The business case for corporate societal engagement

Current sustainability and CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) research is well advanced in terms of the integration of ecological issues into business management. However, the exploration of strategic approaches to tackle the social dimension of sustainability has been largely neglected. This is especially true for the management of a company's engagement in society through, for example, donations, partnerships with NGOs, or employee volunteering. Building upon the latest academic discussion debating whether corporate societal engagement can create significant benefits for a company as well as society if managed strategically, Manuela Weber explores value creating societal strategy options. She shows how managers can develop these strategies and evaluate societal activities by assessing the actual business and societal benefits. A case study conducted with a European health care company provides guidance to managers how to apply the theoretical concepts into practice. This book is targeted at sustainability and CSR researchers as well as practitioners who are searching for ways to seize the full potential of their societal engagement.