Corporate social responsibility and innovation: A multiple case study with brazilian companies

Abstract

Different stakeholders pressure companies to innovate and to include Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in their strategy. This article examines how innovation and CSR relate in some Brazilian companies. We conducted a multiple case study with five companies that claim to be highly innovative and to include social and environmental responsibility in their strategic agenda. Results indicate that CSR is mainly employed in a reactive way and cannot be considered strategic in these cases. CSR has a secondary position for these companies, while innovation is prioritized, since it is perceived as a source of value and competitiveness. We found a unilateral relation between the constructs, according to which innovation can generate CSR benefits, but CSR does not generate benefits in terms of innovation. CSR and innovation also exist independently, in a way that not every innovation generates CSR benefits. The paper presents implications and future studies suggestions.