Individual Report: Corporate Social Responsibility and Gender Equality

This individual report presents a literature review on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and its relationship with gender equality in the workplace. It begins with an introduction to literature reviews, outlining their purpose, contribution to academic work, and role in research. The main body delves into the concept of CSR, drawing on various scholarly perspectives to define it and explain its importance. The report explores how CSR practices, such as ethical treatment of employees and equal opportunities, impact brand image, customer loyalty, and overall business performance. It also examines the drivers behind promoting gender equality in the workplace, including external pressures, government regulations, and societal expectations. The report concludes by summarizing the key findings, emphasizing the crucial role of literature reviews in understanding the chosen topic. The references section provides a list of sources consulted for this report.

Individual Report

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
Literature review....................................................................................................................1
Purpose:-.................................................................................................................................1
Contribution toward academicals work and study.................................................................2
Role of literature review.........................................................................................................2
Literature review on corporate social responsibility..............................................................2
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
Literature review refers to study of information which has been already published by the
researcher in the past. It comes under secondary sources and could be available on Online,
books, journals, magazines etc. Main purpose of conducting LR is to identify unresolved
problems of the past and to gain knowledge regarding the topic of research so that more credible
and authenticate report would be developed (Wernersbach and et. al., 2014). In this report,
review will be done on the CSR with its relationship with the gender equality at the workplace.
MAIN BODY
Literature review
It is defined as the process of reviewing published article in order to develop an
understanding regarding theoretical and methodological aspect of particular research topic.
Literature review is a basically considered as a part of secondary research that work toward
enhancing the knowledge over a study area in order to create a base that can be further used to
expand the investigation by considering those factors found through secondary data. This help an
investigator to perform its research in an ethical and most reliable manner that help in extracting
more positive result (Hart, 2018). There are number of secondary sources available through
which critical evaluation can be performed over a particular topic which further support in
limiting the sources that are essential to get a good survey content.
Purpose:-
Literature review is considered to be a systematic, reproducible and explicit method that
analysing the existing body of recorder work or previously composed investigation produced by
scholars, practitioners and researchers in order to develop an understanding regarding the current
topic of investigation. The main purpose behind conducting literature review is given below:
 The main purpose of performing literature review is to develop an understanding
regarding the nature of research by evaluating the preciously conducted and published
investigations.
 Another purpose of conducting literature review is analyse different sources and then
suggest reader over particular source of information that is relevant and more accurate in
accomplishment of research objectives.
1

Contribution toward academicals work and study
Literature review also have an huge impact over the academical work and study, as it is
not limited to just present a summary regarding a particular topic. Rather it considered as a
organisational pattern that work toward combining both summary as well as conducting
synthesis over particular investigated information (Booth, Sutton and Papaioannou, 2016). This
summary is basically an abstract of basic information that extracted from research and on the
other side synthesis is rearrangement of information in more reliable and useful manner. Hence it
can be said that summary as well as synthesis of information plays a crucial role within
academical work and study that help students in enhancing the knowledge as per the previously
conducted summarisation of research so that information can be re-organised for presenting in
more reliable manner by combining it with fresh data.
Role of literature review
Literature review plays a crucial role within a research by conducting an in-depth
investigation over the previously published and authenticated information regarding the
concerned topic so that further research can be conducted effectively over the developed
knowledge from critical evaluation (Farooq and et. al., 2014). Following points described about
the role performed by literature review within a research:
 Main role of literature review is to perform an evaluation over existing data and then
combined this information with fresh data to provide a more accurate and reliable
information (Peterson and et. al., 2017). With the help of this researcher represent its
current findings by evidencing it through past investigation.
 Literature review work as a handy tool for researcher which guide over particular
investigation by providing an abstract of previously conducted research.
Literature review on corporate social responsibility
As per the view point of Sammi Caramela, 2018, Corporate social responsibility is
simply a way through which organisations can take responsibility regarding the positive impact
of social and environmental factor. This help in improving the brand image of a company in
front of its customer which in turn contribute toward enhancing the market as well as
profitability. A robust CSR program provide an opportunity to businesses so that they can
demonstrate their good corporate citizenship. This in turn help the organisation to protect itself
from outside risks by considering all the social and environmental factor by which a company is
2

surrounded while forming up its business strategy so that it would be able to perform its
operation in ethical manner. These practices help an organisation to improve its brand image in
front of customers, as now a days consumers mainly prefer a brand to avail services that not only
provide quality product or services but also prioritise the holding of corporate accountability. On
the other side customers may turn their back from preferable brands if they believe that an
organisation is not taking initiative toward the social as well as environmental welfare. Therefore
majority of companies focuses toward performing CSR practices by providing high quality
product, recycling waste material to create useful thing and avoiding wastage. In addition to this
a corporate accountability also includes treating employees in ethical manner by providing them
a workplace which consider their rights and legal aspects.
According to the view point of Mallen Baker, 2019, Corporate social responsibility is
defined as an aspect through which a company manage its business process for producing overall
positive impact over the society as well as environment in which it is operating business
activities. It means social impact, sustainability and ethics must be an aim for the organisation
that want to operate CSR practices. This is basically a quality of management which manages the
operations of an organisation coordinate with the ethical practices and social benefit. Therefore it
can be said that corporate social responsibility is basically a continuous commitment of an
organisation to behave ethically and contribute toward economical development along with
working for the improvisation of quality of workforce life, their families, society and community
at large. CSR practices within the organisation regarding employees help a company to maintain
a loyal workforce that contribute toward performing their work well and contribute toward the
accomplishment of organisational objective. This is because a friendly and ethical behaviour of
management toward employees help in creating a feel of job satisfaction among workforce
which in turn help an organisation to minimise the risk of staff turnover. In addition to this it also
help organisation in increasing productivity and profitability at large.
From the view point of James Chen, 2019, Corporate social responsibility is refers to as a
self-regulating business model which help an organisation to be socially accountable for its
stakeholders, community and society at large. By performing such practices companies can be
conscious toward the aspects of society such as social, economic and environmental. This will
help a company in operating its business in a way that contribute toward the development of
society and environment instead of contributing negatively over them. Thus, CSR must be a
3

priority for each organisation for both internal as well as external stakeholders. As by
contributing toward the welfare of society as well as customer a company would be able to
enhance its positive brand image at marketplace. On the other side CSR for employees by
improving working policies and strategies a company would be able to keep its workforce happy
which in turn contribute toward the development of loyal employees base that work for the
accomplishment of organisational goal and enhancement or productivity. These corporate
accountability of an organisation help it in promoting a positive brand image in front of its
stakeholder. This in turn further help company in getting support from its stakeholder for future
practices and avoidance of any threat that may harm its image in public.
According to the Angela Schettino, 2016, Corporate Social Responsibility simply means
ethics which an organisation follows in term of operating its activities and offering services to
target market. These practices are very crucial for a business sustainability this is because
organisational which exploit its employees doesn't get able to maintain its high skilled workforce
for longer period of time. In addition to this such organisation not able to achieve competitive
edge at market place. But apart from this, an organisation that involve in CSR practices tend to
be more cooperative with its employees and also work toward forming policies for the welfare of
its worker. These organisational efforts toward the development and welfare of employees help a
business in maintaining a high skilled and loyal workforce that contribute toward the
accomplished of organisational goals and objectives. In addition to this organisation involve in
CSR practices also work toward providing equal opportunity to its employees so that they would
be able to proof themselves and contribute toward the enhancement of organisational
productivity.
According to Park, Lee and Kim, 2014, main aim of CSR is to pay back the society in
which they are operating for getting economic competitiveness as compare to others with the
goal of becoming market leader. There are many advantages of implementing and conducting
CSR activities for the society and employees like it enhances brand goodwill in the mind of
public which makes a positive impact on company's performance for a longer period of time.
Apart from this, if CSR is done for the employees to eliminate discrimination and gender dis
equality in the organisation then it motivates other employees specially women to work even
more harder which persuade to increase in overall productivity. For instance, if women and male
employees are getting pay according to their gender rather than on the basis of performance then
4

it makes the working environment toxic in nature which directly hampers overall performance in
a negative way. So the role of management is to make the environment favourable by providing
monetary or non moneta9ry benefits on the basis of performance and knowledge.
According to Grosser, McCarthy and Kilgour ,(2017), now a days due to external
pressure, company is changing their strategy of hiring male employee on their management
position as in the past men were only considered as a manager. There are various drivers which
forces them to bring gender equality at the workplace is as follows, external environment,
government and society. External environment includes those people who are connected with the
company through buying their shares but does not have power in in the company. For instance,
any investors does not prefer to invest in a company who provoke and promote gender inequality
as it ethical wrong in nature. Other is government, who have made the laws and regulation
regarding the equal opportunity to everyone, so if company does not follow it then they might
face legal actions which would affect their image in a negative way. Moreover, various penalties
could also be imposed on them which will affect company balance sheet negatively. Last is
society, it is essential for company to pay back them as they are using their natural resources,
human resources etc. to earn profitability out of it. So if company are not following the ethical
rules of society of giving equal priory to male and female then they wont prefer to use their
product in their daily life resulting in low sales and profitability of an organisation.
CONCLUSION
From the above given report it can be summarised that literature review plays a crucial
role within the research as it work toward developing an understanding regarding the particular
topic of concern. This is done by critically evaluating and then summarising the finding in order
to provide an overview of information from the already researched scholarly papers that are
published over similar topics. This abstract from previous findings help researcher in further
continuation of its investigation by taking previously gathered data as an evident for collecting
fresh information.
5

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Grosser, K., McCarthy, L. and Kilgour, M.A. eds., 2017. Gender equality and responsible
business: Expanding CSR horizons. Routledge.
Park, J., Lee, H. and Kim, C., 2014. Corporate social responsibilities, consumer trust and
corporate reputation: South Korean consumers' perspectives. Journal of Business
Research. 67(3). pp.295-302.
Wernersbach and et. al., 2014. Study Skills Course Impact on Academic Self-Efficacy. Journal
of Developmental Education.37(2). p.14.
Hart, C., 2018. Doing a literature review: Releasing the research imagination. Sage.
Booth, A., Sutton, A. and Papaioannou, D., 2016. Systematic approaches to a successful
literature review. Sage.
Peterson, J. and et. al., 2017. Understanding scoping reviews: Definition, purpose, and
process. Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, 29(1), pp.12-16.
Farooq, O. and et. al., 2014. The impact of corporate social responsibility on organizational
commitment: Exploring multiple mediation mechanisms. Journal of Business
Ethics. 125(4). pp.563-580.
Panda, S., Modak, N. M. and Pradhan, D., 2016. Corporate social responsibility, channel
coordination and profit division in a two-echelon supply chain. International Journal of
Management Science and Engineering Management. 11(1). pp.22-33.
Online
Caramela. M. 2019. What is Corporate Social Responsibility? [Online] Available through: <
https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/4679-corporate-social-responsibility.html>.
Baker. M. 2019. Definitions of corporate social responsibility. [Onliine] Available through:
<http://mallenbaker.net/article/clear-reflection/definitions-of-corporate-social-
responsibility-what-is-csr>.
Chen. J. 2019. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). [Online] Available
through:<https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/corp-social-responsibility.asp>./
Schettino. A. 2019. Role in Corporate Social Responsibility. [Online] Available through: <
https://www.legal-island.com/articles/uk/features/hr/2016/feb/what-is-your-role-in-
corporate-social-responsibility/>.
6