In a dramatic departure from its voluntary origins, corporate social responsibility (CSR) is rapidly shifting to hold multinational companies accountable for more than traditional shareholder performance. This CSR movement is embracing new environmental, social and governance (ESG) frameworks that both promote global sustainability goals and enhance accountability for negative impacts businesses can have on ‘planet and people’. This collection of essays by leading businesspeople, international civil servants, legal practitioners, academics, and other experts offers a forward-looking and pragmatic perspective that illuminates the major themes in this movement towards increasingly sustainable, transparent and accountable business practices. The collection shows how CSR has evolved to account for societal pressures, environmental, climate change and human rights impacts, international policy imperatives and the practical challenges of regulating commercial activity that transcends borders. The chapters offer an in-depth examination of current issues including: international frameworks and multistakeholder initiatives catalysing foundational change; the shifting emphasis on corporate imperatives to avoid harm to third parties; trends in CSR, focused on assuring the planet's future sustainability and social stability; regulatory initiatives around the globe, including Europe, North America, Asia and Africa; and extended accountability for activities of corporate group members and supply chains. The pressure and business case for companies to incorporate CSR into corporate governance is intensifying with each quarter, shareholder meeting, and regulatory agenda. The integration of CSR and new ESG frameworks into multinational corporate strategy and operations is key to sustainable business models that can generate long-term value for the organization and all stakeholders. Their acceptance as cornerstones of 21st century business practice appears inevitable. Taking full account of the imperative for companies and their lawyers to grapple with the practical and legal challenges in this area, this volume is an invaluable and pragmatic addition to the practitioners’ toolbox at this important juncture in an ever-more dynamic field.

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) expresses a fundamental morality in the way a company behaves toward society. It follows ethical behavior toward stakeholders and recognizes the spirit of the legal and regulatory environment. The idea of CSR gained momentum in the late 1950s and 1960s with the expansion of large conglomerate corporations and became a popular subject in the 1980s with R. Edward Freeman's Strategic Management: A Stakeholder Approach and the many key works of Archie B. Carroll, Peter F. Drucker, and others. In the wake of the financial crisis of 2008–2010, CSR has again become a focus for evaluating corporate behavior. First published in 1953, Howard R. Bowen’s Social Responsibilities of the Businessman was the first comprehensive discussion of business ethics and social responsibility. It created a foundation by which business executives and academics could consider the subjects as part of strategic planning and managerial decision-making. Though written in another era, it is regularly and increasingly cited because of its relevance to the current ethical issues of business operations in the United States. Many experts believe it to be the seminal book on corporate social responsibility. This new edition of the book includes an introduction by Jean-Pascal Gond, Professor of Corporate Social Responsibility at Cass Business School, City University of London, and a foreword by Peter Geoffrey Bowen, Daniels College of Business, University of Denver, who is Howard R. Bowen's eldest son.

Undeniably, the concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) is not new, but there is a huge difference between understanding the concept of CSR in developed and developing nations. In developing countries, firms have little interest in adopting CSR as a strategy in their business goals. The best practices, techniques, and empirical studies conducted around the globe must be discussed in detail in order to encourage the incorporation of the best CSR strategies for regionally diverse businesses. Global Corporate Social Responsibility Initiatives for Reluctant Businesses is a critical reference source that covers the scope of global corporate social responsibility, which has continued to increase in the last couple of decades. The book includes core aspects of corporate social responsibility philosophy and practices in different European, North American, and Asian countries. This authored book helps readers to understand the corporate social responsibility practices in different countries and also provides a holistic picture of global CSR and emerging trends with the support of empirical studies. Covering topics including internationalization, Islamic CSR, green public procurement, CSR strategy, and sustainability, this book is essential for managers, executives, human resources managers, policymakers, academicians, researchers, students, and practitioners.

There is growing interest regarding the sustainability of communities. This volume offers a critical review of current trends around Corporate Social Responsibility and sustainability activities in developing economies. It is a must have for business practitioners, policy makers, experts in supranational organizations, academics and students.

Corporate Social Responsibility in the Arctic considers the new trends and frontiers of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) studies that are shaping the future of global business strategy and ethics. This book systematically approaches the CSR framework of internal and external factors and their impact on the social responsibility of businesses within the sensitive environment of the Arctic. It presents traditional and contemporary models of CSR through case studies of the eight Arctic nations and explores the debates concerning social responsibility and ethical dilemmas related to social and environmental aspects of business operations, society, and ecosystems. Arruda and Johannsdottir also review approaches for engaging stakeholders in social responsibility, socio-environmental standards, and sustainability, according to frameworks like the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the UN Global Compact, the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and the Global Reporting Initiative, but also according to the new CSR strategy in the Arctic based on circular economy, blue economy, smart specialization, knowledge-intensive entrepreneurship, and new parameters of education. Overall, this book examines the ways in which the changing climate and rich natural resources of the Arctic provide unique opportunities and challenges for businesses and societies. This book will be of great interest to students and scholars of CSR, sustainable business, and business ethics.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has become an important concept in the last few decades. Although it originated in the developed countries of the West, the concept has been embraced and adapted by corporations and policy-making agencies in many developing countries. Not surprisingly, given the importance of growth and development as policy objectives in these countries, CSR has had a significant impact on sustainable development. Sustainable Development and Corporate Social Responsibility explores the evolution of CSR across the developed and developing world, with a particular focus on China and sustainable development. Through an extensive review of the literature and relevant case studies, the book examines whether CSR can make a contribution to sustainable development, how the patterns of CSR in developed Western economies compare to that in the rapidly growing economy of China, what trade-offs take place between CSR and economic growth as well as the future of CSR and its possible impact on the global sustainable development agenda. This book is a valuable resource for academics and upper-level undergraduate and postgraduate students in the fields of human/social geography, economics, business studies, sustainable development, development studies and environmental studies.

In today's global business environment it is no longer acceptable that a corporation does well simply by doing good. It is expected. With increasing pressures from stakeholders to improve the bottom line as well as to be good corporate citizens, business leaders face tough decisions. What social issues should we support? What initiatives should we develop that will do the most good for the company as well as the cause? Do we include social messages in our advertising, encourage our employees to volunteer, do we modify our business practices? How do we integrate a new initiative into current strategies? These and other challenges will continue to face future leaders. This book provides thoughtful answers to these important questions, and to many more. The book offers suggestions on how to choose among major worthy causes and also how to measure the amount of good achieved both for the recipients and the companies themselves. Of course, all is not only about challenges, there are loads of opportunities that go along with them but it’s only responsible and sustainable leaders who would be able to spot these opportunities. That is the future which awaits 21st century leaders.