Public expectations of where and how to communicate corporate social responsibility

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Abstract

There is an emphasis on corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities, but research on how and where to communicate CSR is lacking. To investigate how and where to communicate CSR, an online survey instrument was developed to sample a total of 100 consumer panel members. A total of 31 items were included to measure the public’s general expectations for CSR communication. Findings reveal that CSR needs to be communicated to internal stakeholders before external stakeholders and ensure employee commitment to the company’s CSR initiatives. In communicating within the workplace, the development of human resources is most significant. In terms of corporate governance practices, financial reporting is the most significant. Likewise, reports on the community reveal mobilization of resources for social investment is the most significant. Whereas communication on environmental education activities is the most significant in CSR communication of the environment. In addressing the second objective, findings reveal that companies should play a role in society beyond economic benefit generation. The results show that society’s concern is important in deciding where to communicate CSR. The study suggests that knowing where and how to communicate CSR that will appeal to the public will significantly affect the image and reputation of the company.

Keywords: Corporate Social Responsibility, Communication, Corporate Organization, Employees, Stakeholders, Public Relations

Authors’ individual contribution: Conceptualization — E.F.A.; Methodology — E.F.A. and M.C.; Validation — M.C.; Formal Analysis — E.F.A.; Data Curation — M.C.; Writing — Original Draft — E.F.A.; Writing — Review & Editing — E.F.A. and M.C.

Declaration of conflicting interests: The Authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

JEL Classification: M14

Received: 26.05.2024
Accepted: 22.11.2024
Published online: 26.11.2024

How to cite this paper: Adanlawo, E. F., & Chaka, M. (2024). Public expectations of where and how to communicate corporate social responsibility. Corporate Governance and Organizational Behavior Review, 8(4), 8–16. https://doi.org/10.22495/cgobrv8i4p1