Corporate Social Responsibility, Equality in Workplace Report

This report delves into the concepts of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and workplace equality, with a focus on the British multinational company Marks and Spencer. It begins with an introduction to CSR, defining it as a business approach contributing to sustainable development by delivering social, economic, and environmental benefits for all stakeholders. The report then explores the importance of equality in the workplace, emphasizing the creation of a positive environment. A significant portion is dedicated to a literature review, explaining its purpose and the viewpoints of various authors on CSR and equality. The report further discusses the determination and achievement of literature reviews, key issues related to CSR, and the analysis of how CSR activities affect firm value, including the importance of gender equality. It concludes by summarizing the findings and emphasizing the importance of CSR for improving financial performance and developing a positive brand image. References to books and journals support the arguments presented.

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Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
Determination of literature review and how it is achieved..............................................................3
Literature review..............................................................................................................................4
Corporate Social Responsibility and Equality in Workplace.................................................4
Key issues related to corporate social responsibilities...........................................................5
Analysis..................................................................................................................................5
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFRENCES...................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
CSR stands for Corporate Social Responsibility which is the approach of business that
contributes to sustainable development by delivering social, economic and environmental profits
for all the stakeholders such as investors, customers, suppliers, etc (Galati and Moessner, 2013).
This is hold by the organisation to have the legal, ethical and social standards. Along with this,
Equality in the workplace is related with the different ways in which the one is treated in the
organisation. This is all about having that positive environment in the workplace where the
equality among workers exist. The present report is all about Marks and Spencer, which is a
British Multinational company, deal in relating of clothing, and was founded in 1884 by Michael
Marks and Thomas Spencer. This report will mainly emphasizes on the CSR and equality in the
workplace topic, along with the deep understanding and discussion on the Literature review,
which will explained the viewpoint of different authors.
Determination of literature review and how it is achieved
Literature Review is the deep summary of the previous research on the specific topic.
This surveys the scholarly articles, other sources, books and other reliable and direct sources to a
specific area of research. This is the section in the research which gives the theoretical part and
provides the deep understanding about the specific topic and explained the viewpoint of various
authors, so that the investigator as well as the students can also be able to get more information
and accurate details on that particular topic. The main aim of a literature review is the means of
defining the knowledge a understanding of the authors in a particular or a specific field including
the theories, vocabulary, methods and the history (Machi and McEvoy, 2016). Literature review
part in the research is having the main function to convey what knowledge and ideas have been
explained and developed on the particular topic to the reader, and what are the strengths and
weaknesses of that topic. By doing so, the researcher will clearly be able to convey the message
to the reader that they are familiar with all these theories and ideas. The Literature Review has
the aim to provide the deep knowledge about the topic on which the research has been
conducted. There is the duty of the researcher to place the research in context with the existing
literature making the case for why further study is to be needed. The main purpose of Literature
Review is to define the relationship of each work with another work which is under
consideration in the particular topic. This helps in finding out what all has been in context with

the particular topic. This also helps to improve the previous research by doing modification in
the part of Literature review. This also does the evaluation of each thing on that topic so that no
duplication can be arise. There are many reasons to conduct the literature review section as this
tells and identify that how effectively the research has been carried out on the specific topic.
Along with this, it also identifies that questions on which the research can be carried out in the
future ahead. The literature review is having very wide role which defines that what is already
conducted a gather in the research and what is left for collecting the accurate information. This
also helps to know the gap with the professional issue in respect of the study programme. This
will also provide abstract thought of tendency, issues and thoughts which are surrounding
research. This helps in gaining complete insight on specific topic.
Literature review
Corporate Social Responsibility and Equality in Workplace.
According to Cheng, Ioannou and Serafeim, (2014) corporate social responsibility is an
important part for any organisation as it mandatory for every organisation to think about the
society in which they operate. Following to the need for corporate social responsibility helps
company to improve its financial position and enhance company’s image in the eyes of its
customers. If company adheres to the need for CSR and invest their funds in the development of
its society it will result in the enhancement of its financial position which allows them to take
competitive advantage over its competitors. The relationship between corporate financial
performances is directly related to its corporate social responsibility. The relation between CSR
and CFP is positive in nature which indicates that if a company is involved more into CSR
activities it will increase the revenue of the company and create a positive brand image for the
company.
As per Crowther and Seifi, (2018) corporate social requirement is necessary as it defines the
equality in work place, if company does not follow equality in work place it will result in the
employee turnover which can directly hurt the image of the company. It is self regulatory
business model which is followed by the companies all over the world. It includes in the
development of society, environment, economic. By engaging in the CSR activities in
company’s normal course of business means companies are operating in such ways which leads
to the enhancement of environment and the society in which company is operating its business.

In order to develop the society companies should equally treat its employee in the work place
instead of discriminating them as per their race, gender, colour and religion. Companies should
equally reward their employees according to their performance, if a company is involved this
kind of activities will result in the employee turnover and create a negative image about the
company.
Key issues related to corporate social responsibilities
Following are the few key issues related to corporate social responsibilities:
 Equality in workplace: This is one of the most common issues which can be seen
prevailing in an organisation. This is an issue which is related to the discrimination due to
the gender, race, religion, colour etc. equality differs from employer to employer for
some employer it is based on race, for some it is base on religion and for some it is based
on gender.
 Fair Reward System: An organisation must follow fair reward system this is a issue
which is related to the reward system. Partiality in reward system de motivates the high
performing employee. If a employee is performing well in an organisation and does not
get recognition for its work will lead to the quitting of organisation. These types of issue
can hurt the company’s financial situation.
 Working Environment: Working environment in an organisation should be ethical if an
organisation system does not have an ethical working environment it will lead to
dissatisfaction of employees and then it will be difficult for it to retain its employees
which will lead to the poor performance of company and will hurt the company’s brand
image and financial position.
These are some of the issue which are being highlighted in the CSR activities in order to
achieve maximum profit and improve company’s financial health companies have to resolve
these issues and invest in corporate social responsibility activities. As employees who are
dissatisfied are also a part of society then it is a duty of organisation to help in their development.
Analysis
According to Servaes and Tamayo, (2013) CSR activities affect the value of the firm. The
corporate social responsibility and firm values are related to each other in a positive way for
those firms who have customer awareness at a very high level as pictured by its marketing and
advertisement expenditures. For those firm who have low customer awareness this relation can

be negative or insignificant. It can also be said that the impact of CSR and value relation is
reversed for those firms who have a poor reputation as a corporate citizen. From these evidences
it can be said that companies should invest more in their CSR activities in order to improve it
value and awareness in the minds of the customers. As it is a responsibility of an organisation to
develop its society along with itself.
As per Larrieta‐Rubín de Celis and et.al. (2015) organisation should follow the gender
equality in workplace as company involved in corporate social responsibility does who does not
think that female employees can take the position of a manger cannot promote the education of
girl child. The gender equality concept should be implemented on the broader framework of CSR
activities. If women are given the position of top level of management and middle level of
management and also as a head of corporate social responsibility departments, will more
influence on the gender equality practices in the field of CSR. It is important for an organisation
to treat its employees equally if companies want its employees to retain n an organisation. Top
level of authorities in an organisation discriminate their workforce on the various difference
which includes the difference in culture, difference in religion, difference in gender, difference in
race and difference in colour it gives a negative impact on the company’s image and result in the
decrease in company’s financial performance and financial statements. A company who does not
have a equality in workplace cannot grow and contribute in the development of the society,
culture and environment.
As per Crane, Matten and Spence, (2019) corporate social responsibility is a framework
of business model which is required by every business to follow in order to develop the society
in which they operate its business. For this government of different countries have made it
mandatory for companies to follow this and help its society, environment in the development,
and provide various relaxations in the taxation policies for companies who follow these CSR
activities. For the development of the society companies tie up with NGOs who are working for
the development and club their resource to provide various benefits.
As per Young and Makhija, (2014) it is very important for the companies to meet the
compliances of CSR in order to improve the sustainable development of the society, environment
and its culture. In order to improve its financial position companies come together with various
NGOs and pool their resources and implement new techniques for the development of the society

which help companies to gain market growth and stability and enhance their efficiency in the
production of products and services.
CONCLUSION
From the above report it can be established that literature review is the opinions and
arguments of various other authors on the same topic. It helps researchers to identify the gaps
and the problems which are highlighted by other researchers and try to provide the solution. It
also identifies the importance of literature review. This report also establishes the role of
corporate social responsibility and equality in workplace from the point of view of various
different authors. This report also states that CSR is important for companies to improve its
financial position and develop brand image in the mind of customers.

REFRENCES
Books and Journals
Cheng, B., Ioannou, I. and Serafeim, G., 2014. Corporate social responsibility and access to
finance. Strategic management journal. 35(1). pp.1-23.
Crowther, D. and Seifi, S. eds., 2018. Redefining Corporate Social Responsibility. Emerald
Group Publishing.
Servaes, H. and Tamayo, A., 2013. The impact of corporate social responsibility on firm value:
The role of customer awareness. Management science, 59(5), pp.1045-1061.
Larrieta‐Rubín de Celis, I., and et.al., 2015. Does having women managers lead to increased
gender equality practices in corporate social responsibility?. Business Ethics: A
European Review. 24(1). pp.91-110.
Crane, A., Matten, D. and Spence, L. eds., 2019. Corporate social responsibility: Readings and
cases in a global context. Routledge.
Young, S.L. and Makhija, M.V., 2014. Firms’ corporate social responsibility behavior: An
integration of institutional and profit maximization approaches. Journal of International
Business Studies. 45(6). pp.670-698.
Galati, G. and Moessner, R., 2013. Macroprudential policy–a literature review. Journal of
Economic Surveys. 27(5). pp.846-878.
Machi, L. A. and McEvoy, B. T., 2016. The literature review: Six steps to success. Corwin Press.