Corporate social responsibility in nonprofit organizations: The brokerage role of community housing mutuals

Abstract

AbstractFocusing on both internally and externally social responsibility practices can help dual mission organizations to become “responsible” beyond their raison d'etre and so improve the services they provide to their communities. Organizations within the nonprofit sector are facing dual pressures of being more commercial in approach in addition to adhering to their social mission, particularly in a period of lower public funding and increased stakeholder expectation. The importance of the social mission and the requirements of stakeholders has led to nonprofit organizations having to address social responsibility by adopting Corporate Social Responsibility approaches usually associated with private, for‐profit organizations. Through the study of a Community Housing Mutual Association, concentrating on partnerships, corporate philosophy, and their internal and external features and practices, these organizations can become more socially responsible and, therefore, improve the services they provide to the communities they support.