Doing well by doing good : Hur kommunikation och anpassning av CSR skapar värde

Sammanfattning: Background: Today, It’s not uncommon that international companies and organizations have a higher turnover than the GDP of developing countries. Consequently, this may suggest that the choices companies make in the context of their business has a great potential to influence the world from an economic, but also from a social and environmental standpoint. From this the notion emerged that companies have a responsibility, referred to as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). A clear definition of the CSR concept is difficult to find, more than 37 different definitions has been identified. Common to all these is that they address a number of underlying themes such as: Balance, Responsibility, and Value. Few studies examine companies’ underlying assumptions about the adaptation and communication of CSR, and the perception of how one type of value in relation to another is created and defined. It is clear, however, that companies must make a choice regarding which areas of CSR they should prioritize. Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to study how Swedish companies strategically adapt their CSR initiatives and CSR communication to create value. Method: In order to answer the purpose of the thesis a qualitative method has been used. Interviews were conducted with CSR representatives from three major Swedish companies. Theories: The Pyramid of CSR, Green marketing activities on three levels, Generic environmental strategies and Ten rules for successful CSR communication. Conclusion: The results of the study suggest that the link between the adaption of CSR and CSR communication is based on the business value perspective. Furthermore, it would seem that the competitive strategy of a company is in close symbiosis with their value perspective. The result of the study indicate that there is not a value perspective which should be preferred over others in the adaption of CSR and CSR communication, the value perspective should instead be relative to the company’s current competitive strategy and industry conditions.