CSR som legitimeringsstrategi : En textanalys av kommunikationen kring socialt ansvar hos Swedish Match och Japan Tobacco International

Sammanfattning: An organisation's survival depends on being considered legitimate through the eyes of society. Through CSR-work, organisations strive to appease stakeholders in order to reach and maintain legitimacy. In controversial industries this work is significantly harder, for such businesses often cause harm to human health, society and/or environment. The purpose of this study is to critically review how companies in the tobacco industry legitimise their businesses through communications of CSR-work. Through analysis of Swedish Match’s and Japan Tobacco International’s webpages and annual reports this study aims to understand how they communicate their social responsibility to stakeholders and society. Since CSR-work and legitimacy within controversial industries is a relatively unexplored subject of research, prior scientific research has formed a significant basis for the study. Prior scientific research states that CSR-communication with high-transparency and preventative strategies have the highest legitimising effect within controversial industries. The theoretical framework has been based on legitimacy- and communication theories, combined with Bacchis’ analytical theory and method WPR. The method used in the study is an ideology critical text analysis. The results show that the companies use high-transparency and remedying CSR-strategies in their communication to strive for legitimacy. Overall, the companies use their platforms to strengthen the legitimacy of their risk-reducing products, environmental initiatives and their work with human rights in their supply-chains.