CSR and Beyond A Nordic Perspective

Following the neoliberal turn in the 1980s, leading global companies have established an influential trend in business through adoption of the doctrine of corporate social and environmental responsibility (CSR). This book critically explores the new megatrend and its varying interpretations and presents overviews of several fields of CSR practice: governance, business ethics, SRI/ESG investment, communication, reporting, labour relations/HR, supply chain management, life cycle analysis, climate strategy, innovation, leadership and public policy. The book also presents visions of CSR development going forward. While the book contributes to the international research frontier, it also reflects its Nordic context, both with respect to authorship and empirical focus. Chapters on leading companies and on state CSR initiatives illustrate how the Nordic tradition has fostered pioneering CSR positions both in business and public policy. In the final chapter the book engages in the broader international debate on CSR, democracy, and value creation, with leading international critical thinkers in dialogue with industrial strategists.