CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND CONSUMERS’ WASTE SORTING HABITS

Abstract

The transition to circular economy shifts attention to re-use, repair, restoration and recycling of materials and products. What was previously considered to be waste can be turned into resources. The transition to a circular economy where the value of products, materials and resources is maintained for as long as possible and where as little waste is generated as possible is a significant contribution to the common effort in the European Union to create a sustainable low-carbon economy in which resources are used efficiently. Such an approach allows to transform the EU economy and generate new advantages for it (European Commission, 2015). Our individual action and provided support may help peers notice an opportunity and a solution for the future. The aims of the study are: To investigate the evaluation of the significance of the consumers’ corporate social responsibility and waste-sorting habits and to provide recommendations for improved access to the separate waste collection service. The research questions for achieving the objectives of the study were the following: How do consumers evaluate corporate social responsibility of companies in general? What are the waste-sorting habits of consumers? Are there statistically significant differences in the waste-sorting habits between various consumer generations? The authors prepared a unique consumer survey in which economically active inhabitants of the capital of Latvia, aged 15 to 71 years, participated. The results of our survey showed that the respondents rated the corporate social responsibility of companies as essential and emphasized that it was important for the large-size enterprises to operate ethically. The waste-sorting process itself creates disbelief among the respondents and also suspicion that all sorted waste is lumped together and removed to disposal sites.