Corporate Social Responsibility Research Articles

Įmonių socialinės atsakomybės atskleidimo vertinimas didžiausiuose Lietuvos bankuose

The article examines the importance and regulation of corporate social responsibility disclosure. Based on the GRI standards and the recommendations of the Bank of Lithuania, the paper develops a methodology for calculating the corporate social responsibility index and a model for assessing its quality. The paper presents the results of an empirical study conducted to assess the disclosure of corporate social responsibility in the financial statements of the largest Lithuanian banks in the period 2018-2022. The results show that Lithuanian banks tend to disclose more than 91% of the recommended socially responsible information, while the quality of the reports, according to the selected criteria, reaches 64-82%. Nevertheless, it was noted that some banks do not produce CSR reports and publish group reports in languages other than Lithuanian. Some reports show signs of poor quality: the objectives are not specific and measurable and the textual information is repetitive throughout the study period.

Assessing the relevance of the concept of political corporate social responsibility in management research

AbstractShould we still use the concept of political corporate social responsibility (PCSR) in management research? In response to recent and significant challenges in the management literature regarding the relevance of PCSR as a concept, we conduct a review of the literature in the field. We combine a bibliometric analysis and a qualitative content analysis to assess the use of the concept of PCSR between 2005 and 2022. We contribute to the PCSR literature in four ways: First, we map the field of PCSR in order to develop an objective understanding of the concept. Second, we demonstrate that PCSR exhibits the features of a concept, and that current research has begun to address some of the significant challenges that question its relevance. Third, we identify the four pillars at the base of the concept and uncover a fifth pillar: the dynamic perspective of PCSR. Last, we propose research directions to strengthen the PCSR concept and enrich its contributions to theory and practice.

The perils of ‘tech for good’ lie in its politics of helping

Vexing political questions of power, inequality and coloniality permeate the tech sector and its growing use of global ‘virtual’ assembly lines that see them penetrate even refugee camps in efforts to extract value. As a response, tech companies have been expanding non-commercial activities within a presumed framework of humanitarianism, in part, trying to outweigh the negative implications of unjust business practices often characterised by third-party avoidance of responsibility. This commentary focuses on tech companies’ engagement with people in the Global South – not as recipients of tech beneficence – but as labourers who make tech possible. First, we document why companies are brought into humanitarian crises, and then we briefly chart examples of the practices of tech companies in the Global South. Then, we argue that ‘tech for good’, often presumed as altruistic, instead reproduces an expansive history of questionable corporate social responsibility efforts that sustain inequalities more than assuaging them. We conclude by reflecting on the impact of commodifying compassion for humanitarian helping and argue that tech companies should stop trying to ‘help’ through self-perceived altruistic activities. Instead, corporations should focus on remaking their core business practices in an image of justice, protection, and equal value creation, particularly in contexts characterised by vulnerability.

Do companies walk the talk? Commitments and actions in global supply chain labor standards

This article examines the efforts towards implementing minimum labor standards in global supply chains through the lens of corporate social responsibility. The adoption of supplier codes of conduct has driven efforts to monitor and enforce standards within these chains. Nonetheless, challenges persist in translating commitment into action, giving rise to gaps in implementation. We address two critical phenomena: corporations' varying internalization of responsibility to implement labor standards, and the translation of these written commitments into actions. Through two distinct studies, we explore how companies ‘walk the talk’, and navigate the gaps between corporate recognition of responsibility and the establishment of management systems to implement labor standards. The first study demonstrates that a minority of companies are diligent in committing to implement their codes. Only 17% accept a shared responsibility to implement the code, and most companies only refer to audit visits or the termination of supplier contract as mechanisms put in place. The second study does not find conclusive evidence of a correlation between corporate commitments and the evaluation of their corporate sustainability practices in supply chains as evaluated by KnowtheChain. However, results suggest that companies do better when they promote the collaborative approach with suppliers in their implementation efforts.

The Role of Board Gender Diversity, Age Diversity, and Foreign Experience on CSR

This research aims to provide empirical evidence regarding the role of board gender diversity, age diversity and foreign experience on corporate social responsibility (CSR). This research was conducted on property and real estate sector companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange 2018-2022. The research sample obtained 210 observations taken through purposive sampling. Data analysis was carried out using regression analysis with Stata software. The research results prove that board gender diversity has a negative influence on CSR, age diversity has a positive influence on CSR and foreign experience has an influence on CSR.

Corporate Social Responsibility in top football league in Europe

Sport occupies a significant and impactful position in the lives of many individuals, evoking intense emotions and consistently captivating a broad audience. In today’s economy, the emphasis on sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR) prompts scrutiny into whether top football clubs are actively embracing and aligning with these initiatives. To delve into this, the study focused on the top 11 clubs in the English Premier League, distinguished by revenue, and examined their expenditures on CSR initiatives. Despite heavy promotion of CSR initiatives by these clubs, analysis reveals relatively modest actual expenditures on these activities, especially when compared to leading global enterprises. The comparatively low expenditures may stem from flaws in the sports model or an overemphasis on marketing and public relations.

Methodological Validation of the Cooperative Social Responsibility Measurement Instrument

This research is part of the project "Corporate Social Responsibility in Ecuadorian savings and credit cooperatives. A multi-case analysis and proposal for the development of a cooperative education program" and examines the synergy between cooperative principles, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the dimensions proposed for a Cooperative Social Responsibility (CSR) measurement model in Ecuador. It explores how these dimensions converge to promote ethical, sustainable and socially responsible practices, aligned with current regulatory compliance. CSR has become increasingly important in cooperatives, becoming a fundamental practice that encompasses cooperative governance, economic, social, environmental, ethical and technological dimensions. This study describes the methodological process for the validation of a CSR instrument in cooperatives, reviewed and validated by experts from Spain, Ecuador, Guatemala, Argentina and Cuba, using the Delphi method to reach a consensus on the relevance and clarity of the questionnaire items. This process ensures that the instrument is suitable for assessing CSR practices in credit unions, providing a reliable tool for the continuous improvement of their operations.

Do Good, Have Good: Mandatory CSR Policy and Foreign Subsidiary Performance in India

In 2013, the Companies Act in India mandated that foreign subsidiaries with specified profitability and size spend at least 2% of their net income on corporate social responsibility (CSR). The study uses this natural experiment to isolate the impact of CSR spending on multinational enterprise (MNE) subsidiary performance. Using a triple difference estimation method on 175 foreign subsidiaries from 2005 to 2020, this study finds a positive impact of the compulsory CSR regulation on the CSR spender subsidiaries. We also find that higher institutional distance and greater subsidiary age benefit affected subsidiaries, positively impacting their performance because of mandatory CSR spending. The findings offer suitable recommendations for managers and policymakers in emerging markets as navigating regulatory CSR policies in the host country requires considering both resource-based and institutional environment factors.

Utilising machine learning for corporate social responsibility (CSR) and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) evaluation: Transitioning from committees to climate

Transparency and accountability are critical components of corporate sustainability. This study uses machine learning and empirical analysis to examine the influence of corporate social responsibility (CSR) committees and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives on corporate sustainability. Using 2017–2021 Bloomberg Terminal data, we investigated the environmental footprints, disclosure practices, risk profiles, and ESG fund commitments of Fortune 500 companies. Key findings indicate that CSR committees positively impact environmental performance, with an increase in environmental responsibility over time. Policy implications highlight the necessity for collaboration to prioritize environmental sustainability and address climate risk disclosure auditing within the audit profession.

Organizational ethics and position relationship moderators among knowledge workers: a regional study of Poland

ABSTRACT This research explores organizational ethics among knowledge workers using ICT4Ds in regional enterprises in Poland before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The study addresses the importance of understanding how ethics in organizations, particularly ethical optimism, corporate social responsibility, and top management action, have evolved across these periods. This topic is crucial as organizational ethics influence employee behavior and decision-making, particularly during crises. The research question focuses on how organizational ethics, influenced by gender and the pandemic, differ by position. Online surveys and random sampling were employed to collect data among knowledge workers (139 before, 134 during, and 98 after the pandemic). The study applied multivariate statistical methods, including variance analysis and causal moderation. Findings were that superiors rated organizational ethics higher than subordinates, and ethical optimism fluctuated, rising during the pandemic and dropping afterward. The study contributes to understanding the role of gender and crises as moderators in organizational ethics, benefiting managers and policymakers.

Business as usual: framing labour exploitation in the UN global compact

ABSTRACT International governmental organizations have brought issues of forced labour, child labour, and human trafficking into the realm of corporate social responsibility with voluntary principles and guidelines for businesses to follow. Such efforts have been characterized differently by world society scholars, who see them as mechanisms for the diffusion of global norms, and critical scholars, who seem them as reflections of corporate power. I contribute to this debate by analyze framings of labour exploitation in the United Nations Global Compact’s written and verbal communication, exploring what is being conveyed. I find that the texts emphasize western businesses as the ‘real’ victims, threatened by human traffickers, suppliers, and consumers, while workers themselves are de-centered. The findings lend weight to critical scholars’ views, suggesting that the framings reflect business interests and support a status quo in which the political economy of labour exploitation can continue.

Compensation peer effects of corporate social responsibility

This article examines the role of CEOs' personal incentives in steering their firms' CSR initiatives following their compensation peers, subsequently influencing their career trajectories within their current firms. Specifically, we find that firms exhibit better corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance if their compensation peer (CP) firms demonstrated superior CSR performance in the prior year (i.e., the CP effect). To mitigate the endogeneity concern, we conduct analyses based on the termination (initiation) of CPs' peer relation with the focal firm, a benchmark test, and an instrumental variable analysis. To establish the mechanisms of internal monetary rewards from their firms and enhanced external career tournaments in the labor market, we show the CP effect is stronger if the focal company CEOs have compensation contracts specifying CSR performance targets, face a larger compensation shortfall relative to their CP counterparts, operate in closer geographical proximity to those CP CEOs, or hire more compensation consultants. Furthermore, we find that the probability and quantity of CSR contracts received by focal firms' CEOs increase with CPs' lagged CSR. CEOs receive higher compensation than those in CP firms after they deliver better CSR performance than their CPs. Overall, our paper highlights the role of CEOs' personal incentives in steering their firms' CSR initiatives, subsequently influencing their career trajectories within their current organizations.

Morality and Profit

The purpose of this paper is the application of David Welch’s typology of the four modalities in the relationship between morality and national interests to the relationship between morality and profit in the debate between the stockholder and stakeholder approaches to corporate social responsibility. The paper attempts to apply a typology from one branch of applied ethics (ethics in foreign affairs) to another (corporate social responsibility). The critical finding of the paper is that the relationship between morality and profit in corporate social responsibility is more varied than in the existing literature, and more instructive as to how businesses actually understand their values and place in society.

Impact Of Corporate Social Responsibility Awareness, The Intermediate Role of Organizational Trust on Employee Work Performance: A Study at Pesticide Production Enterprises in The Mekong Delta

This article is completed from research at enterprises operating in the field of plant protection products in the Mekong Delta - Vietnam, the purpose of the research is to examine the impact of corporate social responsibility awareness (PCSR) on employee performance (EWR), perceived task orientation (IRTP), organizational citizenship behavior at the individual level (OCB-I) and the organizational level (OCB-O), through the mediating role of organizational trust (OT), the moderating role of organizational reputation (OR). Through pilot testing of 100 samples and official quantitative survey of 385 samples to test Cronbach's Alpha coefficients, EFA, CFA and SEM structural model using SPSS, AMOS Version 4.2. The results show that: PCSR has a positive impact on EWR with OT as the intermediary. There is a moderating effect of OR on the relationship between PCSR and OT. The obtained coefficient values answered the hypotheses H1; H2a; H2b; H2c; H3; H4; H5; H6 respectively 0.687; 0.374; 0.606; 0.602; 0.229; 0.153; 0.159; 0.185. The results of the research model help business managers have more insight into the impact of corporate social responsibility awareness with the mediating role of organizational trust on employee work performance. Thereby, helping business leaders make appropriate adjustments to meet the desired goals of the business. The research is still limited in space and sample size.

Can Corporate Environmental Social Responsibility and Financial Performance Achieve a Win-win Situation in China? -From the Perspective of Executive Social Capital

ABSTRACT Based on the new market corporate social responsibility theory, enterprises try their best to achieve a win-win situation between environmental social responsibility and corporate financial performance. This paper quantifies corporate environmental social responsibility from the perspective of enterprise front-end governance, back-end governance and employee green behavior, based on the data of Chinese A-share listed companies from 2010 to 2022. Return on assets is used to measure the corporate financial performance. Then, from the perspective of executive social capital, this paper explores the threshold effect of environmental social responsibility on financial performance and draws the following conclusions: (1) In the short term, corporate environmental social responsibility exerts a negative effect on financial performance by augmenting R&D investment. In the long term, corporate environmental social responsibility has a positive effect on financial performance by enhancing reputation or reducing financing costs; (2) Specifically, compared with employee green behavior, front-end and back-end governance have a notably substantial adverse effect on corporate financial performance; (3) When executive social capital crosses a specific threshold, the negative impact of corporate environmental social responsibility commitment on financial performance becomes insignificant. Consequently, this study suggests that bolstering executive social capital is essential for concurrently advancing corporate environmental social responsibility and financial performance.

Analysis of the Effect of Corporate Social Responsibility on Company Management Performance

General Background: Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) significantly influences company performance in today’s business environment. Specific Background: Inconsistent findings exist regarding CSR's impact on management performance, particularly in Indonesia’s state-owned enterprises (BUMN). Knowledge Gap: This study addresses this gap by examining the effects of environmentally and socially oriented CSR on the management performance of BUMN companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) from 2019 to 2022. Aims: The study aims to empirically assess how CSR influences management performance using quantitative data from annual reports. Results: The findings reveal that both environmentally and socially oriented CSR positively impact management performance, with implications for financial outcomes. Novelty: This research offers new insights into the relationship between CSR initiatives and firm performance. Implications: The results provide valuable information for investors and corporate managers, highlighting the necessity of effective CSR strategies to enhance operational performance and build investor confidence. Highlights: Positive Impact: Both environmentally and socially oriented CSR significantly enhance management performance in BUMN companies. Investment Insights: Effective CSR strategies are essential for building investor confidence and improving financial outcomes. Research Contribution: This study fills the knowledge gap by empirically linking CSR initiatives to firm performance in Indonesia. Keywords: Corporate Social Responsibility, Management Performance, State-Owned Enterprises, Indonesia Stock Exchange, Financial Outcomes

CSR associations and market value: the moderating role of market competition

Purpose This paper aims to study the impact of consumers’ corporate social responsibility (CSR) associations on corporate financial performance and the moderating role of market competition. Design/methodology/approach The panel data set is analyzed using a random effects regression model. The analyzed data is based on the unique RepZ Responsibility scores published by the global research agency Kantar Millward Brown and contains information about consumer CSR associations. Findings This study reveals CSR associations' positive, lagged, direct impact on firms’ market value. Market competition moderates this relationship in the way that a company’s market value benefits more from consumers' CSR associations when facing high rather than low market competition. Practical implications Consumers' CSR perceptions increase the market value of a company. This effect is intensified when brands are exposed to intense competition, which allows conclusions about CSR as a differentiation strategy to be drawn: To stand out in a competitive market, brands should prioritize improving their CSR associations among consumers to differentiate themselves and increase their market value. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to test the effect of consumers’ CSR associations on forward-looking financial performance measures. Moreover, by analyzing the moderating effect of market competition on the relationship between CSR associations and firms' market value, this study provides information about the differentiating power of CSR from a brand perspective using a panel-data analysis.

The Effect of Corporate Social Responsibility on Tax Avoidance with the Moderating Role of Corporate Governance

Objective: This study explores the impact of corporate social responsibility on tax avoidance with the moderating role of corporate governance in Iraq. Research Method: The researcher selected a sample of companies listed on the Iraqi Stock Exchange, numbering (33). Data was taken from 2012 to 2022, and the data was analyzed using the Eviews 9 program. Findings: Iraqi companies suffer from slight levels of tax avoidance by adopting social responsibility practices and disclosing corporate governance. Companies' commitment to corporate social responsibility would add value to the company. Commitment to corporate social responsibility leads to reducing tax avoidance. Conclusion: We note from the study that there is a weakness in applying social responsibility accounting. Corporate governance and the application of its principles impact paying taxes and preventing avoidance and evasion of paying them. CSR and taxation have the same goal of improving the well-being of society The results of this study indicate that the higher the level of CSR activities, the higher the company's responsibility for its tax obligations. Corporate social responsibility is the taking of responsibility by a company for its actions as well as encouraging the creation of a positive impact through its activities on the environment, customers, employees, communities, stakeholders and all members of the public who can be considered stakeholders.

The impact of big fund on the operational efficiency of semiconductor companies: Corporate social responsibility as a non-economic output

This study contributes to research on the total factor operational efficiency of the semiconductor company considering corporate social responsibility (CSR) by proposing a novel integer-valued nonparametric frontier method. This method adopts an endogenous directional distance function, which first selects the benchmark and then endogenously determines the directional vector. Avoiding the issue of non-integer slack adjustment increases the convenience of formulating incentive plans and calculating efficiency. We apply this method to the input–output data of 185 listed Chinese semiconductor companies from 2010 to 2022, considering integer-valued CSR as non-economic output. Global Malmquist productivity index analysis shows that the average total factor operational efficiency of companies that received investment from the National Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund (Big Fund) increased by 6.9%. Using the econometric technique, we verify that the total factor operational efficiency of semiconductor companies receiving Big Fund investment increased by 0.084 compared to those without Big Fund investment. Heterogeneity analysis showed that the effect of Big Fund was more significant in improving the total factor operational efficiency of state-owned, new, and non-integrated circuit semiconductor companies, implying the necessity of purposeful investment policies for the Big Fund.

Unleashing the Mechanism in Green Finance, Corporate Social Responsibility and Shareholders Wealth: Insight from Quantile GMM

Unleashing the Mechanism in Green Finance, Corporate Social Responsibility and Shareholders Wealth: Insight from Quantile GMM