Critical Studies on Corporate Responsibility, Governance and Sustainability – Serie

Most people have believed that corporate social responsibility (CSR) played a significant role in the 2008 global financial crisis. However, little research has been done to reflect on the underlying issues of CSR in connection to the financial crisis. This collection brings together leading scholarly thinking to understand why CSR failed to prevent the global financial crisis, how corporate social irresponsibility (CSI) contributed to the financial crisis, and how we may reframe CSR or improve CSR frameworks to help prevent or mitigate any future financial and economic crises. This volume concentrates on three key themes: A critical review of the role of CSR played in the financial crisis and its underlying theses; A unique understanding of the institutionalization of CSR in codified rules and the application of CSR into business and management; and; An in-depth exploration of the future direction of CSR as post-crisis agenda.

The recent global financial crisis has indicated that the conventional dominant paradigm in finance is unable to cope with the problems of financial systems, markets, and behaviour of financial institutions, and failed to understand the proper role of finance in society and the economic system as a whole. Drawing on the recent movements of corporate social responsibility, socially responsible investing and sustainable development, this volume goes further to examine the ongoing making of financial reality towards social responsibility and sustainability, and aims at a better understanding of finance as a collective construct and endeavour embedded in societal context. Bringing together leading scholarly thinking, this collection opens new avenues of comprehending corporate social responsibility, reveals mechanisms and strategies in shaping the reality of responsible finance, searches alternative approaches towards financial sustainability, and explores new thinking of coping with complex financial choice and financial risks. Moving away from the conventional financial paradigm, this volume demonstrates paradigm shifting in the financial world and provides fresh insights on how we may reshape the financial reality to enable societal betterment and prevent any future financial crisis.

In recent years' research on business and sustainability, particular attention is being given to the motivations driving business managers to incorporate social and environmental strategies into their day-to-day business activities. Such research is critical to the evaluation of green management whether viewed from the perspective of academics, managers, policy makers or business students. This volume aims to assist readers to navigate the conceptual maze surrounding discussions of business and sustainability by offering critical reflection on the state of business action for environmental sustainability and providing evidence about what is actually taking place in real localities and businesses. The chapters in the volume are focusing on sustainability issues that are critical, topical, and needed at this stage of the discussion. The volume makes three main contributions. First, it offers a critical review of business engagement with sustainability from four perspectives: sustainability as a political project; sustainability as a response to environmental crisis, sustainability as business opportunity and sustainability as stakeholder management. Second, the volume examines actual experience in terms of the steps being taken by business and how these have affected business performance. Third, the volume provides case studies of individual organizations or institutions that reveal tensions and challenges to progressing sustainable business strategies and that offer insight into the prospects for changing the relationship of business to the environment.

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has become an increasingly heated topic since the 1980s. But there are severe limitations with the concept of CSR and the effectiveness of CSR practices. Addressing such limitations, this volume proposes that the concept of Corporate Social Irresponsibility (CSI) offers a better theoretical platform to avoid the vagueness, ambiguity, arbitrariness and mysticism of CSR. It challenges conventional modes of thinking, unveils the CSR mask of business practices and redirects public attention to the core issues of CSR. This collective work sets up an initial theoretical framework for the subject of CSI and examines the fundamental reasons for irresponsibility in and beyond a corporate context. Rooted in theory and practice it seeks to understand how boundaries of CSR and CSI have been constructed in society, and explores some systemic and structural issues of CSI in practice.

The aim of the book series is to explore public concerns and practical issues deeply and rethink theoretical debates and institutional policies critically in the broad area of corporate responsibility, corporate governance and sustainability around the world. It examines the social, economic and environmental impacts of corporations, and the real effects of corporate governance, CSR and business sustainability on societies in different regions. It facilitates a better understanding of how value systems, cultures and traditions in different societies may affect the policies and practices of corporate responsibility, governance and sustainability. It identifies the future development trends of corporate responsibility, governance and sustainability in contexts when examining and exploring those key issues.

The history of modern Socially Responsible Investment began with the Apartheid crisis in South Africa in the 1970s. When asked if divestment played a role in ending South African Apartheid, Nelson Mandela answered "undoubtedly". But what about SRI in the 21st century, does it make a difference for society? The first part of this book explores the innovative approach of socially responsible investors in building engagement approaches, mobilizing networks, developing new products, and proposing alternative models showing the potential to create change. The second part interrogates the limits of SRI in making a difference. It questions the potential of SRI to create change but also proposes ways to increase societal impacts of SRI. The last section of the volume addresses the boarder issues of values and governance and shows how they are central in the SRI discussion. The book takes a critical but constructive stance on SRI with the objective of contributing to the capacity and ability of SRI to make a difference. Little research has been undertaken on the societal impacts of SRI. With this book we contribute to this debate, pushing the boundaries of SRI even further.

This book offers a groundbreaking collection of chapters in the emerging field of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Communication. After outlining a theoretical framework, the themed sections cover: (1) Communication in CSR: The Communicative Role, Strategy and Evaluation; (2) CSR Discourses and Corporate Reporting; (3) CSR Online Communication and Social Media; (4) The Role of Stakeholders in CSR Communication: Managers, Employees and Consumers. The 18 chapters explore the theory, practice and issues involved in communicating CSR and make for fascinating reading. An international approach is taken with leading academics and consultants from Australia, Germany, UK, the Netherlands, Poland, Singapore, USA, Sweden, Switzerland and France. The anonymously peerreviewed chapters are theoretically informed and supported with practicebased realworld insights. Rich and detailed they describe, explain and analyse the "why", "what", "when" and "how" of communicating about CSR. As well as furthering theory and academic debate the book will help inform policy and practice. Leading edge, topical and current this book will be essential reading for corporate communicators, business practitioners, academics, students and all those interested in the subjects of CSR and Communication.

There is growing public interest and concern regarding the sustainability of communities. This volume offers a critical review of current trends around Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and sustainability activities in developing and emerging economies. The book makes three main contributions. First, it argues that while CSR and sustainability are global concerns, they are embedded in institutional contexts. Second, it suggests that these are not merely business issues; other stakeholders can and should play an important role in societal and environmental sustainability and development. Third, CSR and sustainability are not isolated from business and can be integrated in business strategy and corporate governance structures. The book offers a conceptual paradigm and empirical evidence as to how businesses and other stakeholders in developing and emerging economies can ensure their activities make a positive contribution to the communities and countries in which they operate. With topical and current issues discussed, it is a 'must have' for business practitioners, policy makers, experts in supranational organizations, academics and students.

"This book is about the management of social capital processes as they are accomplished-understood, experienced and shaped-by owner-managers. The aim of the book is to develop a deeper understanding of these management processes, and thereby to contribute to a greater congruence between lived social capital perspectives and experiences, and theoretical and empirical literature. The book argues that social capital processes are context dependent and hence cannot be fully understood within an economic understanding of rationality. It follows that claims for the universality of the economic way of looking at life, and for looking at social capital processes are over-stated. Predicated on this insight the book investigates economic notions of rationality, as well as other perspectives on rationality in the management of social capital processes."

As a response to ongoing economic, social and environmental crises, many private actors have enlarged their definition of 'value' to include environmental and social elements. Such practices, however, appear incompatible with the current epistemological structure of academic financial discourse. This paradox challenges us to reconsider the foundations of modern finance, particularly the dominant role of shareholders.The volume argues there is a need to turn the established order upside down. Studies in economics and finance have to be embedded in environmental and social welfare to answer the challenges we face, and there is a need for a radical break with the methodological individualism that dominates economics, management and (especially) finance. It is our responsibility to question social welfare when it is defined only as maximising shareholder value. Should we instead promote a substitute to the shareholder? How should we (re)define the concept of value? This volume serves as a stepping stone for rethinking academic finance, and attempts to carve out innovative paths for financial research in the 21st century.

Critical Studies on Corporate Responsibility, Governance and Sustainability examines the social, economic and environmental impacts of corporations, and the real effects of corporate governance, CSR and business sustainability on societies in different regions. It facilitates a better understanding of how value systems, cultures and traditions in different societies may affect the policies and practices of corporate responsibility, governance and sustainability. The latest volume in the series identifies the future development trends of corporate responsibility, governance and sustainability in contexts when examining and exploring those key issues.

European approaches to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) are supposed to be largely different from those in other continents like America, Asia, and Africa. Yet, European approaches to CSR are not a single and static one, but vary across and within national states and shift over time. This edited volume aims at exploring the uniqueness and complexity of European CSR approaches, perspectives, and practices through a critical lens. It contributes to existing understanding of European CSR by addressing the frontier CSR issues in the current state at the EU, national and institutional levels. Specifically, the volume critically examines the macro-level CSR frameworks, policies, and trends and their impact on CSR practices at the micro-level, including the roles of EU and national governments in shaping the CSR landscape in similar and different ways. It also analyses how various stakeholder groups and business sectors and firms across major European countries perceive, interpret and approach CSR in a dynamic way. Contributors of this book are experts mainly from Western and Eastern European countries and thus provide rich experiences, fresh insights, and deep understanding of the critical state of CSR in Europe.

The Sustainability Debate is the result of a collaboration between academics and members of the Retail Institute predominantly working in retail and packaging industries. It responds to practitioners’ frustration with consumers’ emotionality and lack of knowledge around sustainability issues, problems often fostered by the media.  This fourteenth volume of Critical Studies on Corporate Responsibility, Governance and Sustainability thus puts together a debate that goes beyond the rhetoric of environmental protection and looks at sustainability from several angles. The book is predominantly focused on human and social sustainability and this focus is carried into sections that discuss sustainable policies, media and gender. This volume ultimately moves away from merely discussing environmental protection and shifts to the effect sustainable policies have on people and society. With a scope expanded to include human and social sustainability as well as economic sustainability, this book’s original contribution is that is sees sustainability as a dynamic and complex system of human, social and environmental aspects.

Corporate social responsibility has increased exponentially throughout the past decades and is of growing importance to the success of businesses internationally. Green management especially is at the forefront of new developments and initiatives in the face of the climate crisis, aiming to mitigate fundamental institutional misalignments in controlling drastic expansion and its adverse consequences on the environment.Strategic Corporate Responsibility and Green Management turns the focus to emerging economies, in particular India and Mexico. Offering both criticism and examples of effective projects, the chapter authors consider the technological solutions for women’s empowerment in India, waste management for combating COVID-19, a case study of Coca Cola in India and the tragedy of the commons, corporate responsibility in MSMEs, a study of Mexican companies and corporate social responsibilities impact on the sustainable development goals, and errors in corporate social responsibility. This volume of Critical Studies on Corporate Responsibility, Governance and Sustainability harnesses corporate responsibility and green management to integrate social and environmental concerns into productive business operations, paving the way for future successes in emerging economies.The series facilitates idea exchanges and research collaborations between developed and developing countries, and between the West and the East. It promotes best ideas, values, practices and innovations in corporate governance, corporate responsibility and sustainability in the world and encourages holistic thinking, cross-disciplinary research, multiple perspectives and the use of various research approaches and methods.

Rethinking Finance in the Face of New Challenges provides an overview of the new research perspectives devoted to financial activity, reconsidering the opposition between orthodox and heterodox schools of finance. The purpose is to identify new theoretical and practical issues around the concepts of values, radical uncertainty, and financial instability, but also to examine the consequences of the financialisation process on the dynamics of organisations and markets, as well as on value production mechanisms.This fifteenth volume of Critical Studies on Corporate Responsibility, Governance and Sustainability begins by exploring the globalisation and financialisation of economies, central banks and corporate strategies before switching to focus on financial value as a historically situated social construct. The book then examines the relationship between finance, social value and sustainable development and presents several avenues for reflection with a view to a paradigmatic renewal of research and teaching in finance.At a time when an unprecedented infectious and sanitary crisis is generating disastrous financial, economic, social and societal repercussions, the work presented in this book will stimulate reflection and contribute to the renewal of a Finance that now has to face many new social, societal and environmental challenges.