A Multidimensional Comparative Analysis of Involvement in CSR Activities of Energy Companies in the Context of Sustainable Development Challenges: Evidence from Poland

Tomasz L Nawrocki,Danuta Szwajca

doi:10.3390/en14154592

Abstract

In recent years, corporate involvement in CSR has become increasingly important and appreciated in the context of the ideas and assumptions regarding sustainable development. Due to the specificity of the energy sector, its particular impact on the environment, the living conditions of the population, and the social involvement of energy companies is particularly desirable, therefore it is observed and assessed by many stakeholder groups. The aim of this article is to assess the CSR commitment of Polish energy companies listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange. The assessment was based on the proposed indicator model, based on the data published in the annual reports of the companies. The study uses data from the years 2016–2020. The main research question is as follows: What is the engagement in CSR activities of six Polish energy companies towards contractors, investors, employees, society, and the environment? The obtained results show that the investigated energy companies present a similar average level of engagement in CSR activities. The highest level of involvement concerns the area of contractors and the lowest levels relate to the donors of capital and the environment.

Highlights

Due to the enormous impact of the energy sector on the economy, people’s living conditions, civilization development, and the state of the environment, we believe that the social responsibility of energy companies is important
Social and ethical responsibility concerning the quality of the energy supply, cooperation with stakeholders, and interaction with partners in supply chains; environmental responsibility concerning primarily the reduction of pollution and CO2 emissions; and economic responsibility concerning the costs of energy production, energy transmission, and the reliability of the energy supply to all sectors of the economy
The concept of CSR has been gaining an ever-widening context and significance as it has been incorporated into the concept of sustainable development

Summary

Introduction

This new approach to CSR has a much broader context It concerns the relationship and linkages between business and society in many dimensions: economic, political, ethical–legal, cultural, or ecological and is linked to the concept of sustainable development [2,3,4,5,6]. Companies, in their quest to generate profit, must respect legal regulations and ethical principles, environmental impacts, requirements and expectations of many stakeholder groups, and assumptions on sustainable development formulated by state authorities and international institutions [7]

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Conclusion