Should CSR/ESG be Mandatory?

Running head: RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Research Proposal: Should CSR/ESG be Mandatory?
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Abstract
The concept of Corporate Social Responsibility denotes that a corporation bears a certain
degree of responsibility for its economic consequences as well as social and environmental
implication. The primary goal of any organisation is to make profit in order to sustain its
longevity, for it is the most basic notion for setting up any business. However, organizations
nowadays are thinking beyond profit maximization and considering giving back to the society
and the environment as gesture of philanthropy, kindness and gratitude, and also under a
sense of responsibility. Approaches like prohibiting harassment of the employees in
workplace, offering minimum wages, collective bargaining, adoption of occupational health
and safety, et cetera have been taken up by the Australian companies over the years,
establishing the fact that they are moving forward towards a mandatory CSR/ESG program
even though there is still no legislation making it mandatory by law. There is no doubt that
CSR adds value to the company’s reputation along with helping the corporation regarding
risk management.

2RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Table of Contents
Introduction....................................................................................................................3
Research Question..........................................................................................................4
Aims and Objectives......................................................................................................4
Literature Review...........................................................................................................5
Research Methodology.................................................................................................10
Structure of the Research Proposal..............................................................................10
Expected Outcome.......................................................................................................11
Bibliography.................................................................................................................13

3RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Introduction
The concept of Corporate Social Responsibility denotes that a corporation bears a
certain degree of responsibility for its economic consequences as well as social and
environmental implication. The primary goal of any organisation is to make profit in order to
sustain its longevity, for it is the most basic notion for setting up any business. However,
organizations nowadays are thinking beyond profit maximization and considering giving
back to the society and the environment as gesture of philanthropy, kindness and gratitude,
and also under a sense of responsibility. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is mainly a
concept under corporate governance where companies pay attention to social and
environmental concerns along with their corporate issues, in order to give back to the society,
to which it is also a part of. It is a process by which corporations strive to achieve a balance
between its economic and corporate functions with the social and environmental imperatives.
The modern day theories of corporate governance hold the perspective that corporations not
only bear responsibility towards its shareholders and stakeholders, but also towards the
society and the environment to which it is a part, and in some ways it might be even
damaging the environment to some extent by way of pollution and other kinds of
environmental destructions like deforestation, chemical poisoning, water wastage, et cetera.
Therefore, implementation of a good CSR policy helps the corporation to extend its helping
hand to replenish the damaged society and the environment. In addition a good
implementation of CSR also helps a cooperation to win various competitive advantages, like
increased access to capital borrowing, increased sales and profit margin, improved
productivity and polity, superior human resource, a brand image with goodwill, better
customer loyalty, better risk management process, improved decision making procedure, et
cetera.