The choice, implementation and benefits of corporate social responsibility initiatives

Organisations are under increasing pressure to favourably impact the communities in which they operate, and accordingly, are adopting a range of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives. This study sought the views and opinions of managers responsible for CSR in five large organisations across five key industries in Australia to determine whether they adopt a broad or narrow range of CSR initiatives and whether they perceive any competitive advantage (benefit) by having adopted their current initiatives. Findings indicate that most organisations partner with an NGO to help implement and manage the CSR initiative and tend to choose more social than eco-environmental initiatives. Competitive advantages were commonly perceived as being improved reputation or brand image.