Corporate social responsibility

The idea of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has gained unprecedented international influence and attention in recent years within both business and development circles. In addition to its growing integration into business strategy, CSR is becoming as a key public policy concern from the local to the global level. Although the theory and practice of CSR have deep historical roots, the current CSR agenda is much more diverse and complex, and remains contested. Increasing numbers of companies are being challenged to express forms of social and environmental responsibility in their business practice. Local, regional and national governments and international organisations are facing growing pressure from various non-state actors to develop different and sometimes contradictory responses such as voluntary codes of conduct, social and environmental auditing and reporting guidelines, cross-sector partnerships, formal legislative/regulatory measures and sometimes merely maintaining the status quo.