Corporate Social Responsibility : A comparatative case study of Schenker and DHL

Abstract: Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has been around for many years and one of the first definitions of this subject was created in the 1950s. The importance of CSR has increased over the years and today there are several different models and it is a wide spread tool that companies use to improve their business within the area’s economic-, legal- and ethical responsibilities. Companies can use this both as an advantage over competitors and as a way of attracting customers and employees. One of the major points in CSR is the environment and this part is becoming increasingly important in today’s society, where global warming due to CO2 emissions is an increasing concern. Also the interdependence between organizations and society is growing in significance, which also is a reason for the increased interest in CSR. This thesis focuses on what CSR is, to what purpose or goal companies engage in it and how the two chosen logistics companies, DHL and Schenker, work with CSR and what differences there are between them. This thesis is a cross case study of two logistics companies and to acquire the needed information, the authors have conducted document studies and interviews. These document studies and interviews have provided the thesis with a theoretical framework and a deeper understanding of how two of the largest logistics companies work with CSR. The results show that both companies are engaging in similar manner in the environmental responsibilities, but there are some major differences in how they deal with societal responsibilities. DHL uses its size and global presence to aid societies in need and help communities with educating their children. DB Schenker on the other hand focuses on cooperation’s with universities and also donates funds to schools and non-governmental organizations.