A concept that encourages organizations to consider the interests of society by taking responsibility for the impact of their activities on customers, employees, shareholders, communities and the environment in all aspects of its operations.

Goes beyond the statutory obligation to comply with legislation

Sees organizations voluntarily taking further steps to improve the quality of life for: employees and their families local community society at large

“The Government sees CSR as the business contribution to our sustainable development goals. … It is about how business takes account of its economic, social and environmental impacts in the way it operates – maximising the benefits and minimising the downsides … with minimum legal requirements” http://www.csr.gov.uk/whatiscsr.shtml

Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR)

Forum for the Future AccountAbility

“sustainability makes a positive contribution to business success”

“an investment in a strategic asset or distinctive capability, rather than an expense” (May, 2003)

CSR programmes are an effort to distract the public from the ethical questions posed by their core operations.

CSR motivated by self-interest – corporations solely seeking to maximise profits are unable to advance the interests of society as a whole.

Companies do not pay the full costs of their impact – eg. costs of cleaning pollution often fall on society in general

Increasingly using CSR as a means of protecting their public image via PR strategies

Are they actually acting socially responsibly?

1972-1992 Lago Agrio, Ecuador Dumped crude oil

waste 700 open-air toxic-pits Chevron claims:

‘complied with Ecuadorian law and didn't put profits before the need to protect the environment.’

“At Chevron corporate responsibility means integrating social and environmental considerations into the company's core business practices to maximise the positive impact of its operations on current and future generations.”

Spring 1995, USA Water Environment Agency

contacted authors concerned about book title

‘Toxic sludge’ now called ‘bio-solids’

Environmental Protection Agency funded education programme to persuade farmers to use it as fertilizer

11 year court battle:McDonalds won

2004 misrepresented its oil reserves

May 2002: guilty of false advertising over sweatshops

1994: 81 year old burns victim sues for $2.9 million

1998-present: accused of monopolies

2006: salmonella probe into 1 million bars

Increasingly business is relying on PR and information overload to deflect attention

See Edward Bernays Godfather of PR Founded Council on Public Relations 1920s PR = propaganda

Savvy PR industry

Can’t hide the truth

Instead they deflect it!

Might look like fiction but…

1. Denial Outright or shift the blame

2. Evade responsibility Provocation; unavoidable; accident; good

intentions went awry3. Reduce offensiveness

Bolster; minimization; differentiation; transcendence; attack accuser; compensation

4. Corrective action5. Mortification

1. Apologise

“In today’s “promotional” and “public relations” society in which contending organised interests clash and clamour for public recognition, support and legitimacy in pursuit of their claims and aims, the media have become central arena for the conduct of communicative action.” (Cottle, 2003: 24)

Dominant Interests are reproduced in the media

Controlling Sources Mediating Representation

CSR is largely a myth CSR is largely unaccountable CSR is a PR strategy