7 research outputs found
Corporate Social Responsibility Management System: A Beverage Industry Case Study
This research aims to analyse policies inherent to the Corporate Social
Responsibility Management System (CSRMS) of a company that produce diet and
light beverage, iced teas, juice drinks and bottled waters. This management system is
based on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) as “concept whereby companies
integrate social and environmental concerns in their business operations and in their
interaction with their stakeholders on a voluntary basis” (EC, Green paper – Promoting
a European framework for corporate social responsibility, COM (2001) 366 final.
Brussels: Official Publications of the European Commission, July 18, 2001: 5), thus
it allows the company to develop socially responsible practices (SRP). However,
forgetting their real purpose, SRP are, frequently, applied on strict compliance with
law, regulations and norms, although social responsibility strategies (SRS) are recognized
as crucial to promote the economic and social success and the environmental
sustainability.
The methodology of this research focuses on the literature review, which contextualize
the CSR, in general, and the CSRMS, in particular, in its various national
and international standards. Thus, the research is supported on the Portuguese
standards NP 4469-1: 2008—CSRMS, Part 1: Requirements and guidelines for
their use (IPQ, NP 4469-1: 2008 – Sistema de Gest~ao da Responsabilidade Social.
Parte 1: Requisitos e linhas de orientac¸~ao para a sua utilizac¸~ao. Caparica: IPQ, 2008)
and NP 4469-2: 2010—CSRMS, Part 2: Implementation orientation guide (IPQ, NP
4469-2: 2010 – Sistema de Gest~ao da Responsabilidade Social. Parte 2: Guia de
orientac¸~ao para a implementac¸~ao. Caparica: IPQ, 2010), as well as, on the International
Organization for Standardization (ISO) standard 26,000: 2010—Guidance on
social responsibility (ISO, International standard 26,000—Guidance on social
responsibility. Geneva: ISO, 2010) and on the Social Accountability International
(SAI) standard called SA 8000: 2008—Social Accountability 8000 (SAI, Social
accountability 8000. New York: SAI, 2008). The empirical analysis is based on the
case study method that involves a profound knowledge of the reality to investigate a
company, using different methods and techniques that fall primarily a qualitative
research paradigm, although it does not excluded quantitative.
The results of this research show that the CSRMS implementation and sustainability
strategies using the economy, efficiency and effectiveness criteria is the key
to economic and social success and the environmental sustainability of the company.
Indeed, this research identifies a case study that highlights the strategic approaches
followed to recognize the importance of the standard in the implementation of social
responsibility practices, as well as, strategies which will increase the engagement of
clients and empowerment of consumers. The research proposes for this company a
set of guiding principles: for top management, ethics and transparency, value chain,
environmental responsibilities, information and communication, and social
development.
Indeed, the authors defend, as Mintzberg (Journal of Business Strategy 4
(2, Fall):3–15, 1983), that the standardisation of CSMRS is efficient, because it
simplify the company reality. Effectively, disadvantages with co-ordination by
standards occur when tasks are complex and the outcome is hard to predict. Thus,
standards have a minimum level of routine, such as: SRP and SRS can be
guaranteed, because actions at higher levels require other procedures