Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Socially Responsible Retailing

  • Reference work entry
  • First Online:
The Palgrave Handbook of Corporate Social Responsibility

  • 3073 Accesses

Abstract

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is becoming an increasingly popular concept in competitive retail sector and deals with the economic, ethical, and environmental integrations in the business environment. This chapter sets out to explore the commitments and agendas of socially responsible retailers in the UK and provide a snapshot of the key issues in the CSR reporting in the UK retail sector. The chapter draws its information from the top socially responsible retailers in the UK. It aims to provide a review of CSR agendas being pursued by eminent retailers by exploring CSR reports of the selected retailers under four themes such as community, environment, health and safety, and workforce. The findings revealed that each of the selected retailer had its own approach to CSR with some variations in providing the detail about the nature and extent of the CSR agendas. However, the message is evident that retailers considered the key CSR themes as an integral part of their core business which could be a source of added advantage. The chapter begins with discussing the development of CSR, theoretical perspectives, importance of CSR reports, and key issues discussed in the retail context. The review of the CSR agendas in the retail sector can be of interest to academics, practitioners, and professionals working in the retail sector.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 599.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 649.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ameer R, Othman R, (2012) Sustainability Practices and Corporate Financial Performance: A Study Based on the Top Global Corporations. Journal of Business Ethics 108(1):61–79

    Google Scholar 

  • Aragon-Correa JA, Hurtado-Torres N, Sharma S, Garcia Morales JV (2008) Environmental strategy and performance in small firms: a resource-based perspective. J Environ Manag 86(1):88–103

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Aras G, Crowther D (2009) Corporate sustainability reporting: a study in disingenuity. J Bus Ethics 87(1):279–288

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Argandoña A, von Weltzien Hoivik H (2009) Corporate social responsibility: one size does not fit all. Collecting evidence from Europe. J Bus Ethics 89(3):221–234

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barnett ML, Salomon RM (2002) Unpacking social responsibility: the curvilinear relationship between social and financial performance. Acad Manag Proc 2(1):1–6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Batle J, Orfila-Sintes F, Moon CJ (2018) Environmental management best practices: towards social innovation. Int J Hosp Manag 69:14–20

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beesley ME, Evans T (1978) Corporate social responsibility: a reassessment. Croom Helm, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Bhattacharyya A (2014) Managerial attitude and support for social responsibility through the lens of legitimacy theory – a cross country comparison. Social Responsibility Journal 10(4):716–736

    Google Scholar 

  • Blowfield M, Murray A (2008) The impact of corporate responsibility. In: Corporate responsibility: a critical introduction. Oxford University Press, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Boesso G, Favotto F, Michelon G (2015) Stakeholder prioritization, strategic corporate social responsibility and company performance: further evidence. Corp Soc Responsib Environ Manag 22(6):424–440

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boesso G, Michelon G (2010) The effects of stakeholder prioritization on corporate financial performance: An empirical investigation. International Journal of Management 27(3):470

    Google Scholar 

  • Brennan NM, Merkl-Davies DM, Beelitz A (2013) Dialogism in corporate social responsibility communications: conceptualizing verbal interaction between organizations and their audiences. J Bus Ethics 115(4):665–679

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brønn PS, Vrioni AB, (2015) Corporate social responsibility and cause-related marketing: an overview. International Journal of Advertising 20(2):207–222

    Google Scholar 

  • Bronn PS, Vrioni AB (2011) Corporate social responsibility and cause-related marketing: an overview. Int J Advert 20:207–222

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buysse K, Verbeke A, (2003) Proactive environmental strategies: a stakeholder management perspective. Strategic Management Journal 24(5):453–470

    Google Scholar 

  • Campbell JT, Eden L, Miller SR (2012) Multinationals and corporate social responsibility in host countries: does distance matter and quest. J Int Bus Stud 43(1):84–106

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carroll AB (1979) A three-dimensional conceptual model of corporate performance. Acad Manag Rev 4(4):497–505

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carroll AB (1991) The pyramid of corporate social responsibility: Toward the moral management of organizational stakeholders. Business Horizons 34(4):39–48

    Google Scholar 

  • Carroll AB (1999) Corporate social responsibility: Evolution of a definitional construct. Business & society 38(3):268–295

    Google Scholar 

  • Chiara AD, Spena RT (2011) CSR strategy in multinational firms, focus on human resources, suppliers and community. J Glob Responsib 2(1):60–74

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Crane A, Matten D, Glozer S, Spence L (2019) Business ethics: managing corporate citizenship and sustainability in the age of globalization. Oxford University Press, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Crane A, Matten D, Moon J (2008) The emergence of corporate citizenship: historical development and alternative perspectives. In: Handbook of research on global corporate citizenship. Edward Elgar, Cheltenham, pp 25–49

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Dahlsrud A (2008) How corporate social responsibility is defined: an analysis of 37 definitions. Corp Soc Responsib Environ Manag 15(1):1–13

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Deegan C, Blomquist C (2006) Stakeholder influence on corporate reporting: an exploration of the interaction between WWF-Australia and the Australian minerals industry. Account Org Soc 31(4–5):343–372

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Deegan C, Gordon B (1996) A study of the environmental disclosure practices of Australian corporations. Accounting and business research 26(3):187–199

    Google Scholar 

  • Doh JP, Guay TR (2006) Corporate social responsibility, public policy, and NGO activism in Europe and the United States: an institutional-stakeholder perspective. J Manag Stud 43(1):47–73

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Donker H, Poff D, Zahir S (2008) Corporate values, codes of ethics, and firm performance: a look at the Canadian context. J Bus Ethics 82(3):527–537

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Doonan J, Lanoie P, Laplante B (2005) Analysis determinants of environmental performance in the Canadian pulp and paper industry: an assessment from inside the industry. Ecol Econ 55(1):73–84

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Du S, Bhattacharya CB, Sen S (2010) Maximizing business returns to corporate social responsibility (CSR): the role of CSR communication. Int J Manag Rev 12(1):8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fatma M, Rahman Z, Khan I (2015) Building company reputation and brand equity through CSR: the mediating role of trust. Int J Bank Market 33(6):840–856

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Freeman RE (1984) Strategic management: a stakeholder approach. Pitman, Boston

    Google Scholar 

  • Friedman M (1970) A Friedman doctrine: the social responsibility of business is to increase its profits. N Y Times Mag 13:32–33

    Google Scholar 

  • Friedman M (1982) Capitalism and Freedom. 1962. Whether government control over the provision of education through public schools is also efficient is a quite different matter

    Google Scholar 

  • Garriga E, Melé D (2004) Corporate social responsibility theories: mapping the territory. J Bus Ethics 53(1–2):51–71

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gauthier C (2005) Measuring corporate social and environmental performance: the extended life cycle assessment. J Bus Ethics 59(1):199–206

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Girod S, Michael B (2003) Branding in European retailing: a corporate social responsibility perspective. Oxf Retail Digest 38:91

    Google Scholar 

  • Gölgeci I, Gligor DM, Tatoglu E, Arda OA (2019) A relational view of environmental performance: what role do environmental collaboration and cross-functional alignment play? J Bus Res 96:35–46

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gossling T, Vocht C (2007) Social role conceptions and CSR policy success. J Bus Ethics 74(4):363–372

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Graham S, Potter A (2015) Environmental operations management and its links with proactivity and performance: a study of the UK food industry. Int J Prod Econ 170:146–159

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gray RH, Dey C, Owen D, Evans R, Zadek S (1997) Struggling with the praxis of social accounting: stakeholders, accountability, audits and procedures. Account Audit Account J 10(3):325–364

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hahn R, Kuhnen M (2013) Determinants of sustainability reporting: a review of results, trends, theory and opportunities in an expanding field of research. J Clean Prod 59:5–21

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haskins C (2009) Using the concept of sustainable development to encourage corporate responsibility in small enterprises. Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim

    Google Scholar 

  • Henderson D (2001) Misguided virtue: false notions of corporate social responsibility. New Zealand Business Roundtable, Wellington

    Google Scholar 

  • Higginson N, Simmo C, Warsame H (2006) Environmental disclosure and legitimation in the annual report – evidence from joint solutions project. J Appl Res 8(2):3–23

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoi CK, Wu Q, Zhang H (2018) Community social capital and corporate social responsibility. J Bus Ethics 152(3):647–665

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hopkins M, Crowe R (2003) Corporate social responsibility: is there a business case. ACCA UK, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Husted BW, Allen DB (2009) Strategic corporate social responsibility and value creation. Management International Review 49(6):781–799

    Google Scholar 

  • Hybels RC (1995) On legitimacy, legitimation, and organizations: a critical review and integrative theoretical model. Acad Manag J 1995:241–245

    Google Scholar 

  • Islam MA, Deegan C (2007) Motivations for organisations within developing countries to report social responsibility information: a case study from Bangladesh. 5th Asia Pacific Interdisciplinary Research in Accounting Conference

    Google Scholar 

  • Islam MA, Deegan C (2010) Media pressures and corporate disclosure of social responsibility performance information: a study of two global clothing and sports retail companies. Account Bus Res 40(2):131–148

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ismail M (2009) Corporate social responsibility and its role in community development: an international perspective. J Int Soc Res 2(9):200–209

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones B (2010) Corporate social irresponsibility: the role of government and ideology. In: Reframing corporate social responsibility: lessons from the global financial crisis. Emerald, Bingley, pp 57–75

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Jones B, Bowd R, Tench R (2009) Corporate irresponsibility and corporate social responsibility: competing realities. Social Responsibility Journal

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones P, Comfort D, Hillier D (2005) Corporate social responsibility as a means of marketing to and communicating with customers within stores: A case study of UK food retailers. Management Research News

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones P, Comfort D, Hillier D (2007) What’s in store? Retail marketing and corporate social responsibility. Marketing Intelligence & Planning

    Google Scholar 

  • Kantar (2018) Grocery market share in great Britain, December, 2019. https://www.kantarworldpanel.com/en/grocery-market-share/great-britain

  • Karna J, Hansen E, Juslin H (2003) Social responsibility in environmental marketing planning. Eur J Mark 37(5–6):848–871

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kearns AJ (2017) Rebuilding trust: Ireland’s CSR plan in the light of caritas in veritate. J Bus Ethics 146(4):845–857

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kemper A, Martin RL (2010) After the fall: the global financial crisis as a test of corporate social responsibility theories. Eur Manag Rev 7(4):229–239

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kerr M, Janda R, Pitts C (2009) Corporate social responsibility – a legal analysis. LexisNexis, Toronto

    Google Scholar 

  • Klein J, Dawar N (2004) Corporate social responsibility and consumers’ attributions and brand evaluations in a product–harm crisis. International Journal of research in Marketing 21(3):203–217

    Google Scholar 

  • Klonoski RJ (1991) Foundational considerations in the corporate social responsibility debate. Bus Horiz 34:9–18

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kotler P (2000) Marketing management. The Millenium edition. Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River

    Google Scholar 

  • Kramer MR, Porter M (2011) Creating shared value. FSG

    Google Scholar 

  • Lawrence AT, Weber J (2008) Business and society: stakeholders, ethics, public policy, 12th edn. McGraw Hill, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Lozano R (2013) A holistic perspective on corporate sustainability drivers. Corp Soc Responsib Environ Manag 22(1):4–32

    Google Scholar 

  • Luo N, Zhang M, Hu M, Wang Y (2016) How community interactions contribute to harmonious community relationships and customers’ identification in online brand community. Int J Inf Manag 36(5):673–685

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maas K, Liket K (2011) Talk the walk: Measuring the impact of strategic philanthropy. Journal of business ethics 100(3):445–464

    Google Scholar 

  • Maignan I, Ralston DA (2002) Corporate social responsibility in Europe and the US: Insights from businesses’ self-presentations. Journal of International Business Studies 33(3):497–514

    Google Scholar 

  • Mansell S (2013) Shareholder theory and Kant’s duty of beneficence. J Bus Ethics 117:583–599

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McBarnet D, Voiculescu A, Campbell T (2007) The new corporate accountability corporate social responsibility and the law. Cambridge University Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • McWilliams A, Siegel D (2001) Corporate social responsibility: A theory of the firm perspective. Academy of management review 26(1):117–127

    Google Scholar 

  • McWilliams A, Siegel D, Wright P (2006) Corporate social responsibility: strategic implications. J Manag Stud 43(1):1–18

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Milne M, Patten D (2002) Securing organizational legitimacy – an experimental decision case examining the impact of environmental disclosures. Account Audit Account J 15(3):372–405

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moir L (2001) What do we mean by corporate social responsibility? Corp Gov 1(2):16–22

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moneva JM, Rivera-Lirio JM, Muñoz-Torres MJ (2007) The corporate stakeholder commitment and social and financial performance. Ind Manag Data Syst 107(1):84–102

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Neumann WP, Dixon SM, Nordvall AC (2014) Consumer demand as a driver of improved working conditions, the Ergo-brand proposition. Ergonomics 57(8):1113–1126

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nurhayati R, Taylor G, Rusmin R, Tower G, Chatterjee B (2016) Factors determining social and environmental reporting by Indian textile and apparel firms: a test of legitimacy theory. Soc Responsib J 12(1):167–189

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Obalola M (2010) An empirical examination of moral beliefs of the Nigerian insurance managers and the moderating effects of corporate ethical values and some demographic factors. International Journal of Banking, Accounting and Finance 2(3):196

    Google Scholar 

  • Oberseder M, Schlegelmilch BB, Murphy EP, Gruber V (2014) Consumer’s perception of corporate social responsibility: scale development and validation. J Bus Ethics 124(1):101–115

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ofori DF, Hinson RE (2007) Corporate social responsibility (CSR) perspectives of leading firms in Ghana. Corp Gov 7(2):178–193

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pava ML, Krausz J (1996) The association between corporate social-responsibility and financial performance: the paradox of social cost. J Bus Ethics 15(3):321–357

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Porter ME, Kramer MR (2006) The link between competitive advantage and corporate social responsibility. Harv Bus Rev 84(12):78–92

    Google Scholar 

  • Radzi NAM, Lee KE, Halim SA, Siwar C (2018) What drives them to do CSR? Another empirical study of CSR motives from the perspective of the internal and external stakeholders. Information. International Information Institute (Tokyo) 21(3):909–928

    Google Scholar 

  • Rao P (2006) Greening of suppliers/in-bound logistics in the South East Asian context, chapter 11. In: Sarkis J (ed) Greening the supply chain. Springer, London, pp 189–204

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Rhodes (2018) Retail sector in the UK, House of Commons Library briefing paper, October, 2018. https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN06186/SN06186.pdf

  • Robins F (2005) The future of corporate social responsibility. Asian Bus Manag 4:95–115

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Samy M, Odemilin G, Bampton R (2010) Corporate social responsibility: a strategy for sustainable business success. An analysis of 20 selected British companies. Corp Gov 10(2):203–217

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schnietz KE, Epstein MJ (2005) Exploring the financial value of a reputation for corporate social responsibility during a crisis. Corporate reputation review 7(4):327–345

    Google Scholar 

  • Schwartz MS (2005) Universal moral values for corporate codes of ethics. J Bus Ethics 41(1):27–43

    Google Scholar 

  • Schwartz MS, Carroll AB (2003) Corporate social responsibility: A three-domain approach. Business ethics quarterly 503–530

    Google Scholar 

  • Schwartz MS, Carroll AB (2008) Integrating and unifying competing and complementary frameworks: The search for a common core in the business and society field. Business & Society 47(2):148–186

    Google Scholar 

  • Sen S, Bhattacharya CB (2001) Does doing good always lead to doing better? Consumer reactions to corporate social responsibility. Journal of marketing Research 38(2):225–243

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith AD (2008) Corporate social responsibility practices in the pharmaceutical industry. Bus Strateg Ser 9(6):306–315

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Snider J, Hill RP, Martin D (2003) Corporate social responsibility in the 21st century: a view from the world’s most successful firms. J Bus Ethics 48(2):175–187

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Soana MG (2011) The relationship between corporate social performance and corporate financial performance in the banking sector. J Bus Ethics 104(1):133–148

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sonpar K, Pazzaglia F, Kornijenko J (2010) The paradox and constraints of legitimacy. J Bus Ethics 95(1):1–21

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spence LJ, Jeurissen R, Rutherfoord R (2000) Small business and the environment in the UK and the Netherlands: Toward stakeholder cooperation. Business Ethics Quarterly 945–965

    Google Scholar 

  • Stieb JA (2009) Assessing Freeman’s stakeholder theory. J Bus Ethics 87(3):401–414

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Suchman MC (1995) Managing legitimacy: strategic and institutional approaches. Acad Manag J 20(3):571–610

    Google Scholar 

  • Sweeney L (2009) A study of current practice of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and an examination of the relationship between CSR and financial performance using structural equation modelling (SEM)

    Google Scholar 

  • Tang L, Gekara V (2018) The importance of customer expectations: an analysis of CSR in container shipping. J Bus Ethics 1–11

    Google Scholar 

  • Torugsa NA, O’Donohue W, Hecker R (2013) Proactive CSR: An empirical analysis of the role of its economic, social and environmental dimensions on the association between capabilities and performance. Journal of Business Ethics 115(2):383–402

    Google Scholar 

  • Trudel R, Cotte J (2009) Is it really worth it? Consumer response to ethical and unethical practices. MIT Sloan Manag Rev 50(2):61–68

    Google Scholar 

  • Varadarajan R, Kaul R (2018) Doing well by doing good innovations: alleviation of social problems in emerging markets through corporate social innovations. J Bus Res 86:225–233

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Visser W (2006) Revisiting Carroll’s CSR pyramid. Corp Citizensh Dev Count 29–56

    Google Scholar 

  • Waddock S (2004) Parallel universes: companies, academics, and the progress of corporate citizenship. Bus Soc Rev 109:5–42

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wagner T, Lutz RJ, Weitz BA (2009) Corporate hypocrisy: overcoming the threat of inconsistent corporate social responsibility perceptions. J Mark 73(6):77–91

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walmsley JD, Bond A (2003) An assessment of the role of environmental reporting in supporting share values in FTSE100 companies. Journal of Environmental Assessment Policy and Management 5(02):149–182

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang R, Huang Y (2018) Communicating corporate social responsibility (CSR) on social media: how do message source and types of CSR messages influence stakeholders’ perceptions? Corp Commun Int J 23(3):326–341

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weber M (2013) The Protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalism. Routledge, New York

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Wilmshurst TD, Frost GR (2000) Corporate environmental reporting: a test of legitimacy theory. Account Audit Account J 13(1):10–26

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wood DJ (1991) Corporate social performance revisited. Acad Manag Rev 16(4):691–718

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yeung S (2011) The role of banks in corporate social responsibility. J Appl Econ Bus Res 1(2):103–115

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhu Q, Sarkis J (2007) The moderating effects of institutional pressures on emergent green supply chain practices and performance. Int J Prod Res 45(18–19):4333–4355

    Article  Google Scholar 

Key References

  • Bertels S, Peloza J (2008) Running just to stand still? Managing CSR reputation in an era of ratcheting expectations. Corp Reput Rev 11(1):56–72

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jones TM, Harrison JS, Felps W (2018) How applying instrumental stakeholder theory can provide sustainable competitive advantage. Acad Manag Rev 43(3):371–391

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peng YS, Lin SS (2008) Local responsiveness pressure, subsidiary resources, green management adoption and subsidiary’s performance: evidence from Taiwanese manufactures. J Bus Ethics 79(1):199–212

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sweeney L, Coughlan J (2008) Do different industries report Corporate Social Responsibility differently? An investigation through the lens of stakeholder theory. J Mark Commun 14(2):113–124

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. London School of Commerce, Cardiff Metropolitan University, London, UK

    Ghulam Sughra

Authors
  1. Ghulam Sughra
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. De Montfort University, Leicester, UK

    David Crowther

  2. Social Responsibility Research Network http://www.srrnet.org

    Shahla Seifi

Section Editor information

  1. De Montfort University, Leicester, UK

    David Crowther

  2. University of Derby, Derby, UK

    Shahla Seifi

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2021 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this entry

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this entry

Sughra, G. (2021). Socially Responsible Retailing. In: Crowther, D., Seifi, S. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of Corporate Social Responsibility. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-42465-7_65

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation