Commitment to corporate social entrepreneurship in the context of a health crisis: The case of the scientist–entrepreneur couple who founded BioNTech

Abstract

ABSTRACT If corporate social responsibility (CSR) calls for a virtuous process in which health for all becomes egalitarian, ethical and equitable, the health crisis (COVID-19) revealed certain limitations to this process. The aim of our research is to identify the limitations that can hinder corporate social entrepreneurship (CSE)’s commitment of coentrepreneurs (founders of BioNTech) in the dissemination of “their” vaccine in the context of a health crisis. The difficulties encountered in disseminating the Comirnaty vaccine (Pfizer–BioNTech) on the African continent are exemplary in this respect. A literature review presents the concept of CSE associated with the contributive advantage concept in the creation of social and economic values. We then present two research proposals: How can CSE influence the double CSR performance (social and economic) of copreneurs? What kinds of limitations may hinder CSE’s commitment to success in a health crisis context? Are ethics and profit always reconcilable? Concerning the research method, we use a qualitative approach with the investigation of a unique case study of the scientist–entrepreneur couple who founded BioNTech and led the Lightspeed project that gave birth to the Comirnaty vaccine Concerning the results by showing how CSE could expand the scope of companies’ activities and their organizational values, we are pushing them to rethink their current CSR approaches by combining team commitment, will, and desire to create common economic and social values. We also have illustrated a promising path for practitioners in a crisis context, where they can achieve their economic and social objectives to take a sustainable advantage.