Blending theory with practical application, this comprehensive text supports courses at the intersection of corporate social responsibility (CSR), corporate strategy, and public policy. Part I provides an overview of the field, defining CSR and placing it in the context of wider corporate strategy. Part II contains chapters on CSR issues related to the organization, the economy, and society, and provides detailed case studies on a variety of well-known firms. Adopting a stakeholder perspective, the authors explore CSR issues within the complex global business environment in which corporations operate today.

A holistic perspective for navigating and exploring the CSR landscape. Strategic Corporate Social Responsibility: Sustainable Value Creation, Fifth Edition, redefines corporate social responsibility (CSR) as being central to the value-creating purpose of the firm and provides a framework that firms can use to navigate the complex and dynamic business landscape. Based on a theory of empowered stakeholders, this bestselling text argues that the responsibility of a corporation is to create value, broadly defined. The primary challenge for managers today is to balance the competing interests of the firm’s stakeholders, understanding that what they expect today may not be what they will expect tomorrow. This tension is what makes CSR so demanding, but it is also what makes CSR integral to the firm’s strategy and day-to-day operations.

With the changing expectations of consumers, employees and regulators, being best in the world is no longer enough. Businesses are now also expected to be best for the world: to be socially and environmentally responsible, sustainable and ethical. Based on the idea that strategic CSR offers the most holistic and effective approach to corporate social responsibility, the author presents the key concepts, theories and philosophical approaches to CSR, along with the practical tools needed to implement this knowledge in the real world. The book is split into three parts; the first part provides the theoretical background of CSR, the second part examines various CSR approaches and how they can be implemented, and the third part discusses measuring and communicating CSR. New this edition is also a chapter titled ‘The S in CSR: Social and Global Issues’. Each chapter contains questions for reflection & discussion, exercises, and case studies from globally recognised brands such as Ben & Jerry′s, Google, H&M, Johnson & Johnson, Nestlé, Patagonia, Puma, Unilever and Whole Foods. The book is complemented by chapter specific lecturer PowerPoint slides, a draft syllabus and an instructor′s manual. Suitable reading for students on Corporate Social Responsibility modules.

Based on the idea that strategic CSR offers the most holistic and effective approach to corporate social responsibility, the author presents the key concepts, theories and philosophical approaches to CSR, along with the practical tools needed to implement this knowledge in the real world.

The goal of this book is to define Sustainable Value Creation in terms of a set of principles that differentiate it from existing definitions of CSR, and from related concepts such as sustainability and business ethics. To internalize these ten principles is to understand how the firm can respond to stakeholder needs to optimize value creation over the medium to long term. Ultimately, this second edition book aims to reform both business practice and business education. By building a theory that redefines CSR as central to the value creation process, the ten principles of Sustainable Value Creation redefine how firms approach each of their operational functions, but also how these subjects should be taught in universities worldwide. As such, this book will hopefully be of value to instructors as a complement to their teaching, students as a guide in their education, and managers as a framework to help them respond to the complex, dynamic context that they are expected to navigate every day. This book is a manifesto for success in today’s complex, dynamic business environment. The book is designed as an easy-to-digest, critical introductory text to CSR. With supporting online teaching resources, it is aimed primarily at the MBA and Executive MBA market, and for CSR, sustainability, and business ethics courses taught by instructors skeptical of existing definitions and organizing principles of CSR, sustainability, or business ethics.

This casebook argues that corporate sustainability agendas should look beyond stakeholder demands and desires, towards strategic opportunities to achieve social and commercial benefits simultaneously. It encourages shifting focus from a strategic approach to a sustainable business practice. As the cases in the book highlight, it is in every company’s best interest to identify a manageable number of sustainability initiatives whose shared benefits—for society at large and the company—are significant and also substantially help the company strategically position itself in the competitive marketplace. Strategic sustainable business practices can lead to shared value creation, strengthening the company’s competitiveness and establishing a symbiotic relationship. Companies can achieve solid profits by doing good things for the environment; it is a “win-win” for society and for business. This casebook provides examples of multi-stakeholder partnerships that aim to create sustainable enterprises. Ideal for teaching purposes, after a brief introduction to the case method, the cases are presented with no comments or criticisms.