Corporate Social Responsibility: A Comprehensive Literature Review

This report provides a comprehensive literature review on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). It begins with an introduction to literature reviews, outlining their purpose and importance in academic research. The main body then focuses on CSR, defining it as a voluntary business practice that extends beyond core operations to create a positive public image and long-term profitability. The review explores various definitions of CSR, its significance for businesses, non-profit organizations, and governments, and its role in enhancing brand image and stakeholder relations. It discusses the benefits of CSR, including increased employee loyalty and positive environmental impacts. The report also highlights the importance of ethical behavior and the integration of CSR into business strategies. The conclusion summarizes the key findings and emphasizes the importance of CSR in contemporary business practices, covering various aspects like environmental management, labor standards, and stakeholder engagement, while also acknowledging its impact on wealth creation and competitive advantages. It also provides examples of CSR implementations across various industries and countries.

Study skills

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
1. About literature review...........................................................................................................3
2. Literature review on the topic of “Corporate social responsibility”.......................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Literature review is scholarly paper that includes the current knowledge of the particular
topic which includes findings, methodology as well as theoretical contribution. It is an essential
part of any research project. Corporate social responsibility is a concept that is implemented by
the business voluntarily that works beyond the corporation jobs and tasks. It is a powerful
business decision that is taken by organisation for creating positive image to public as well as
long term profitability. The report will include about literature review, its purpose and its
achievements. It will also include the literature review on the topic of “corporate social
responsibility”
MAIN BODY
1. About literature review
Literature review is a summary and explanation of the current state of the knowledge on
particular topic. It is an evaluation of the available research on particular subject. Literature is an
important part for writing research paper. It means demonstrating author's knowledge in
particular field. It includes vocabulary, key variable, phenomena, methods, history and important
theories(Machi and McEvoy, 2016). It is a report on authors idea and knowledge on particular
topic including strengths and weakness that helps to discover agreed and disagreed opinion on
the same topic. Literature review provides perspective for the audience. With the help of
literature review authors gain expertise in particular field. It is a scholar paper as well as type of
review article that includes introduction, findings and methodology on particular topic. It is a
type of secondary source of data.
Purpose of the literature review:-
The main purpose of the literature review is identified relationship of the work in context to the
author's contribution to others works. It helps to place scholar work in existing literature.
It provides best starting point to the researcher in new area by forcing the research to evaluate,
summarize and compare with similar research.
It gives evidence for future research as recommendation. It gives constructive analysis that
includes methodology and approaches to the researcher.
Importance of the literature review:-

It creates a rapport with your audience:- literature review help to create a sense of
rapport with the readers or the researcher audience so they can satisfy with researchers work and
give credits to their delegations.
It helps the scholar to avoid incidental plagiarism:- When the researcher have read all
the past literature review that will help to the scholar to avoid incidental plagiarism because
when the research writes their review than they much be avoid the plagiarism.
It sharpens the scholar research focus:- As the scholar study outside sources that
creates thinking to evaluate, synthesize, paraphrase and condense in their own words. This
process will help to replace their knowledge at large context.
A literature is an essential for any fields research that provides comprehensive overview
to the scholar from past to present. A literature review is taken various forms such as
argumentative review, integrative review, methodology review, historical review, theoretical
review and systematic review etc. An argumentative review writes to present as opposed to given
topic. It is valuable for thesis of the individual. An integrative review composes the critical
analysis on particular topic that need to introduce new research. A historical review is assessed
all the historical data of the particular topic while examine the research methodology(Literature
review: purpose of a literature review,2019).
The literature review have three essential categories. These are simple, applied and
academic. A simple literature review is an overview of the topic. It is just a starting point of the
research. An applied literature review that is mostly used in business, professional environment
and government. It provides more facts and findings to the reader(Machi and McEvoy, 2016). It
is used to identify market changes, values of the similar projects. An academic literature review
is required accuracy, objectives, quality resources, quality analysis and in-depth knowledge.
2. Literature review on the topic of “Corporate social responsibility”
Crowther and Seifi,(2018) states Corporate social responsibility is also known as
corporate sustainability, corporate conscience, sustainable business, conscious capitalism,
corporate citizenship and responsible business. CSR is a type of international business self
regulation. Corporate social responsibility describes as internal policy of the organisation. It is
aligned to the business that integrated success to the business model. Corporate social
responsibility is titled that add to the mission of the organisation and guide to company as how to

represents its consumer. The definitions of CSR are different for business, non-profit
organisation and government. For business, Corporate social responsibility is a business strategy.
For non-profit organisation, it is a green-wash and for government, CSR is a voluntary
regulation. Corporate social responsibility is a self regulating model for businesses that helps to
organisation be to accountable as social to its stakeholders and public. CSR means a company
operates in a way that contributes positively to the society and environment. CSR is a board
concept that have many forms that depends on company and industry. With the help of CSR
programmes company can boost their brands. As important for the company, it is equally
important for society, stakeholders and investors. Corporate social responsibility activities helps
organisation to maintain good relation with their customers, employees, suppliers and investors.
In order to accomplish social responsibility, companies first responsibility is to be responsible to
itself and their shareholders. Companies who is adopted CSR programs that grown their business
at that point when they are given back to the society. Corporate social responsibility is a
primarily business strategy for large corporations. More successful and visible corporations have
to set a standard for ethical behaviours to their competitors, peers and industry.
According to Grayson and Hodges,(2017) For Corporate social responsibility the
international organization for standardization released a set of standards that is voluntary for the
companies those helps to company in implementing CSR activities. ISO provides guidelines to
the company rather than requirements. The Corporate social responsibility is qualitative rather
than quantitative in nature. The standards of the international organization for standardization is
not certified. CSR is helps to manage business process to produce a positive impact to the
society. CSR is a continues commitment of the business to behave ethically to the society and
economic development. CSR activities also include the initiatives for the employees that
improve the quality of the life of workplace, their families, local communities as well as society.
It enhances the employees' satisfaction level. Company includes its employees in decision
making process is also a part of CSR program that motivates employees to work towards the
organisations goals as well as enhance the efficiency and effectiveness at work place. It also
enhances employees engagement to the company. Corporate social responsibility is all about
capacity building of the company for sustainable livelihoods. CSR helps to organisation in
removing cultural barriers and finding more opportunities of the business. CSR is integrated part
of wealth creation of the company if the organisation manages properly that should provide

competitive advantages to business and maximise their wealth to the society. Corporate social
responsibility is different for every countries there is not one fit for all because in different
countries the priorities and values are different that will shape the business accordingly.
Corporate social responsibility means operating a business in manner that meets the ethical,
commercial, public and legal expectation that society have from the businesses. A concept where
the company contributes for clean environment as well as better society. The company shows
social, economical and environment concern in their operations on voluntary basis.
As per Crane, Matten and Spence, (2019) CSR is a concept that suggests that it is
responsibility of the organisation to contributes towards the social, economical and environment
development that create positive image of the company towards the society. This concept also
reveals that organisation needs to focus beyond the profits. It involves the effective method that
is fit for both business and society. CSR is a range of responsibility that is fulfilled by the
company towards the local communities and society in which they operate their activities.
Corporate social responsibility is a duty of the company that is accountability of the corporation
towards the society. The aim of Corporate social responsibility is to enhance the long term
profits of the businesses by enable to become get more positive attention from the public for their
efforts. Both online and offline business get benefits by implementing CSR strategies. There are
numerous benefits of the Corporate social responsibility such as increase employee loyalty,
prevent financial ramifications, maintain a positive reputation etc. Treating their employees
generously and fairly is part of CSR activity such as providing good jobs to the employees,
encourage high morals and professional standards that increases employee loyalty. CSR
activities towards the environment are reducing waste, minimizing carbon footprint, recycling
and other best practices towards environment. And also producing sustainable products,
supporting environmental causes and lowering energy usage etc. Social concern is also
Corporate social responsibility for the company. It includes donate to the humanitarian causes
that is victims of epidemics(AIDS) and persistent poverty etc. The company can contributing
local communities projects by giving financial donation, promote projects through advertisement
that enhance their clients, customers and investors in particular location. Online business can
take CSR initiatives through website sustainability means reducing the use of carbon footprint of
webpage, improving ease of navigations and replace video clips with slide shows. Online
businesses also contributes in CSR activities by promoting social and humanitarian causes on

their websites, social media post and blog content with display advertisement. CSR is
organisation commitment to the society that manage economic and environment effects of their
operations. It touches with every part of the business such as operations, supply chain, human
resource, health and safety, manufacturing and many more. Corporate social responsibility may
include reinvesting profits in educational programs, environmental programs and health and
safety programmes as well as promote equal opportunities for men and women at higher level of
organisation. The benefits of CSR are various for an organisation such as establish good
reputation, reduces operational cost, minimize environmental impacts, attract positive attention
and new talent as well as inspire innovation.
Wang and et.al.,(2016) states Corporate social responsibility is a board concept that
address numerous topics like corporate governance, human rights, health & safety, contributes to
economic development, environment effects and working conditions etc. The main purpose of
the Corporate social responsibility is drive changes towards society, environment and
economical sustainability. Some companies are achieved remarkable success through their
unique CSR initiatives. For example, Unilever, multinational corporation, in food and beverage
sector. They have comprehensive CSR strategy. They major initiative is sustainable tea
programme. Unilever aims that their source of PG tips tea and Lipton tea from Rainforest
Alliance Certified, it is farms that differentiate products as social, environmental and economical
sustainable. CSR is a management concept that integrated environment, social and economical
concern in their operation and interaction with the stakeholders. It is generally a way of
balancing the impact of social, environmental and economical. There are some key issues of the
CSR such as environmental management, labour standards, employee and communities relations,
stakeholders engagement, human rights, social equity, good governance, gender equality, anti
corruption measures and responsible sourcing etc. A proper implementation of Corporate social
responsibility is brought number of competitive advantages to business such as enhance sales
and profits, reduce operational cost, improve brand image, enhance reputation of the
organisation, increase customer loyalty, help in better decision making, risk management
process, improvement in productivity and quality etc. Corporate social responsibility is not just
beneficial for society but also companies, its shareholders, customers, suppliers and investors. It
gives the chance to the employees ODF the company to contributes towards the environment,
society as well as country. It creates positive word of mouth to the company for long term.

CONCLUSION
From the above study it has been summarized that literature review is an important aspect
for any scholar and for future research. Corporate social responsibility is played an important
role in order to achieving business objectives. The report has been described the definition of the
literature review and its purpose. It has been also described about its achievement. Furthermore,
it has been explained the literature review of the Corporate social responsibility with the various
authors point of view. Corporate social responsibility is an essential part for the organisation for
long term growth.

REFERENCES
Books and journals
Crane, A., Matten, D. and Spence, L. eds., 2019. Corporate social responsibility: Readings and
cases in a global context. Routledge.
Crowther, D. and Seifi, S. eds., 2018. Redefining Corporate Social Responsibility. Emerald
Group Publishing.
Grayson, D. and Hodges, A., 2017. Corporate social opportunity!: Seven steps to make
corporate social responsibility work for your business. Routledge.
Machi, L.A. and McEvoy, B.T., 2016. The literature review: Six steps to success. Corwin Press.
Wang and et.al.,2016. Corporate social responsibility: An overview and new research directions:
Thematic issue on corporate social responsibility.
Online
Literature review: purpose of a literature review.2019[Online].Available
through<https://uscupstate.libguides.com/c.php?g=627058&p=4389968>