Is it True Love Between the Octopus and the Frog? How to Avoid the Authenticity Gap

Abstract

Starting with a questionable reputation, Chiquita has succeeded to embark on an impressive improvement process that was rewarded with certification of their banana plantations by the Rainforest Alliance. Unfortunately, when Chiquita proudly made their achievements public in Switzerland in the fall of 2005, the public was incredulous and NGOs wrote a joint letter of complaint. What went wrong? This article uses the case of Chiquita to emphasize the distinction between rule-based Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and principle-based CSR. Additionally, it demonstrates the importance of continuous communication during a transformation of identity and provides pointers to avoid the so-called authenticity gap.