CSR-Washing is Rare: A Conceptual Framework, Literature Review, and Critique

Abstract

Growth in CSR-washing claims in recent decades has been dramatic in numerous academic and activist contexts. The discourse, however, has been fragmented, and still lacks an integrated framework of the conditions necessary for successful CSR-washing. Theorizing successful CSR-washing as the joint occurrence of five conditions, this paper undertakes a literature review of the empirical evidence for and against each condition. The literature review finds that many of the conditions are either highly contingent, rendering CSR-washing as a complex and fragile outcome. This finding runs counter to the dominant perception in the general public, among activists, and among a vocal contingent of academics that successful CSR-washing is rampant.

Improving CSR performance by hard and soft means: The role of organizational citizenship behaviours and the internalization of CSR standards

“…As highlighted in the literature, the implementation of this type of standard can be decoupled from internal practices (Testa, Boiral, et al, 2018;Pope & Waeraas, 2016;Christmann & Taylor, 2006;Boiral et al, 2017). The importance of employee commitment and internalization has been demonstrated in various studies on meta-standards (e.…”

“…Heras-Saizarbitoria et al, 2011;Yin & Schmeidler, 2009). Some authors have emphasized that certifiable CSR standards such as ISO 14001, Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS), and SA8000 are not necessarily an effective vehicle for corporate commitment, but can rather be used as a form of symbolic behaviour for increasing external legitimacy without implementing substantial changes inside the organization (Testa, Boiral, et al, 2018;Pope & Waeraas, 2016;Christmann & Taylor, 2006). The different levels of internalization of management systems into daily practices and routines significantly influence the achievement of positive improvements in sustainability performance (Boiral et al, 2017;Guoyou et al, 2012).…”

“…Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is increasingly considered to be a core aspect of organizational activities and has been the topic of a large body of literature (Pope & Waeraas, 2016;Sartor, Orzes, Di Mauro, Ebrahimpour, & Nassimbeni, 2016). Among other things, the development of CSR contributes to the improvement of the social legitimacy of organizations and is generally considered to be compatible with economic objectives (Balabanis, Phillips, & Lyall, 1998).…”

What Has Been (Short) Written About Greenwashing: A Bibliometric Research and a Critical Analysis of the Articles Found Regarding This Theme.

“…The authors also presented a theoretical framework for the understanding of corporate greenwashing, also highlighting how social media can contribute to the reduction of this practice. Finally, Pope and Waeraas (2015) also discussed the importance of sustainability reporting, arguing that, since these are often invisible to consumers, companies are more likely to "manufacture" them. Thus, the authors emphasized the importance of the existence of a classification by ranking for these companies and certifications, as well as defended the creation of surveillance groups.…”

Avoiding Greenwashing in Event Marketing: An Exploration of Concepts, Literature and Methods

“…In the long term, this directive is likely to lead to a stronger application of sustainable principles in the event industry and hopefully prevent greenwashing effectively. According to the decision of the European Parliament it would be useful to replace the concept of greenwashing in the event marketing with "CSR-Washing" (Pope & Waeraas, 2015). This would take into account not only the ecological but also the economic and social dimension of sustainability.…”