The Trends of CSR in China: An Actor-Focused Analysis Including the Cases of Huawei and the Society of Entrepreneurs and Ecology (SEE)

Abstract

This chapter analyzes the cases of Huawei’s CSR program and the Society of Entrepreneurs and Ecology, a NGO organized by a group of companies, to explore the recent development of CSR in China. Three actors of central importance for recent trends are identified: the government, NGOs, and Chinese MNCs. An updated timeline is brought forward, which separates the introduction of CSR to China into a period of passive acceptance (1990s), learning and adoption (2000s), and active engagement (2010s). A promising trend is identified, with the limitation that second element of CSR, reducing the adverse effects of the company’s commercial activities, is not getting enough attention.