Management perception on the importance of corporate social responsibility for brand image: : A case study of Husqvarna

Sammanfattning: This master thesis focus on corporate social responsibility (CSR) and the relation to brand image. The topic was chosen because of the lack of research in this type of field. Previous research has suggested that there might be a bond between CSR and the brand image of a company, however, no confirmations has been done. The case study was done with in-depth interviews with Husqvarna’s CSR manager and marketing manager. The case study was also done with the help of Husqvarna’s sustainability report. Results from this study shows that brand image is affected positively by CSR. For Husqvarna, it is still a bit early to say if CSR will have a positive impact since they have not been engaged in CSR for a long time. However, it is their plan and ambition for CSR to have a positive impact on their brand image. The idea with CSR is not to set oneself side from the competition, instead it is a hygiene factor, something that is expected from companies. However, the way they set themselves apart is to take stakeholders’ expectations in consideration when planning their CSR actions. The consequence of this is that the brand image is positively affected. The process for improving brand image can be portrayed in the following steps: under the pressures derived from the stakeholders, the company have to make an effort to satisfy the stakeholders’ expectations with the help of CSR. The response derived from stakeholders will generate the assessment on the companies. These kinds of evaluations will influence the brand image.