scholarly journals The Life Cycle of Corporate Social Responsibility in Agri-Food: Value Creation Models

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 1287 ◽  
Author(s):  
Concetta Nazzaro ◽  
Marcello Stanco ◽  
Giuseppe Marotta
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Value Creation ◽  
Business Processes ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Food Industries ◽  
A Value ◽  
Corporate Social

This paper contributes to the theoretical debate in agri-food economics focusing on corporate social responsibility. Specifically, it aims to define an interpretative model of the processes of social responsibility and value creation in the food industry. An empirical investigation was conducted using an analysis of case studies—representative of sustainable innovation and social responsibility models—as well as in-depth interviews and focus groups with managers of food industries and the sector’s experts. The paper focuses on a topic that has yet to be analysed in agri-food economics literature: corporate social responsibility as a value-creating strategy. Further, it proposes a life cycle model of social responsibility in business processes. The study findings reveal that corporate social responsibility actions may affect the agri-food process and/or the product. Specifically, the investigated case studies reveal that the production sector in which a company operates strongly influences its orientation towards one or more corporate social responsibility dimensions. This study’s results contribute to the debate on the topic and provide useful insights for practitioners and policy-makers.

scholarly journals Circular economy and corporate social responsibility in the agricultural system: Cases study of the Italian agri-food industry

2020 ◽  
Vol 66 (No. 11) ◽  
pp. 489-498
Author(s):  
Simona Fortunati ◽  
Donato Morea ◽  
Enrico Maria Mosconi
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Organizational Performance ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Food Industry ◽  
Business Processes ◽  
Agricultural System ◽  
Agricultural Activity ◽  
Enabling Factors ◽  
Corporate Social

The persistent exploitation of natural resources and the consequent use of consumption are driving global food demand with the result that agricultural activity is becoming less and less environmentally friendly. The circular economy (CE) can become a valid alternative, inserting the economic-agricultural system into the harmonic process of material circulation. The corporate social responsibility (CSR) model is particularly interesting not only because of the ethical dimension of the company but also as a factor of strategic business improvement that combines the concepts of CSR and CE as possible solutions for developing sustainable business processes. The objective of the work is to highlight a detailed framework of how the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) of the Italian agri-food industry can provide an adequate level of communication, circular strategies and social responsibility practices. The research methodology is based on a qualitative multiple study conducted on a sample of nine companies in the Italian territory. The study highlights the attention of companies on the issues of the CE for the achievement of the set sustainable objectives and the attention to CSR and CE practices. The work has several implications. It provides a further understanding of CSR and CE policies as enabling factors for the development of sustainable organizational performance in agriculture. Moreover, it better investigates the relationship between CSR and the CE. Finally, it analyses the SMEs state of the art in the CE field and strengthens the concept of CE by analysing corporate practices consistent with sustainability reports.

Corporate Social Responsibility Exposure and Performance of Mutual Funds

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Financial Crisis ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Mutual Funds ◽  
Stock Return ◽  
Fund Performance ◽  
A Value ◽  
Performance Patterns ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Corporate Social

The authors study the performance consequences of exposure to corporate social responsibility (CSR) through stock holdings for mutual funds. Using a large sample of US domestic mutual funds, they find that funds overweighting low-CSR stocks outperform funds underweighting them by 1.7% to 2.6% annually. This outperformance, however, reverses during the 2008-2009 financial crisis. They also find similar performance patterns among stocks. An equal-weighted high-minus-low CSR stock return spread can explain the CSR-based fund performance spread, whereas a value-weighted spread cannot. These results are consistent with the interpretation that low-CSR funds overweight low-CSR small-cap stocks that offer high returns to investors who are averse to low-CSR investments. Investors tend to avoid low-CSR stocks due to either social norms against these stocks or risk of underperformance of these investments when overall trust in corporations suffers a negative shock (such as during a financial crisis).

The Heterogeneity of Family Firms in CSR Engagement

2014 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 206-227 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pilar Marques ◽  
Pilar Presas ◽  
Alexandra Simon
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Grounded Theory ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Family Involvement ◽  
Family Firms ◽  
Stewardship Theory ◽  
Spanish Family ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
Csr Engagement

This study addresses the heterogeneity of family firms in their engagement with corporate social responsibility (CSR). We build on stewardship theory and socioemotional wealth to explore the foundations of CSR in family firms and to examine whether the extent of engagement is based on values, and how and why this happens. We use the interpretative method of grounded theory to address these questions. Based on 12 case studies of Spanish family firms, this article illustrates the patterns of influence of family involvement and values in explaining the extent and scope of CSR.

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