An analysis of appraisal in CEO corporate social responsibility statements

Abstract

This article employed Appraisal theory in a comparative analysis of two CEO statements in BP's 2009 Sustainability Review and BP's 2011 Sustainability Review respectively. The main objective is to explore how, through Appraisal resources, the leaders of a company, when facing a disastrous accident, constructed their corporate identity and relationship with the stakeholders. The analysis reveals that the appraisal resources in 2011 CEO statement played a major role to help the CEO portray the company as a survivor from a disaster, a good learner getting stronger from a painful lesson and a trustworthy helper providing energy to the whole world. © 2013 ACADEMY PUBLISHER Manufactured in Finland.