Limits Of Corporate Social Responsibility Research Articles

A woke brand? An analysis of Nike and the limits of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the fashion-industrial complex

In an era marked by heightened social consciousness and impacted by Black Lives Matter (BLM), fashion brands worldwide endeavour to position themselves as socially responsible. This study scrutinizes Nike, a global leader in the fashion-industrial complex, and its ‘woke’ corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices. By conducting a detailed case study of Nike’s ‘woke’ CSR initiatives and analysing social media user comments, the research seeks to unveil the tensions and constraints of ‘woke’ CSR. The study investigates the social media discourse surrounding Nike’s image, focusing on racial consciousness and concludes that the brand’s ‘woke’ CSR initiatives are not transformative; they merely perform wokeness. The analysis uncovered three common themes in the social media data: (1) the commodification of BLM, (2) commodity activism and (3) woke-washing. By examining the limits of Nike’s ‘woke’ CSR practices within the fashion-industrial complex, this study provides insights into the challenges and opportunities for brands seeking to meet socially conscious consumers’ evolving expectations.

Using the risk-based approach to curb modern slavery in the supply chain

PurposeThis paper aims to critically examine the modern slavery statements of Anglo American Plc. and Marks and Spencer Group Plc. to determine the level of effectiveness of the risk assessment and risk mitigation measures of both companies and provide recommendations on how the risk assessment and risk mitigation measures of both companies could be strengthened.Design/methodology/approachThe analysis took the form of a desk study, which analysed various documents and reports such as the UK Modern Slavery Act 2015, the UK Modern Slavery Act 2015 (Transparency in Supply Chains) Regulations 2015, the UK Guidance issued under Section 54(9) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015, the 2018 Global Slavery Index, funded by Forrest’s Walk Free Foundation, the Anglo American Plc. Modern Slavery Statement of 2017/18, the Marks and Spencer Modern Slavery Statement of 2017/18, the Financial Action Task Force Guidance on the Risk Based Approach to Combating Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing (High Level Principles and Procedures) 2007, the Financial Action Task Force International Standards On Combating Money Laundering and the Financing of Terrorism and Proliferation (The FATF Recommendations) 2012, the Australia Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Rules Instrument 2007 (No. 1) (as amended), the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada Guidance on the risk-based approach to combatting money laundering and terrorist financing 2017 and the Central Bank of Nigeria (Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism in Banks and Other Financial Institutions in Nigeria) Regulations, 2013.FindingsThis paper determined that the standard due diligence measures and the enhanced due diligence measures of Anglo American Plc. are not effective enough to identify/assess the risk(s) of modern slavery in the supply chains reason being that Anglo American Plc. does not use diverse methods/methodologies for her due diligence programme. This paper, however, determined that the standard due diligence measures and the enhanced due diligence measures of Marks and Spencer Group Plc. are effective enough to identify/assess the risk(s) of modern slavery in the supply chains because Marks and Spencer adopts diverse methods/methodologies for her due diligence programme. This paper also determined that both Anglo American Plc. and Marks and Spencer Group Plc. adopt diverse methods for the monitoring of their corrective action plans which are designed to mitigate the modern slavery risk(s) associated with high-risk suppliers. For example, Anglo American Plc. monitors anti-modern slavery compliance with the use of both internal Anglo American teams and third-party auditors to ensure that the identified issues are adequately addressed.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper focuses on Section 54 of the UK Modern Slavery Act 2015 and the Modern Slavery Statements of Anglo American Plc. and Marks and Spencer Group Plc for the year 2017/18.Originality/valueSeveral articles have been published on this topic. Among them, is an article by Stefan Gold, Alexander Trautrims and Zoe Trodd titled “Modern slavery challenges to supply chain management”, Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, Vol. 20 Issue: 5, pp.485-494 and an article by Stephen John New titled “Modern slavery and the supply chain: the limits of corporate social responsibility?”, Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, Vol. 20 Issue: 6, pp.697-707. The article by Stefan Gold, Alexander Trautrims and Zoe Trodd drew attention to the challenges modern slavery poses to supply chain management. Although the article briefly talked about the risk-based approach to monitoring supply chains for slavery, it did not discuss about the due diligence measures that UK firms are required to apply during risk identification and risk assessment, and the risk mitigation measures that will address the risk(s) that have been identified. The article by Stephen John New examines legal attempts to encourage supply chain transparency and the use of corporate social responsibility methods. Though the article mentions the UK Modern Slavery Act 2015, more attention was paid to the California Transparency in Supply Chains Act [S.B. 657], State of California, 2010), enacted in 2011 and in effect from 2012. The article analysed the California Act without critically discussing the risk assessment procedures for UK companies. In addition to discussing the different stages of the risk assessment/risk management process, this paper will examine the modern slavery statements of Anglo American Plc. and Marks and Spencer Group Plc. This paper will provide recommendations on how the risk assessment/risk mitigation measures of both companies could be strengthened. This is the only paper to adopt this kind of approach. The analysis/recommendations in this paper will help UK companies to design effective due diligence procedures for their supply chain.

Using the Risk-Based Approach To Curb Modern Slavery in the Supply Chain: The Anglo American and Marks and Spencer Example

PURPOSE – This paper critically examines the modern slavery statements of Anglo American Plc. and Marks and Spencer Group Plc., to determine the level of effectiveness of the risk assessment and risk mitigation measures of both companies, and to provide recommendations on how the risk assessment and risk mitigation measures of both companies could be strengthened. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH – The analysis took the form of a desk study, which analyzed various documents and reports such as the UK Slavery Act 2015, the UK Slavery Act 2015 (Transparency in Supply Chains) Regulations 2015, the UK Guidance issued under section 54(9) of the Slavery Act 2015, the 2018 Global Slavery Index, funded by Forrest’s Walk Free Foundation, the Anglo American Plc. Slavery Statement of 2017/18, the Marks and Spencer Slavery Statement of 2017/18, the Financial Action Task Force Guidance on the Risk Based Approach to Combating Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing (High Level Principles and Procedures) 2007; the Financial Action Task Force International Standards On Combating Money Laundering and the Financing of Terrorism and Proliferation, (The FATF Recommendations) 2012; the Australia Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Rules Instrument 2007 (No. 1) (as amended); the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada Guidance on the risk-based approach to combatting money laundering and terrorist financing 2017; and the Central Bank of Nigeria (Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism in Banks and Other Financial Institutions in Nigeria) Regulations, 2013. FINDINGS – This paper determined that the standard due diligence measures and the enhanced due diligence measures of Anglo American Plc. are not effective enough to identify/assess the risk(s) of modern slavery in the supply chains reason being that Anglo American Plc. does not employ diverse methods/methodologies for her due diligence programme. This paper however determined that the standard due diligence measures and the enhanced due diligence measures of Marks and Spencer Group Plc. are effective enough to identify/assess the risk(s) of modern slavery in the supply chains since Marks and Spencer adopts diverse methods/methodologies for her due diligence programme. This paper also determined that both Anglo American Plc. and Marks and Spencer Group Plc. adopt diverse methods for the monitoring of their corrective action plans which are designed to mitigate the modern slavery risk(s) associated with high-risk suppliers. For example, Anglo American Plc. monitors anti-modern slavery compliance with the use of both internal Anglo American teams and third-party auditors to ensure that the identified issues are adequately addressed. RESEARCH LIMITATIONS – This paper focuses on Section 54 of the UK Slavery Act 2015, and the Slavery Statements of Anglo American Plc. and Marks and Spencer Group Plc for the year 2017/18. ORIGINALITY/VALUE – Several articles have been published on this topic. Among them, is an article by Stefan Gold, Alexander Trautrims and Zoe Trodd titled Modern slavery challenges to supply chain management, Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, Vol. 20 Issue: 5, pp.485-494 and an article by Stephen John New titled Modern slavery and the supply chain: the limits of corporate social responsibility?, Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, Vol. 20 Issue: 6, pp.697-707. The Article by Stefan Gold, Alexander Trautrims and Zoe Trodd drew attention to the challenges modern slavery poses to supply chain management. Although the Article briefly talked about the risk-based approach to monitoring supply chains for slavery, it did not discuss about the due diligence measures that UK firms are required to apply during risk identification and risk assessment, and the risk mitigation measures that will address the risk(s) that have been identified. The Article by Stephen John New examines legal attempts to encourage supply chain transparency and the use of corporate social responsibility (CSR) methods. Though the Article mentions the UK Slavery Act 2015, more attention was paid to the California Transparency in Supply Chains Act [S.B. 657], State of California, 2010), enacted in 2011 and in effect from 2012. The Article analysed the California Act without critically discussing the risk assessment procedures for UK Companies. In addition to discussing the different stages of the risk assessment/risk management process, this Article will examine the modern slavery statements of Anglo American Plc. and Marks and Spencer Group Plc. This Article will provide recommendations on how the risk assessment/risk mitigation measures of both companies could be strengthened. This is the only article to adopt this kind of approach. The analysis/recommendations in this Article will help UK Companies to design effective due diligence procedures for their supply chain.

Modern slavery and the supply chain: the limits of corporate social responsibility?

Purpose– This conceptual paper aims to examine modern slavery in the supply chain, showing how the issue challenges conventional thinking and practice in corporate social responsibility (CSR).Design/methodology/approach– The paper considers the differences between modern slavery and other concerns within CSR. It examines legal attempts to encourage supply chain transparency and the use of corporate CSR methods. An example of forced labour in UK agriculture is used to develop a critique of these approaches. The paper examines the challenges facing research in this important area.Findings– The paper shows that the distinctive characteristics of modern slavery may make conventional supply chain CSR practices relatively ineffective. A holistic perspective may be needed in future research.Research limitations/implications– Researchers need to focus less on the espoused policies of corporations, and more on the enacted practice.Social implications– Modern slavery is universally accepted as a shameful blight on society; firms’ supply chain practices may be part of the problem.Originality/value– The paper’s contribution is to point to the potential differences between modern slavery and other CSR-related issues and to highlight the paradox that firms’ approaches to the issue may run in parallel with actions that foster the problem in the first place.

Corporate Character Formation and CSR: The Function of Habit and Practice in the Mining Industry

The mining industry provides a rich context through which to engage the practical and ethical limits of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Recent debates in organizational ethics have drawn attention to institutional constraints which inhibit awareness raising and ethical practice within corporate settings. During the last decade, the mining industry has come under increasing pressure to improve its environmental, social and ethical performance. In an effort to respond to these more ethically-orientated external expectations, the mining industry has developed a range of internal regulatory mechanisms and process, which can be applied individually or in conjunction with other companies and organizations. This combination of internal and external drivers indicates a growing imperative for mining companies to ground CSR principles in their day-to-day operating practices. The challenge is to avoid organizational rules and procedures for CSR that lack depth and meaning and which fail to result in the wise and courageous use of personal agency. Instead mining companies must work to establish appropriate mechanisms that will see ethical norms adopted as organizational principles that guide, and result in, improved corporate conduct. Using the Aristotelean notion of “character formation”, the authors offer practical considerations for how this might occur in the mining industry.

Exploring the Substance and Stakeholder Limits of Corporate Social Responsibility: An Expansion of Carroll’s Discretionary Expectations

The research seeks to contribute to a more specific operationalization and measurement of the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) construct as traditionally defined in the literature. In particular, we explore the expansion of Carroll's (1979; 2008) seminal philanthropic/discretionary category of social responsibilities to include broader environmental, human rights and stakeholder interests. A new multi-dimensional scale is proposed and tested. The efficacy of this scale is examined by measuring CSR perceptions among a young college educated population at multiple levels of analysis. Internationally, we look at the CSR orientations of students in the United States and China. Within the United States, we focus on the states of Utah and Oregon. Our findings suggest that dominant existing frameworks could be improved through greater specification of substantive issues areas and stakeholder interests. Findings also suggest single level analyses may ignore important variation in CSR perceptions across geographical/cultural boundaries. In particular, significant subnational (within country) variation in attitudes and perspectives exist. Future research should include not only refinement of the scale introduced in this paper, but additional testing to determine whether the underlying measurement model holds and has explanatory power.

Is Corporate CSR Reporting an Expression of 'Law’s Being' or of Lobbying? How Much Power Does Law Really Have? Debates and Criticism Around the Latest French Reform

This study seeks to improve our understanding of how business interests can influence the making of legislation in the specific sector of corporate law and corporate social responsibility (CSR). We want to make the public aware of the legal limits of CSR reporting flowing from the way companies and policy makers are linked through lobbying. This paper is based on a critical study of the new requirement concerning corporate non-financial reporting (Commercial Code Article L. 225-102-1 and the draft decree) and on the debates following the 12 July 2010 adoption of new French Act No. 2010-788, which defines national commitments to the environment. France did not hesitate to take a bold position through the content of Commercial Code Article L. 225-102-1. While this new article strengthened the opening of French companies to environmental and societal issues, the lobbying with respect to the draft decree has curtailed the legislator’s great ambitions and undermined the promising reflections on CSR which emerged during the Grenelle process. French legislators have stumbled in their efforts to orient companies with respect to exercising power on behalf of their stakeholders. New Article L. 225-102-1 amends the Commercial Code and aims both to extend the reach of annual non-financial reporting on the consequences of companies’ activities with respect to the environment and to ensure the pertinence of such reporting. Nevertheless, the discussions on the draft decree reveal the gap between, on one hand, companies’ claims to be willing to assume “more CSR” and, on the other hand, their lobbying. The time is ripe to integrate the new political role of private business in regulation.

Erratum to: The Limits of Corporate Social Responsibility: Techniques of Neutralization, Stakeholder Management and Political CSR

Erratum to: The Limits of Corporate Social Responsibility: Techniques of Neutralization, Stakeholder Management and Political CSR

The Limits of Corporate Social Responsibility: Techniques of Neutralization, Stakeholder Management and Political CSR

Since scholarly interest in corporate social responsibility (CSR) has primarily focused on the synergies between social and economic performance, our understanding of how (and the conditions under which) companies use CSR to produce policy outcomes that work against public welfare has remained comparatively underdeveloped. In particular, little is known about how corporate decision-makers privately reconcile the conflicts between public and private interests, even though this is likely to be relevant to understanding the limitations of CSR as a means of aligning business activity with the broader public interest. This study addresses this issue using internal tobacco industry documents to explore British-American Tobacco’s (BAT) thinking on CSR and its effects on the company’s CSR Programme. The article presents a three-stage model of CSR development, based on Sykes and Matza’s theory of techniques of neutralization, which links together: how BAT managers made sense of the company’s declining political authority in the mid-1990s; how they subsequently justified the use of CSR as a tool of stakeholder management aimed at diffusing the political impact of public health advocates by breaking up political constituencies working towards evidence-based tobacco regulation; and how CSR works ideologically to shape stakeholders’ perceptions of the relative merits of competing approaches to tobacco control. Our analysis has three implications for research and practice. First, it underlines the importance of approaching corporate managers’ public comments on CSR critically and situating them in their economic, political and historical contexts. Second, it illustrates the importance of focusing on the political aims and effects of CSR. Third, by showing how CSR practices are used to stymie evidence-based government regulation, the article underlines the importance of highlighting and developing matrices to assess the negative social impacts of CSR.

Governing the Global Corporation: A Critical Perspective

ABSTRACT:In this article I provide a critical perspective on governing the global corporation. While the papers in the 2009 special issue of Business Ethics Quarterly explore the political role of corporations I argue that they lack a sophisticated analysis of power across institutional and actor networks. The argument that corporate engagement with deliberative democracy can enhance the legitimacy of corporations does not take into account the effects of institutional, material and discursive forms of power that determine legitimacy criteria. As a result corporate versions of citizenship mediate versions of social responsibility and morality, which are reflected in the institutional and political economic norms that are produced by this power/knowledge. In order to overcome the limits of corporate social responsibility there is a need to develop more democratic forms of global governance of corporations. A radical revisioning of democratic governance would also need to overcome the limits posed by sovereignty and would require new forms of multi-actor and multi-level translocal governance arrangements in an attempt to create forms of power that are more compatible with the principles of economic democracy.

Rethinking the role of corporate social responsibility in the Nigerian oil conflict: The limits of CSR

AbstractThe widespread adoption of corporate social responsibility (CSR) by oil multinational corporations (MNCs) in Nigeria supposedly marked a watershed in corporate–community relations in the Niger Delta. This is because, after decades of initially rejecting such responsibilities, oil MNCs reversal of attitude towards CSR was expected to at least tamper the scale and intensity of violence. However, despite such widespread claims of adherence to the ideals of CSR, corporate–community conflict has remained unabated and oil companies continue to be accused of familiar misdemeanour. This paper argued that structural and systemic deficiencies inherent in CSR practices limit the effectiveness of CSR as a vehicle for conflict prevention and reduction in the Niger Delta. The paper concludes by considering the implications for CSR‐conflict nexuses in the Nigerian oil industry. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The Market for Virtue. The Potential and Limits of Corporate Social ResponsibilityBy VogelDavid, Brooking Institution Press, Washington 2005

Academy of Management PerspectivesVol. 21, No. 3 ArticlesThe Market for Virtue. The Potential and Limits of Corporate Social ResponsibilityFrancesco PerriniFrancesco PerriniBocconi UniversityPublished Online:1 Aug 2007https://doi.org/10.5465/amp.2007.26421249AboutSectionsView articleView Full TextPDF/EPUB ToolsDownload CitationsAdd to favoritesTrack Citations ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail View articleAbstractThis article reviews the book “The Market for Virtue. The Potential & Limits of Corporate Social Responsibility,” written by David Vogel.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Vol. 21, No. 3 Permissions Metrics in the past 12 months History Published online 1 August 2007 Published in print 1 August 2007 Information© Academy of Management PerspectivesKeywordsBOOKS -- ReviewsSOCIAL responsibility of businessNONFICTIONDownload PDF

Book Review: The Market for Virtue

Book Review: The Market for Virtue : The Potential and Limits of Corporate Social Responsibility, by David Vogel

Book Review: The Market for Virtue: The Potential and Limits of Corporate Social Responsibility

Book Review: The Market for Virtue: The Potential and Limits of Corporate Social Responsibility

The Market for Virtue: The Potential and Limits of Corporate Social Responsibility. By DAVID VOGEL

The Market for Virtue: The Potential and Limits of Corporate Social Responsibility. By DAVID VOGEL

The Market for Virtue: The Potential and Limits of Corporate Social Responsibility

The Market for Virtue: The Potential and Limits of Corporate Social Responsibility. By David Vogel. Washington, DC: The Brookings Institute, 2005. 222p. $28.95.Is there a “market for virtue”? If so, what can it do, and what can it not do to improve our world? In his incisive new book, David Vogel takes aim at these questions and the now-fashionable claim that there is a business case for corporate social responsibility (CSR). He concludes that there is no business case that can be generalized to all firms per se, but there is a political case for broadening what we mean by that much-used term.

The market for virtue: the potential and limits of corporate social responsibility

In the highly praised The Market for Virtue, David Vogel presents a clear, balanced analysis of the contemporary corporate social responsibility (CSR) movement in the United States and Europe. In this updated paperback edition, Vogel discusses recent CSR initiatives and responds to new developments in the CSR debate. He asserts that while the movement has achieved success in improving some labor, human rights, and environmental practices in developing countries, there are limits to improving corporate conduct without more extensive and effective government regulation. Put simply, Vogel believes that there is a market for virtue, but it is limited by the substantial costs of socially responsible business behaviour.

Global Production, Company Codes of Conduct, and Labor Conditions in China: A Case Study of Two Factories

An attempt is made to understand the corporate ethical codes movement in China by drawing on case studies of two factories that had to respond to the corporate social responsibility programs. The process of implementation of corporate codes is examined at the company level along with the implication of code practices for labour rights.

Grange Primary School, Southwark, London

Five to SevenVol. 1, No. 2 Improving PracticeGrange Primary School, Southwark, LondonSangeeta BhadresaSangeeta BhadresaSearch for more papers by this authorSangeeta BhadresaPublished Online:27 Sep 2013https://doi.org/10.12968/ftse.2001.1.2.16959AboutSectionsPDF/EPUB ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InEmail AbstractWhen the first league tables in 1996 were the first ever to be published in 1997, Grange Primary School came last, nationally. FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsCited byThe Limits of Corporate Social Responsibility: Techniques of Neutralization, Stakeholder Management and Political CSR2 March 2012 | Journal of Business Ethics, Vol. 112, No. 2 1 June 2001Volume 1Issue 2ISSN (print): 1473-4044 Metrics History Published online 27 September 2013 Published in print 1 June 2001 Information© MA Education LtdPDF download

Pharmaceutical marketing practices in the third world

Major criticisms of pharmaceutical marketing are summarized and industry responses identified. Analysis of this industry case study highlights ethical issues in marketing and the broader problem of harnessing enterprise to ensure quality of life and public good. A social control of business model is presented and the limits of corporate social responsibility delineated.