Corporate Social Responsibility: The Challenge for Medium Sized Enterprises in the Bamberg-Forcheim Region, Germany

Abstract

Globalization and the growing pressure on medium sized enterprises to take responsibility for their operations has resulted in an increasing number of medium sized companies becoming aware of Corporate Social Responsibility. The aim of this study is to gain a better understanding of how Corporate Social Responsibility is incorporated in medium sized enterprise operations by focusing on how these companies describe, integrate and monitor Corporate Social Responsibility and how they allocate financial resources for it. In order to shed light on this issue, three case studies were conducted in the Bamberg-Forcheim Region of Germany. Documentation and interviews were used as data collection methods for this study. The conclusions drawn from the findings of this study include the following: the working methods of medium sized enterprises regarding Corporate Social Responsibility are new and therefore not yet established. Corporate Social Responsibility is not yet considered an important part of medium sized enterprise operations. Neither are enterprises very eager to implement and monitor this concept because of the high investment of time and finances involved. Businesses prefer to concentrate on their employees (training, social activities, extra-work activities etc) rather than to integrate, monitor and allocate resources for Corporate Social Responsibility.Corporate Social Responsibility, code of conduct, sustainability development, performance excellence, EFQM-Model