Corporate Social Responsibility into the 21^st century : Brewing a better future?

Abstract:

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), a field still under development, has already seen different phases. With new technological advancements and the demand for ethical business growing –how has history affected the theory and practice in this field? Is Corporate Social Responsibility moving into new directions, and how do global players deal with challenges in the field while trying to stay ahead of their competition? Interests and efforts in Corporate Social Responsibility are seemingly growing, but does this also mean that sustainable development is progressing alongside these efforts? This research will focus firstly on the global historical development of the field. This will then be continued with an analysis of Corporate Social Responsibility programs of selected global beer brewing corporations where CSR and Sustainable Development has become a main focus for the development of the industry. . Common traits, strengths and weaknesses will be identified through this analysis in order to build a suggested framework for Corporate Social Responsibility that aims for an ethical and economically responsible sustainable development. With this process and eventual framework, this thesis aims to contribute to close the gap between how CSR is communicated to the public, and how it is perceived. This in order to critically assess the potential of CSR in the future.