D.Litt. et Phil. (Development Studies) / Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a growing field in South Africa with companies dedicating substantial financial and human resources to social, economic and environmental development. However, limited research has been conducted of CSR as an emerging field of enquiry and practise in Development Studies and of its contribution to social and sustainable environmental development. The aim of the study was to gain knowledge and understanding (verstehen) about how CSR is conceptualised and implemented in South Africa with the view to making recommendations that could grow CSR as an integral component of sustainable development in society. In order to achieve this, a qualitative research design was adopted for the study which was of an applied nature as the findings were to inform theory and practise. The study was undertaken through the use of a non-probability purposive sampling method which entailed study and analysis of ten multi-industry listed companies in South Africa. The companies were selected based on pre-determined criteria and involved both nationally based and subsidiaries of multinational companies. In view of the fact that CSR involves active engagement of a diverse range of stakeholders, the perspectives of internal and external stakeholders were solicited. Internal stakeholders involved CSR managers and practitioners while external stakeholders identified were representatives from trade unions, NGOs, Tripartite institutions, government officials, community leaders and the actual beneficiaries of the companies' CSR initiatives. In total, thirty (30) respondents were selected from the different stakeholder groups that were made up as follows: ten (10) respondents from the companies, ten (10) from the external stakeholders which included representatives from the following sectors: government, Non-governmental Organizations (NGO), trade unions, Tripartite institutions and Business and lastly, ten (10) representatives which comprised the community beneficiaries of the CSR programmes.

M.Comm. / The purpose of this study is to explore and substantiate why Corporate Social and Environmental Responsibility (CSER) is important as a business practice in order to meet the productivity levels, enhance the image or reputation, financial bottom line and sustainability of the company. The belief that Business has a socio-economic responsibility is not a new proposition. Peter Drucker a well renowned sociologist argued that firms have a social dimension as well as an economic purpose in his second book, The Future of Industrial Man, in 1942. During the late 1960's and 1970's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) emerged as a top management concern in both the United States and in Europe only to seemingly disappear in the 1980's. Today, Corporate Social Responsibility is back on the agenda of many CEOs. This time it is also on the agenda of governments, both national and local, as well as NGOs, consumer groups, investors and other actors in civil society. The concept of CSER has now become an important business practice hence the need to further investigate its relevance within the South African context. Recently CSER as business practice has emerged as an important factor due to the everincreasing emphasis on human and environmental rights. The pressures for business to behave in an ethical manner has broadened its core functions, hence the need to embrace it in the organisational strategy. Due to some of these reasons CSER has now become a buzzword in the corporate world, among civil society groups and other stakeholders who have an interest in the behaviour of business. This spotlight has led to a more voluntary factoring in of ethical practices, social policies in the overall internal and external organisational strategy and operations of business. The raison d' etre for this paradigm shift, is also exacerbated by the new business focus, on triple bottom line reporting, which not only emphasises the financial bottom line but also transparency and accountability in the social and environmental aspects which are integral to the firm. The latter mentioned areas have become important benchmarks for overall performance, reporting and disclosure to stakeholders.

Europeiska Unionens strategi för biologisk mångfald 2020, har snart avklarats, och tiden är inne för att bedöma strategins styrkor och svagheter. Allt som nedbrytningen av ekosystem och förlust av biologisk mångfald fortsätter att öka, är betydelsen av den politiska beslutsprocessen och politikers tillvägagångsätt mot ett hållbart utnyttjande av ekosystemtjänster större än någonsin tidigare. Med sex huvudmål och 20 åtgärder för att nå dessa mål, analyserar denna studien innebörden och kontexten av dessa åtgärder för att se hur ansvar i förhållande till tillvägagångssätt har en inverkan på åtgärdens samt strategins produktivitet. En modell skapades för att visa de specifika koderna, och relationen mellan tillvägagångsätt (direkt och indirekt ansvar) och produktivitet. / The European Union biodiversity strategy 2020 has soon run its course, and it is time to start assessing its success as well as its weaknesses. As the degradation of ecosystems and loss of biodiversity continues to speed up, the importance of political governance and policy makers’ approaches toward a sustainable use of ecosystem services, and loss of the loss of biodiversity, is greater than ever. With six targets and 20 actions to reach these goals, this study analyzes their content and context to see if responsibility, with regards to approach, has an impact on the productivity of the action, and the strategy. This has led to the creation of a model, mapping the actions and specific codes in an effort to find a relationship between the approach (direct and indirect responsibility) and productivity.

This research takes elements of the scholarship on environmentalism -- political theory and ethical philosophy -- and evaluates them together in the context of the conflict over salvage logging in the Rogue-Siskiyou National Forest in Oregon. I tell the story of the conflict through a history of land and fire management in the U.S. Through a closely detailed account of the anti-salvage logging activism, I explore the gap between ethics and political responsibility and how they unfold in this battle against deforestation. This research offers an in-depth look into how the environmental movement struggled internally to identify goals, and to challenge powerful economic and political systems that prevent significant change from taking root. I argue that the environmental movement needs a theory of environmental responsibility as a framework by which to better understand the strategies and complexities of environmental conflicts. The task of environmental responsibility is to confront the challenge of how to make the environmental movement responsive to the political and economic conditions that produce conflicts, and how environmentalism can overcome the limits of liberal individualism. As forests continue to dwindle, and as activists across the nation mobilize to stop the Keystone XL pipeline that will carry Canadian tar sands to the Gulf of Mexico, the future of environmentalism has never been more critical. / Ph. D.

This study is based on discussions with three focus groups on the issue of individuals' views on environmental responsibility in everyday life. Responsibility is the red thread that emerged from the empirical material from the focus groups and the theoretical framework. The discussions have been focused on whether the problems from household related environmental issues are caused by individual or structural reasons and whether they should be resolved through changes in individuals' behavior or helping structures. Car usage has been a particular focus, since from all household activities that is the one causing the greatest environmental impact (SCB 2015b). Objectively speaking, most participants argued that environmental problems are or should be easy to solve and that the solutions should involve influencing individuals' values ​​and norms, thus referring to internal factors. Based on the individual's own situation, however, most participants indicated mainly external factors as obstacles from living out environmental responsibility in the way that they felt they should. Tendencies of various psychological and sociological defense mechanisms could be distinguished, which is an expected impact of the cognitive dissonance that many apparently are experiencing regarding environmental responsibility. Working for enabling structures is an important conclusion from this study. Regarding the car's role it is likely that it is about finding more ways of helping individuals to change their travel mode since the environmental impact of car usage is something that most people are aware of, but feel unable to change. Solutions must therefore involve external factors. / Denna uppsats bygger på samtal med tre fokusgrupper i frågan om individers syn på miljöansvar i vardagen. Ansvar är den röda tråd som vuxit fram mellan det empiriska materialet från fokusgrupperna och det teoretiska ramverket. Det har handlat om huruvida problem kopplade till hushållsrelaterade miljöfrågor är orsakade av individuella eller strukturella anledningar och om de bör lösas genom förändringar i individers beteenden eller hjälpande strukturer. Bilanvändningen har getts ett särskilt fokus, då det av hushållens olika aktiviteter är den som orsakar allra störst miljöpåverkan (SCB 2015b). Rent objektivt konstaterade de flesta deltagarna att miljöproblem är eller borde vara enkla att lösa, att lösningarna handlar om att påverka individers värderingar och normer, alltså inre faktorer. Utifrån individernas egen situation angavs dock främst yttre faktorer som hinder från att leva ut det miljöansvar på de sätt som de kände att de borde. Tendenser till olika psykologiska och sociologiska försvarsmekanismer kunde skönjas, vilka är väntade effekter av den kognitiva dissonans som många tycks uppleva i fråga om miljöansvar. Att arbeta för möjliggörande strukturer är därför en viktig slutsats. Gällande bilens roll, kan förmodas att det även här handlar om att hitta fler hjälpande sätt för individer att ändra färdsätt, då miljöeffekterna av bilanvändningen är något som de flesta är medvetna om men själva känner sig oförmögna att förändra. Lösningarna måste därför handla om yttre faktorer. / <p>Alternativ svensk titel:</p><p>Ingen kan inte göra allt, men alla kan göra något? - En komparativ studie om hur individer resonerar kring miljöansvar i vardagen</p>

Thesis (MComm)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: One of the biggest problems facing businesses in the future will be the conservation of the environment. The purpose of this study is to determine how a company can implement a socially responsible ecological strategy successfully, and more specific the companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. The study consists of two sections, namely an in-depth theoretical literature study into the implementation of a socially responsible ecological strategy and secondly an empirical study on the implementation of such a strategy. The focus is on the different stages in the strategic implementation process, namely the formulation and planning phases, the implementation phase and the exercising of control over the implementation process. An attempt is made to bring the strategy implementation process into relation with the implementation of a socially responsible ecological strategy which will ensure the successful implementation of the strategy. Aspects surrounding the environmental issues were also integrated in this study, namely green activism in South Africa, current legislation and the influence of the green consumer on the welfare of companies. The results indicated that almost two thirds (66,67 %) of the companies in this study are following a socially responsible ecological strategy. These companies who do follow a socially responsible ecological strategy are also more strategic orientated than companies who do not follow a socially responsible ecological strategy. Companies are well aware of the influence that the green consumer can have on their businesses, but green activism has not yet gathered momentum in South Africa to put companies under pressure ensuring to follow a socially responsible ecological strategy. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die bewaring van die omgewing is een van die grootste aktuele vraagstukke van die toekoms wat ondernemings in die gesig staar. Die doel van hierdie studie is om te bepaal hoe 'n sosiaal verantwoordelike ekologiese strategie suksesvol geïmplementeer kan word, met spesifieke verwysing na maatskappye genoteer op die Johannesburgse Aandelebeurs. Die studie bestaan uit twee gedeeltes, naamlik 'n indiepte teoretiese literatuurstudie na die implementering van 'n sosiaal verantwoordelike ekologiese strategie en tweedens 'n empiriese ondersoek na die implementering van sodanige strategie. Daar word gefokus op die verskillende stadia in die strategiese implementeringsproses, naamlik die formulerings- en beplanningsfase, die implementeringsfase en die uitoefening van doeltreffende beheer oor die implementeringsproses. Verder word gepoog om die strategie implementeringsproses in verband te bring met die implementering van 'n sosiaal verantwoordelike ekologiese strategie wat die suksesvolle implementering van die strategie sal verseker. Ondersoek is ook ingestel na faktore rondom die omgewingskwessie, naamlik groen aktivisme in Suid-Afrika, huidige wetgewing en die invloed van die groen verbruiker op die welvaart van die onderneming. Die resultate toon dat feitlik twee derdes (66,67 %) van die ondernemings in hierdie studie wel 'n sosiaal verantwoordelike ekologiese strategie volg. Hierdie ondernemings wat 'n sosiaal verantwoordelike ekologiese strategie volg is ook meer strategies georiënteerd as ondernemings wat nie 'n sosiaal verantwoordelike ekologiese strategie volg nie. Ondernemings besef die invloed van die groen verbruiker op die welvaart van hulondernemings, maar groen aktivisme het nog nie inslag gevind in Suid-Afrika om ondernemings onder druk te plaas om 'n sosiaal verantwoordelike ekologiese strategie te volg nie.

published_or_final_version / Environmental Management / Master / Master of Science in Environmental Management

published_or_final_version / Geography / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

Corporate environmental responsibilities of organizations have become an eminent consideration among organizational managers and scholars in recent years. Environmental issues have gained much momentum that virtually every group of stakeholders is now demanding environmental efficiency from contemporary organizations. This study investigated environmental practices of two logistics companies in Sweden with the aim to shed light on the measures taken by these companies in response to the environmental impacts of their business activities. We investigated: How and why are logistics service providers in Sweden responding to the demand for environmental responsible business practice?   Based on a qualitative research design, a case study was conducted with DHL and PostNord AB. The results of the study show that the case companies perform environmental practices to reduce the carbon emissions of their business operations due to stakeholders demand. The findings identify stakeholders such as, customers, the Swedish government and shareholders/investors as those that exert the most pressure on the case companies regarding their environmental practices and initiatives.

The research into the relationship between social-environmental responsibility and financial performance continues to draw the attention of both scholars and practitioners. This is because previous studies have not presented an unequivocal outcome as to the direction of causation between the two constructs. To address this obvious gap, this study explores the relationship between corporate environmental responsibility and financial performance with a focus on the extractive sector where previous studies least investigated empirically and one of the worst culprits in environmental degradation. The study explores the impact of corporate environmental responsibility on the financial performance in the extractive sector using a pooled secondary data of 101 multinational extractive companies for the period of 2008-2010 and primary data from a survey of 275 extractive sector managers. The results of this study show that there is no relationship between corporate environmental responsibility and financial performance while the environmental attitude of managers is positively related to the perceived corporate reputation of their companies. A further investigation shows that sector unique characteristics are responsible for the neutral relationship between corporate environmental responsibility and financial performance. However, some results show statistically insignificant positive relation and this points to the fact that in the long-term, poor sensitivity to the environment may not be sustainable.