Abstract
This study examined corporate social responsibility (CSR) communication and pandemic responses of large corporations across multiple industries in a global context. Specifically, this research (1) described the state of CSR communication during the pandemic, and (2) identified how top global Fortune 500 corporations framed their COVID-19 pandemic responses as part of their social advocacy. An in-depth content analysis of the corporate communication messages revealed that top global corporations positioned their pandemic responses as an extension of their ongoing CSR commitment, prioritizing their philanthropic responsibilities over the ethical, legal, and economic responsibilities. They often relied on war metaphors, portraying the virus as the “common enemy” and employees as “heroes,” and highlighted their leadership role in the global “fight” against the pandemic as a “partner” of governments, “protector” of employees, and “supporter’’ of the communities. Analyzing a large data set from a global perspective, this study provides a comprehensive look at the state of CSR communication during the pandemic and demonstrates how corporations as authoritative societal actors help shape the ongoing discourse on the global COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, the study makes several practical and theoretical contributions to sustainability research and our understanding of the evolving relationship between business and society.
Highlights
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has become an integral part of contemporary business practices as stakeholders have increasingly expected socially responsible practices from organizations as part of a global push for sustainability in the economic, social, and environmental realms ever since the 1990s [1]
Analyzing a large data set from a global perspective, this study provides a comprehensive look at the state of corporate social responsibility (CSR) communication during the pandemic and demonstrates how corporations as authoritative societal actors help shape the ongoing discourse on the global COVID-19 pandemic
Analyzing a large data set from a global perspective, this study provided a comprehensive insight into how a disruptive global health crisis impacted the state of CSR communication and demonstrated how corporations as authoritative societal actors help to shape the ongoing discourse on the global COVID-19 pandemic
Summary
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has become an integral part of contemporary business practices as stakeholders have increasingly expected socially responsible practices from organizations as part of a global push for sustainability in the economic, social, and environmental realms ever since the 1990s [1]. Corporate social advocacy (CSA), defined as corporate organizations taking active public stances regarding controversial social-political issues [2], has recently moved to the top of corporations’ CSR agenda. Governments, publics, and the media have held corporations responsible for addressing the crisis [4], presenting an opportunity for the business world. After a year of unprecedented disaster and turbulence resulting from the pandemic and its economic and societal consequences, the same survey conducted in 2021 showed that business was the most trusted among the four types of institutions studied (business, NGOs, government, and the media). Business was viewed as the only trusted institution with a 61 percent trust level, and the only institution seen as both “ethical”
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