Perception of Social Responsibility in Municipal Management: An Evaluation Based on the ISO 26000 Standard

Abstract

In CSR terms, the government has an important role as an agent that produces, monitors and encourages the implementation of socially responsible practices. Once public organisations also play the role of managers, employers and consumers in their daily activities, their practices must meet or exceed the pre-established standards to ensure their reputation to the society. This chapter presents an evaluation of social responsibility practices in municipal management, focused on their internal stakeholders, making a distinction between the perception of their public employees and their direct managers, using the international ISO 26000 guideline as a basis for social responsibility practices. The evaluation was executed in the Brazilian city of São José dos Pinhais, the third biggest city in the state of Parana concerning tax revenue. The research outcomes reveal a gap of perception of CSR practices between the group of managers and their direct employees. We believe that other municipalities can benefit from this methodology, identifying whether their initiatives are aligned with best practices, and their stakeholders are aware of their implementation.