Disseminating Latin American companies’ corporate social responsibility on Facebook: A comparative study with global companies

Abstract

The new Latin American organizational context changed the way companies relate to audiences. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) can help Latin American companies to better integrate into their social environment and strengthen relations with their audiences. Social media, particularly Facebook, can be key tools for disseminating CSR endeavors, as they positively contribute to corporate reputation. This study intends to analyze CSR communication on Facebook by major Latin American companies. The research includes a comparative analysis of these companies and reveals that they deal with social issues less often than economic issues on Facebook. Companies use Facebook as a broadcasting medium rather than as a communication channel for their CSR, so a more interactive and dialogic approach is needed for this social media website.