The core idea of corporate social responsibility, the notion that companies have a responsibility beyond legal requirements, is by now deeply embedded in the corporate cultures of the largest U.S. companies. The authors suggest that productive debate now focuses on the following two issues. First, what are the impacts of existing corporate social responsibility programs for the corporation? And, second, what constitutes the precise contours of this responsibility? This book explores these two themes. The issue of how corporate social responsibility affects individual companies engaged in socially responsible activities is not well understood. Further, the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate corporate social responsibility activities has not always been clearly drawn. This book, therefore, is designed to fill in some of the gaps in our understanding. This is done by carefully organizing and reviewing the relevant and growing literature on corporate social responsibility. In addition, this book reports on the results of two original empirical studies designed to further explore the relationship between corporate social responsibility and traditional financial performance. This book has profound implications for business executives and researchers in finance, accounting, business ethics, and business and society.

Drawing upon research from a variety of disciplines, this volume offers a systematic discussion of the issues and assumptions of the corporate responsibility debate. James J. Brummer provides an extensive review of the relevant literature and develops a methodology for treating specific problems of corporate responsibility, illustrating its use in actual practice. The book also proposes a theory of corporate responsibility and legitimacy that builds upon the concept of accountability and explores the relevance of applying methods of study traditionally associated with the humanities to contemporary problems of corporate ethics. The author begins by addressing general concepts and principles including types of corporate responsibility, relations of accountability, models of the corporation, and theories of institutional legitimacy. Part Two outlines the four theories of corporate responsibility--the classical, stakeholder, social demandingness, and social activist theories--and examines their major premises and supporting evidence. Two chapters treat the specific issue of plant closing or relocation in relation to each of the four theories of corporate responsibility. Finally, the author discusses collective and subordinate responsibility, paying particular attention to the concept of whistleblowing. The concluding chapter summarizes the corporate responsibility debate and analyzes various models of accountability. An ideal supplemental text for courses in business ethics and public administration, this volume is also an invaluable resource for executives confronted with issues of corporate responsibility in their own operations.

This book comprehensively describes social responsibility and sustainable development, with contributions from scientists and representatives from industry working in the field. The papers are innovative, cross-cutting and many share practice-based experiences, some of which may be replicable elsewhere. Prepared by the Inter-University Sustainable Development Research Programme (IUSDRP) and the World Sustainable Development Research and Transfer Centre (WSD-RTC), it reiterates the current need to promote social responsibility. Social responsibility and sustainable development are two different concepts, whose integration over the years has led to significant advances in the way enterprises see and perceive their operations. It is not only about policies or steps taken to meet legal requirements, but is also about social equality and environmental accountability, also bearing in mind the links with eco-efficiency, innovation, and the health and wellbeing of workers. According to ISO 26000, social responsibility is the responsibility of an organisation for the impacts of its decisions and activities on society and the environment, through transparent and ethical behaviour that: a) contributes to sustainable development, including health and the welfare of society b) takes into account the expectations of stakeholders c) is in compliance with applicable law and consistent with international norms of behaviour d) is integrated throughout the organisation and practised in its relationships. But even though the relations between social responsibility and sustainability are strong, it is still necessary to encourage organisations to adhere to, or at least follow the principles of sustainable development in their operations, giving something back to the community. As such, there is a need for a better understanding of how social responsibility is related to sustainable development, and of the identification of processes, methods and tools that may help the integration of these two important elements. There is also a real need to showcase successful examples of how to structure behaviour and institutional practice in line with the sustainability challenges we face today. Chapter [Reviewing the Stakeholder Value Creation Literature: Towards a Sustainability Approach] is available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.

CSR encompasses broad questions about the changing relationship between business, society, and government. An authoritative review of the academic research that has both prompted, and responded to, these issues, the text provides clear thinking and perspectives on CSR and the debates around it.

The decisions a corporation makes affect more than just its stakeholders and can have wide social, environmental, and economic consequences. This facilitates a business environment built around the practical regulations and transparency necessary to ensure ethical and responsible business practice. Corporate Social Responsibility for Valorization of Cultural Organizations is a critical scholarly resource that examines organizational management through a new perspective that considers corporate social responsibility within the relationship between companies and society. Featuring coverage on a broad range of topics, such as organizational innovation, corporate strategy, and cultural enterprises, this book is geared towards professionals, economists, students of business and finance, policy makers, and government agencies.

In today’s globalized and competitive business environment, companies increasingly look to restructuring, mergers & acquisitions and downsizing to survive, grow and maximize profits. However, when they are not managed in a socially responsible manner, restructurings may exert the negative impact on employees, shareholders, communities, and society as a whole. The book empirically explores the phenomena of corporate social responsibility (CSR), restructuring, and relationships with firms’ performance in China. It gives an insight into how Chinese firms respond to expectations of stakeholders by making social goals a part of their overall business operations. It also gives a fresh view of the new concept of socially responsible restructuring. For those seeking to promote socially responsible practices in restructuring, the book provides a unique and stimulating analysis and touchstone.

Increased tourism benefits local economies by creating more revenue and employment options as interest in the location grows. However, as the hospitality and travel industry continues to grow and adapt, it becomes imperative that they implement socially responsible procedures. Corporate Social Responsibility in the Hospitality and Tourism Industry discusses issues and challenges faced by organizations implementing responsible business practices within the travel, hotel, leisure and hospitality industries. Featuring best practices and theoretical concepts on the support of local economies, ethical sourcing of native goods, and sustainability procedures, this publication is a vital source for policy makers, academicians, researchers, students, technology developers, and government officials interested in emergent ethical and moral practices within the travel industry.