COVID-19 and the reorientation of communication towards CSR

Abstract

Intuitively, it was clear that the pandemic situation and, more specifically, the lockdown and schedule limitations were going to affect communication practices. In general, during the COVID-19 situation, companies have replaced the commercial or external communication used in previous years with a more corporate-like communication. Therefore, in this article we intend to verify how companies have carried out their communication actions under the umbrella of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and the results obtained. In order to understand these changes, we have conducted a two-step sequential study that starts with in-depth interviews with Directors of Communication and concludes with a major survey of 214 companies. What this paper demonstrates is that communication practices have changed and are redirected towards CSR. This new communication discloses the measures that are being taken in relation to security, new sales, and product delivery alternatives, new services to older customers or customers at risk, to support employees for protection and conciliation, etc.—in short, a reorientation of communication towards CSR.