"We are actually doing this for real”: Organizational identity and identification when CSR is part of the business model

Abstract: Title: “We are actually doing this for real”: Organizational identity and identification when CSR is part of the business model Seminar date: 1st of June 2020 Course: BUSN49 Degree Project in Managing People, Knowledge and Change Authors: Misha Voss Gustavsson & Olof Skäremo Supervisor: Monika Müller Key words: CSR, sustainable business model, organizational identity & organizational identification Purpose: The purpose of this study is to contribute to the understanding of how CSR affects the organizational identity and identification when it is incorporated into the business model. Methodology: The thesis is based on a qualitative method in order to focus on employees’ perceptions. It is based on a case study at Kraftringen Energi AB, who has a completely fossil free energy production. Theoretical perspective: The theoretical perspective consists three main concepts: CSR, organizational identity, and organizational identification. Conclusions: When a company has a sustainable business model it is likely to: (1) constitute a highly significant part of the employees’ perceptions of the organizational identity; (2) entail a high level of organizational identification among the employees; (3) increase the employees’ knowledge about sustainability; and (4) normalize a “sustainable” behavior among employees without active managerial initiatives.