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Corporate Social Responsibility in a Neoliberal Age

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Corporate Social Responsibility and Regulatory Governance

Part of the book series: International Political Economy Series ((IPES))

Abstract

The idea of corporate social responsibility (CSR) has risen to prominence with remarkable rapidity to become, in the words of The Economist, ‘an industry in itself, with full-time staff, newsletters, professional associations and massed armies of consultants’ (The Economist 2004). Embraced by corporations, touted by academics, and advanced by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and policy makers as a potential mechanism for achieving social policy objectives and furthering economic development, CSR has become one of the flavours and hopes of the new Millennium. ‘By following socially responsible practices’, the United Kingdom’s (UK’s) Department for International Development (DFID) has claimed, ‘the growth generated by the private sector will be more inclusive, equitable and poverty reducing’ (DFID 2004).

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Authors
  1. Paddy Ireland
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  2. Renginee G. Pillay
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD), Switzerland

    Peter Utting (Deputy Director) (Deputy Director)

  2. Markets, Business and Regulation Programme, United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD), Switzerland

    José Carlos Marques (former Research Analyst) (former Research Analyst)

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© 2010 UNRISD

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Ireland, P., Pillay, R.G. (2010). Corporate Social Responsibility in a Neoliberal Age. In: Utting, P., Marques, J.C. (eds) Corporate Social Responsibility and Regulatory Governance. International Political Economy Series. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230246966_4

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