Sustainable drivers and performance in Corporate Social Responsibility

Abstract: Purpose To determine sustainable Resource Based View drivers (RBV) (i.e. resources, capabilities) and motivation for the successful (i.e. positive Financial (FP) / Social Performance (SP)) implementation of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in the strategies of top performing companies in regards to CSR. In addition to find out how these drivers are being nourished, developed and utilized in order to contribute to the sustainable development in companies. Design/ Methodology/ Approach Interviews are held with CSR-managers from top performing companies based on their engagement and performance in CSR. In addition, their Corporate Responsibility (CR) reports are observed in order to apply triangulation on the company’s engagement in CSR. Furthermore shall reports by third party organizations be observed to get multiple perspectives on the concept of CSR and Sustainability? Lastly an exclusive guest lecture at Linnaeus University is attended which provided insight on corporate partnership in regards to CSR from the point of view of a charitable organization. Findings The most important non-financial drivers of CSR and Sustainability are; knowledge flow, capabilities and competence. Knowledge can be acquired through active engagement with all the company’s stakeholders, especially by collaborating with universities and for example charitable organizations. Companies have invested in the training of top level management in their understanding of the importance of CSR and Sustainability. This is because the top level management is seen as the driving and deciding force within the company to engage in CSR and Sustainability. Some companies have invested research in the understanding of their stakeholders’ perceptions on Sustainability issues which they deem as most important. Delimitations/ Limitations This research investigates the non-financial drivers (i.e. sources and antecedents) of CSR and Suitability in order to invest in and develop the drivers with the purpose of further developing Sustainability. This research is primarily focussed on Swedish companies as they seem to be further advanced in this subject due to for example legislation and the fact that Sweden is one of the most prosperous countries in the world. The purpose of this research is not to generalize the findings, but to provide insight so other companies could learn and develop themselves further in their pursuit for Sustainability.  Implications In order to develop Sustainability further companies need to create tighter collaborations with especially universities as the managers and business leaders for the future, but also other employees, are the students of today. Especially business students complain about the way their subject is being taught as it fails to thoroughly address current and future business problems. Furthermore the concept of Sustainability should be taught not only at universities but at high schools as well, because the society as a whole needs to collaborate to deal with the mega forces that await us in the not too distant future.  Originality/ Value CSR finds itself in a cross-section in academic literature between different affecting disciplines. By combining the different disciplines the authors want to contribute to sustainable development and competitive advantage in CSR-strategies by examining top performing companies who are (perceived to be) well advanced in this subject. Previous research has primarily focussed on proving the relationship between implementing CSR and positive Financial Performance (FP) as the driver of CSR. Much less have other antecedents to CSR been investigated with purpose of further improving sustainable development.