Sustainable Development and Corporate Social Responsibility

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has become an important concept in the last few decades. Although it originated in the developed countries of the West, the concept has been embraced and adapted by corporations and policy-making agencies in many developing countries. Not surprisingly, given the importance of growth and development as policy objectives in these countries, CSR has had a significant impact on sustainable development. Sustainable Development and Corporate Social Responsibility explores the evolution of CSR across the developed and developing world, with a particular focus on China and sustainable development. Through an extensive review of the literature and relevant case studies, the book examines whether CSR can make a contribution to sustainable development, how the patterns of CSR in developed Western economies compare to that in the rapidly growing economy of China, what trade-offs take place between CSR and economic growth as well as the future of CSR and its possible impact on the global sustainable development agenda. This book is a valuable resource for academics and upper-level undergraduate and postgraduate students in the fields of human/social geography, economics, business studies, sustainable development, development studies and environmental studies.

Chapter 1. Introduction: Corporate Social Responsibility in context Chapter 2. Overview of Corporate Social Responsibility Chapter 3. Corporate Social Responsibility and sustainable development Chapter 4. Drivers for Corporate Social Responsibility Chapter 5. Exploring Corporate Social Responsibility Chapter 6. Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainable Development in China Chapter 7. Concluding marks

Dongyong Zhang is Associate Professorof Sustainable Development at Henan Agricultural University, China. Stephen Morse is Chair in Systems Analysis for Sustainability at the Centre for Environmental Strategy at the University of Surrey, UK. Uma Kambhampati is Professor of Economics at the University of Reading, UK.