failed to disaggregate national institutions to specify the mechanisms between aspects of national institutional contexts and elements of CSR practices. In this paper we offer a framework for analyzing the nature and status of CSR, which is made up of eight elements: history, religions/ideologies, social norms, geography, political structures, the level of economic development, civil society institutions, and the country's “safety net” provisions. We apply the framework to explain how and why China's understanding of CSR differs from that in Western countries.

Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives and Corporate Social Responsibility in Global Value Chains

In this chapter, we make a contribution to the literature on corporate social responsibility in global value chains that link dispersed consumers and importers in developed countries with local manufacturers, workers, and communities in developing countries. We create an integrated analytical framework and a methodology that can guide master-level and Ph.D. students as well as practitioners on how they may map the governance processes through which multi-stakeholder initiatives (MSIs) in global value chains are formulated, implemented, monitored as well as the impact that MSI standards have on the work conditions of those laboring at the base of global value chains. We use a stylized case study of fair trade in the football manufacturing industry in Pakistan to illustrate how the framework and the methodology might be applied to the empirical analysis of MSI governance processes and their impacts on workers' conditions in export-oriented industries in the South.

Doing Good Doing Well

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) involves multi-faceted concerns and interested parties. The theoretical paper argues that pursuing CSR policies creates value for sustainable economic prosperity for the pulp and paper sector. The pulp and paper industry is one of the largest industrial sectors worldwide and plays a critical role in global development. As the fourth largest energy user and CO2 emitter, the industry is subject to the vicissitudes of global society and environment. Irresponsible pulp and paper operations are now shunned by various stakeholders, which ultimately affect their economic bottom lines. Sustainable operations bring continuity and competitiveness along with innovation, efficiency and social recognition to the industry. Using the criteria of the triple-bottom-line theory (economic, environmental and social), this paper demonstrates that a strong CSR framework and proactive initiatives add value to the pulp and paper business.

An Evaluation of the State of the CSR Field in Australia

While Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has become established in the managerial lexicon, its meaning and application varies according to geographical and sector contexts. In this chapter, we focus on the application of CSR across the banking and mining sectors in Australia to analyse the ways in which this managerial mechanism, with its theoretical underpinnings of social, environmental and economic balance, has been strategically appropriated and applied. We pose the key questions of how has CSR been implemented in Australia's largest industries and, secondarily, why has CSR not been more effective in transforming business practice in Australia? To demonstrate the alternative purposes to which CSR has been put, we use two case studies drawn from Australia's two most visible industries. The purpose of these case studies is to illustrate the larger conceptual ambiguity or fragmentation endemic to CSR and how this ambiguity affects its application – and therefore effectiveness – across different contexts.