Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) as Social Legitimacy Management

Abstract

This chapter defines corporate social responsibility (CSR) as the managing of social legitimacy, with basis in a normative social contract theory of the relationship between business and society. The chapter is a conceptual exploration of the relationship between corporate social responsibility and legitimacy, and argues (1) that the broad conception of the social role of corporations has changed as a consequence - or as part - of the emergence of a global, free market and (2) that this political and economic development may be conceptualized in terms of a redistribution of responsibility. However, this redistribution need not be understood as a development towards increasing political legitimacy for corporations, which would entail a fundamental challenge to democratic ideals. Rather, it makes sense to view it in light of an ethics of responsibility whereby, e.g., ecological problems must be addressed in terms of collective responsibility and collective agency.