This thesis examines the effect of a responsible investment index (FTSE4Good) on corporate social responsibility (CSR). In the first study I investigate the impact of the FTSE engagement reinforced by the threat of exclusion from the index on companies’ improvements in environmental management. The results show that FTSE involvement doubles the probability that a company will meet stricter environmental management requirements within the three-year period 2002 to 2005. Both the dialogue and the exclusion threat stimulate compliance but the dialogue appears to be more effective where the perceived threat of exclusion is higher. The engagement effect persists for at least five years and is positively related to low concentrated ownership and to domicile in a coordinated market economy. In the second study I examine FTSE4Good’s effect on the probability that a company will implement strong countering bribery practices within the two-year time period 2007 to 2009. The results demonstrate that the combined effect of engagement and exclusion threat is significant in promoting compliance and the two act independently. Stronger anti-bribery provisions are positively associated with companies based in liberal market economies, with better internal governance and higher reputational concerns related to ethical controversies. In the third study I investigate FTSE4Good’s impact on companies’ compliance with climate change criteria. The results show that the index is able to stimulate compliance and the dialogue appears to contribute more than the exclusion threat. I also find that the likelihood of the company adopting the required practices is negatively associated with concentrated ownership and with strong internal governance. Finally, the results offer some evidence that compliance is related to subsequent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. These studies contribute to the understanding as to how different CSR areas are promoted or discouraged by the managers and the owners, and how the institutional environment influences this. The results are consistent with engagement via a responsible investment index being an effective means of large-scale collective monitoring by institutional investors. The findings are also relevant for policy makers who wish to promote active ownership.

Problemformulering och syfte: Den senaste tiden har frågan kring mjölkböndernas rådande situation fått mer uppmärksamhet. Denna uppmärksamhet har i sin tur resulterat i att olika initiativ för att stödja mjölkproducenterna har uppstått. Bland annat det initiativ som genomförs av ICA tillsammans med LRF samt ett initiativ från Axfood. Med hjälp av ett Corporate Social Responsibility-perspektiv, vill vi i denna studie beskriva organisationernas övergripande arbete och initiativet, samt se hur dessa organisationer kommunicerat sina respektive initiativ. Syftet med studien är att utifrån ett sändar- och CSR-perspektiv beskriva några utvalda organisationers initiativ för att kommunikativt stödja mjölkbönderna. Metod och material: I studien har vi använt oss av en informantintervju med en mjölkproducent och totalt tre respondentintervjuer med representanter från ICA, LRF och Axfood. Vi har även valt att göra en kvalitativ innehållsanalys av undersidor från respektive organisations hemsida. Huvudresultat: De huvudsakliga resultaten i denna studie är att begreppet Corporate Social Responsibility uppfattas olika av de organisationer som medverkat i studien. Trots att CSR-perspektivets definitioner pekar på att organisationernas arbete för samhällsfrågor kan benämnas som CSR, valde vissa organisationer att avstå från begreppet. Initiativen genomfördes och kommunicerades på skilda sätt, men med det gemensamma målet att väcka medvetenhet och uppmuntra till handling

<p><strong>Abstract</strong></p><p>Date: 2008-11-5</p><p><strong>Level</strong><strong>:</strong>           C thesis in Business Administration, 15ECT</p><p><strong>Authors</strong>:       Beatrice Yola Konlaan       Prince kofi Hanson</p><p><strong>Tutor:           </strong>Mats Viimne</p><p><strong>Title:             </strong>The Impact of Corporate Social Responsibility on an Organization’s  stakeholders: Case study: DHL, Sweden.</p><p><strong>Problem:</strong>      How does a corporate social responsibility performance    benefit its stakeholders?</p><p><strong>Purpose:</strong>       This research work will seek to find out how aware DHL is about CSR activities and in what ways this awareness can be impacted on its Stakeholders.</p><p><strong>Methods:      </strong>A qualitative method of approach was used for this research work, with regards to primary data; interviews (face-to-face interview, telephone and email interview) were used. Secondary data sources were literature, articles, journals and internet sources from the university data bases.</p><p><strong>Co</strong><strong>nclusion</strong><strong>:  </strong>The impacts of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities on stakeholders have an overall influence on the organization hence steps must be taken to understand the broad issues that should be addressed, management should come out with an inclusive strategy for stakeholder involvement to carry out research and surveys on effective strategic conversations with stakeholders.<strong></strong></p><p>The involvement and early engagement of stakeholders in the planning process of decision making and implementation is very vital in view of the fact that stakeholders are those affected and affecting change in the community. Stakeholder involvement and collaborative decisions on CSR issues represent a high level of participation programs. However, it is not easy, and must be complemented in many cases with conflict resolution.</p><p>The awareness creation of CSR activities by DHL on its stakeholders would add a very useful contribution to business development and profit making by this organization. The consciousness of CSR would cause all stakeholders alike to play their apart in the sustainability of CSR.</p><p><strong>Key words: </strong>Corporate social responsibility (CSR), Stakeholders, DHL, Sweden.</p>

This paper examines the ways in which corporate social responsibility (CSR) is used by mining companies in Peru to minimize conflict between themselves and communities. It assesses the use of CSR at both the community and national levels, and concludes that there are important limitations to a reliance on the privatized management of social conflict. Most importantly, a reliance on corporations to manage conflict in which they themselves take part inherently limits the outcomes of this conflict for the communities to those which do not threaten the business interests of the companies. This paper further argues that the political organization of communities and the involvement of external actors in the conflict has an effect on the type of CSR policies enacted by the company. Thus, communities who are better organized, especially with the help of external actors, may achieve more favourable results from CSR-led negotiations with companies.

Renneboog et al (2008) argue that it remains to be seen whether corporate social responsibility (CSR) can be priced. In light of this, this thesis tests the performance and market valuation of CSR indicators by using a comprehensive set of KLD indicators. Chapter Three of this thesis examines the effect of CSR on financial performance by incorporating CSR into the investment process. As no clear break point is found for the normalised KLD score, the net KLD score is used as an alternative portfolio metric. In addition, most KLD indicators are found to have insignificant alphas for the high-scoring, low-scoring, and long-short portfolios—meaning that investors do not earn abnormal returns through a long-short strategy. Moreover, insignificant alphas are recorded for most of the indicators under the best-in-class approach—meaning that the application of industry classification does not affect results. Finally, both the conditional Ferson and Schadt (1996) model and conditional three-factor model are used as robustness checks, with most indicators having insignificant alphas for these conditional models. As such, the results imply that there is neither outperformance nor underperformance when using portfolios formed with CSR scores; however, there are significant differences in factor loadings between high-scoring and low-scoring CSR portfolios. Chapter Four uses a framework consistent with the Peasnell (1982) and Ohlson (1995) model to examine whether CSR is reflected in share prices. The CSR indicator is treated as the “other information” variable, and the association between CSR and market price is estimated by controlling for book value of equity, net income and dividends. Although the market is found to value different KLD indicators differently, most of the indicators are found to have positive impact on market value (except for corporate governance and human rights). R&D and advertising expenditure are both added to the valuation model for robustness checking purposes. Some of the CSR indicators—and especially for the case of environment—are not valued during the earlier stages, but become increasingly valued over time. The ten industries are also found to have varying effects on market valuation. In summary, high-scoring CSR firms display higher valuations than low-scoring CSR firms, and thus it can be concluded that a socially responsible agenda does not conflict with maximising shareholder value. Since most of the CSR indicators in Chapter Four lead to positive market price valuations, Chapter Five aims to disaggregate the value effect into the separate components of ROE ratio, the implied cost of capital (ICC) and growth rate. Three different methodologies are used to test the relationship between CSR, ICC and the long-run growth rate. The relationship between CSR and growth rate is positive with all of the methodologies. However, the different methodologies return differing results for the relationship between CSR and ICC, which may be due to the different assumptions made by each approach. Furthermore, it suggests that long-run growth rate differences in general may be more important than ICC differences. Finally, most KLD indicators are found to have significantly higher P/V and ROE1 ratios for the high-scoring CSR portfolios than for the low-scoring CSR portfolios.

Uppsatsen handlar om hur två hotell arbetar med CSR, hur CSR-arbetet kommuniceras mot kund och följaktligen hur kunderna uppfattar CSR-arbetet utifrån hur hotellen kommunicerar CSR-arbetet. Intresset för CSR väcktes första gången när jag började studera på universitetet. Under en kurs där begreppet introducerades deltog jag i ett projekt där studier gjordes på hotell utomlands och läraren nämnde att de bör börja arbeta med CSR tänkande. Där uppmärksammades att hotellbranschen anses vara en bransch med stor överexploatering av miljön och kundernas omedvetenhet om denna överexploatering på miljön. Syftet med studien är att genom en fallstudie studera hur Scandic Kalmar Väst och Best Western Kalmarsund hotell arbetar med Corporate Social Responsibility samt hur det implementeras i de två hotellens olika marknadskommunikation och på vilket sätt deras respektive kunder uppfattar detta arbete. De två centrala forskningsfrågorna är: Hur arbetar de två hotellen i fallstudien med CSR och på vilket sätt kommuniceras CSR-arbetet till hotellens respektive kunder? Hur uppfattar de två hotellens respektive kunder hotellens CSR-arbete utifrån hur detta kommuniceras? Metoden i uppsatsen har utgått från en kvalitativ undersökning med kvantitativa inslag genom att utifrån en induktiv forskningsansats genomföra en fallstudie av två hotell genom dels intervjuer av hotellens representanter och dels genom enkätundersökning bland hotellens kunder. Resultat- och analysavsnittet är indelat i en del där resultaten av datainsamlingen presenteras och löpande tolkas för att sedan analyseras. Uppsatsen avslutas med en slutsats av studiens viktigaste resultat, metodkritik och förslag på vidare forskning. De viktigaste resultaten från fallstudien visar att Scandic Kalmar Väst och Best Western Kalmarsund arbetar med CSR genom att arbeta med att mäta och försöka minska förbrukningen av energikällor, vatten och kemikalier. De fokuserar även på ekologisk och närodlad mat i restaurangen, källsortering på hotellet samt hållbara inköp. Scandic Kalmar Väst kommunicerar sitt CSR-arbete via internet såsom Scandic hemsida och genom olika annonser på internet. De har även information och riktlinjer på hotellet om arbetet. Scandic Kalmar Väst har också personlig försäljning direkt på plats, exempelvis när de berättar direkt till kunderna på hotellet om deras hållbarhetsarbete och vad detta innebär. Vidare arbetar de med intern marknadsföring på hotellet för att förmedla hållbarhetsarbetet till sina anställda. Best Western Kalmarsund kommunicerar sitt CSR-arbete genom skyltning av miljömärkning lite överallt på hotellet, uppmaningar och riktlinjer för hållbararbete för kunderna. Bägge hotellen kommunicerar via ”PR” en tredje part genom Svanenmärkningen. Miljömärkning av verksamheten framstår som en viktig faktor i de två hotellens CSR-arbete samt på vilket sätt detta kommuniceras ut till deras respektive kunder. Kunderna uppfattar Best Western Kalmarsunds CSR-arbete genom de riktlinjer och information på hemsidan och på hotellet såsom information om miljöarbete och Svanenmärkning som marknadsförs mot kunderna. Scandic Kalmar Västs kunder uppfattar hotellets CSR-arbete genom kommunikationen såsom internet, reklam, hemsidan samt riktlinjer, skyltning och miljömärkning på hotellet såsom av maten i restaurangen och av produkter på rummet samt utifrån information på hotellet om deras miljöarbete.

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a global phenomenon receiving increased interest from scholars and professionals, resulting in a significant body of literature on and for its use. However, the literature generated around CSR is often criticized for being biased towards the Western countries and their contextual specifications. This study suggests that the contextual dynamics associated with developing countries require careful examination of the phenomenon within the realm of its implementation, especially when executed in a region with strong religious dominance. Using a constructive grounded theory strategy, sixty-three intensive interviews were conducted with directors of for-profit, governmental and non-governmental organisations. Data from secondary sources were utilised as well. The information was rigorously analysed through a systematic process of coding, categorisation and theoretical construction to identify results grounded in respondents’ voice and experience with the phenomenon of investigation. These results indicate that the specification of the Middle Eastern region exerts significant pressure on the CSR activities of the organisations by resulting in the implementation of four distinct approaches to CSR. Largely, organisations are driven by coercive pressures to become involved in CSR, as their forms of CSR activity are used to mitigate contextual dynamics associated with the local environment. As result of these dynamics, stakeholder power obtains different dimensions that translate to community-focused forms of CSR activity. The findings also suggest that contrary to the Western CSR approach closely aligned with traditional corporate practice, the Middle Eastern practice of CSR is largely shaped by religious postulates identified in Islam. That translates to individual level motivations to become involved in CSR that consequently shape organisational behaviour and CSR conduct. This study contributes to expanding the theoretical scope of Western CSR literature, literature on CSR in developing and Middle Eastern countries, as well as in relation to stakeholder theory. Also, the study makes a significant contribution to the practice of CSR in the examined region by identifying potential areas of improvement and development for practitioners.

Thesis contains basic informations and definitions of CSR, its history, contemporary activities and main advantages as well as disadvantages. Except that are described possibilities of implementation, measurement and evaluation of it in a company. The second part is concerned with the attitude of ING to corporate social responsibility globally as well as in Czech republic. At the end is a short questionnaire.

Thesis (M.M. (Finance & Investment))--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, Graduate School of Business Administration, 2012. / No abstract provided

「社會企業責任」是一個自相矛盾的名詞 ，它擁有無數有可能的意思 -「企業」暗喻賺取利潤，「社會」暗喻很多不同人士關注的不同利益，「責任」暗喻必要及非自願的行動。它是一個非固定的概念。跟據跨媒體議題設定理論，這研究利用內容分析,探討香港兩間本地電力公司如何利用有關社會企業責任的新聞稿影響報章的報道。結果顯示社會企業責任主題的新聞稿並沒有得到報章的重視，報章普遍認為某些對與公眾相關的主題的重要性較高。但關於社會企業責任的描述，例如發生的地區及合作的機構，就與報章的報道有相關性。而與社會企業責任活動有關的持份者及新聞稿中的引述數目與報章報道的次數是沒有關連的。這研究將原本的議題設定理論作出更改，以社會企業責任不同的「主題」代替「議題」為第一層議題設定作出分析；而第二層的分析就以被引用的源頭及引用內容的取態作出分析。。在報章的報道中，不同報章對各個主題的重視程度不一，所以它們報道的取態都有所不同。由於社會企業責任相關的資訊都較為正面，新聞稿是結構性的策略，目的是改變傳媒的行為，希望得到重視。這研究顯示出在新聞選擇、取態及擬訂的過程中，某些因素能取決社會企業責任相關資訊的新聞價值。 / “Corporate social responsibility“ is an oxymoron with multiple possible meanings - “corporate“ implies profit making, “social“ implies a multiplicity of interests and “responsibility implies required, thus involuntary actions. It is a fluid concept. Based on the intermedia agenda setting theory, this study employed content analysis to investigate how the CSR-related news releases published by the two local electricity providers in Hong Kong have contributed to press coverage. The results reflect that the salience of CSR theme is not transferred - the press assigns different degrees of emphasis to themes of higher relevance to the general public. The descriptions using which the CSR information is presented, such as location and the CSR partner with whom the CSR activities were carried out, are found to be significant to the amount of press coverage. However, the stakeholder groups affected by the CSR activities and the number of sources quoted in the news releases are not related to the amount of press coverage. The original agenda setting effects model was revised; apart from measuring CSR theme as the 1st level, the 2nd level was changed - source attributions and the tone of those attributions were studied. In the media agenda, the newspapers differ in their degrees of emphasis assigned to each CSR theme, thus, also vary in the tone of their coverage. Given the distinctive nature of CSR information being mostly positive, news releases are structured efforts intended to push for a behavioral change in the media. This study shows the process involves contingent factors that highlight the measurements of the newsworthy elements of CSR themes during the process of news selection, framing and elaboration. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Tam, Lai Shan. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2012. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 136-148). / Abstracts also in Chinese. / Chapter Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.5-11 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- Theoretical Framework on Agenda Setting --- p.12-31 / The Agenda Setting Theory / Intermedia Agenda Setting Effects / Chapter Chapter 3 --- Theoretical Review on CSR Communication --- p.32-57 / What is Corporate Social Responsibility? / The Corporate Agenda / The Public Agenda / The Media Agenda / Research Questions / Chapter Chapter 4 --- Methodology --- p.58-69 / Methods / Sampling / Data Collection / Variables / Statistical Analysis / Revised Framework / Chapter Chapter 5 --- Results --- p.70-94 / The Corporate Agenda / The Media Agenda / Relationships between the Corporate and Media Agendas / Chapter Chapter 6 --- Conclusion & Discussion --- p.95-135 / Measuring “Issue“ in CSR Communication / Defining the “Attributes of Issues“ / Defining the “Transfer of Attributes“ / Monitoring Media Coverage / Measuring Consistency within CSR Communication / Contributions to the Intermedia Agenda Setting Research / CSR Communication & Intermedia Agenda Setting / The Media Ecology / Nature of Business & Application to Other Industries / The Hong Kong Context / Limitations / Chapter Chapter 7 --- References --- p.136-148