Abstract
Dear Readers
In today’s business world, the corporate social responsibility (CSR) has become an integral part of doing any business. CSR is a business model that helps a company to remain socially accountable to itself, its community and its stakeholders. CSR is all about considering the benefit that any organisation and its decisions can have on society and all societal stakeholders. Realistically speaking, it makes a good business decision too. Many customers today (especially millennials and Gen Z) are likely to get influenced to choose any brand/product/services, by not only evaluating its cost, utility, look and feel but also recall in associating the organisation’s (i.e., offering brand/product/services) social responsiveness, among other deciding factors.
However, the main question that is being asked, ‘Is CSR the sole responsibility of HR?’ Though the fact remains that every employee in an organisation should not only uphold this believe but also should shoulder these responsibilities in implementing CSR activities. But many believe that since HR facilitates building a sustainable work culture in an organisation through its people, then CSR activities should also be driven by HR so as to make sure the CSR philosophy permeates the entire business. Thus, when CSR becomes a part of the organisation culture, it triggers the element of authenticity. People today would like to see that the businesses are committed to CSR through several actions that are taken regularly and does not remain as a Tick in the Box item like making public statements once a year.
It is in this context we decided to come out with our current issue on the theme ‘Driving CSR and sustainability culture—The role of HR’ being guest edited by Dr Mousumi Padhi, Associate Professor, XIM University, Bhubaneswar.
So, should HR drive the CSR activities in the organisation?
Let’s begin by looking at different academic perspectives.
Although research on human and social sustainability has flourished in the past decade, the role that human resource management departments play (or should play) in facilitating more socially responsible and sustainable organizations remains unclear. In practice, this lack of clarity is due to the multiple features and dimensions of potential HR contributions to corporate social responsibility (CSR) and corporate sustainability (CS), as well as widespread failure to integrate HR and CSR functions. Theoretically, the absence of a framework that articulates the HR role in CSR and CS and the substantial separation between HRM and CSR/CS studies among academics act as a reinforcing mechanism. (De Stefano et al., 2018)
Another important pointer that can be noted is as follows:
Conceptualization of CSR–HRM holds promise for both theoretical and practise developments in CSR and HRM. The strategic turn in HRM has paradoxically seen a shift in the discipline away from considerations of external stakeholders. CSR–HRM provides a lens through which to view multiple internal and external stakeholder relationships within HRM. A move towards consideration of internal stakeholders has been noted in the CSR literature. CSR–HRM can more fully develop notions of workers as stakeholders—the nature of their stake and their engagement with the organization—and their special role as constituting and representing the firm. (Voegtlin & Greenwood, 2016)
A more recent view is as follows:
It is concluded that CSR and HRM have developed into two different and independent research institutions. The finding of the study indicated that CSR and HRM had become more powerful and autonomous civil services. The future affinity of HRM and CSR may become a paradigm shift as the merger of CSR–HRM. Hence, more comprehensive research is required to connect the two strands of literature. HRM is increasingly recognized as a function with unique knowledge and skills that can support and promote changes in management practices and consider the impact of changes in policies and strategies formulating. … this consistency needs to be systematically utilized, especially when the HRM function developed capabilities, knowledge, and skills related to employee engagement, organizational learning, and cultural change, whereas CSR is always needed. (Siddiqi et al., 2021)
Finally, CSR activities as a tool to attract talent as a part of comprehensive talent management plan are now accepted across the globe,
In general, CSR initiatives reveal the values of a company and thus can be part of the ‘employee value proposition’ that recent studies indicate is the lens through which managers must view talent management today. CSR also humanizes the company in ways that other facets of the job cannot; it depicts the company as a contributor to society rather than as an entity concerned solely with maximizing profits. (Bhattacharya et al., 2008)
As we glance through various research studies, it is evident that if HR drives CSR activities within the organisation, the chances of more employees coming forward to take it upon themselves and uphold the company values consistently increases. Thus, HR can play a dynamic role in the evolution of CSR in corporate. It has an incredible presence in promoting CSR at organisational level. However, in doing so, the HR professionals will have to figure out a link between the socially relevant issues that the employees care about and what the company can do to support them.
But, the challenges of using CSR as an effective internal marketing lever for managing talent are many. Bhattacharya et al. (2008) indicates that it is often limited by four related issues that organisations often miss. These are as follows.
Organisations often keep their employees at arm’s length, not communicating the extent and details of their CSR efforts in a clear and consistent manner. Organisations formulate their CSR programmes without explicitly considering the diverse set of employee needs that can be fulfilled by such programmes. Organisations often do not fully understand the psychological mechanisms that link their CSR programmes to anticipated positive returns from their employees (e.g., pro-company behaviours, higher productivity, longer tenures and so on). Organisations take a decidedly top-down approach in the formulation, execution and maintenance of their CSR programmes, often mandating participation rather than involving employees on their own terms.
It is in this context HR can integrate CSR by building a culture that promotes CSR activities in organisations. Some of the ways that can be achieved are described as follows:
Rewarding employees for volunteering work in the community. Committing to ensure diversity in the workplace by apt talent attraction policies and processes. Providing specialised job opportunity and on the job-training for neurodiverse individuals. Patronising and financially supporting non-profit organisations that are committed to various societal causes. Emphasising the use of renewable energy sources in running factories, offices and warehouses. Constantly improvising labour relations programmes and policies. Ensuring compliance to labour laws and payment of fair wages to contractual employees. Investing in socially and environmentally conscious causes. Celebrating socially conscious events and rituals by employee volunteers to impact meaningful employee engagement. Recycling wastes, using more environment friendly measures to run office/factories. Collect food and donations for victims of floods, hurricanes and other natural disasters around the globe. Encourage reduced energy consumption, subsidise transit passes, make it easy for employees to car pool, encourage staggered staffing to allow after rush hour transit, and permit telecommuting to the degree possible. Encourage shutting off lights, computers and printers after work hours and on weekends for further energy reductions. Work with IT to switch to laptops over desktop computers. (Laptops consume up to 90 per cent less power.) Increase the use of teleconferencing, rather than on-site meetings and trips. Promote healthy eating and exercising to encourage employees live healthier lives and reduce packaging waste, too.
The list can be extended further. But El Dirani et al. (2009) have profoundly concluded that ‘…it is clear therefore that there are important synergies between CSR principles/initiatives and HR. HR is concerned with elaborating, promoting and strengthening the CSR philosophy within the workplace and aligning those in turn with community needs and aspirations. The role, voice and expertise of HR are important in setting the tone for the CSR agenda and putting it in the spotlight. The real challenge for many organizations going forward is to further embed the role of HR in CSR’.
Numerous research studies have found the positive relationship and inter-connectedness between HR and CSR. It will, therefore, be not out of the way to throw some light on HR strategies and interventions that can lead to enhanced efficacy of CSR practices in the organisation. Jang and Ardichvili (2020) have found that HR’s distinctive contribution towards strengthening the implementation of CSR activities in organisation can be accomplished through four broad areas of HRD related strategies and practices. These are
Leadership development, Education and training, Culture change efforts and Fostering critical reflection.
An organisation metaphorically resembles like a community having hundreds and thousands of individual employees being a part of it. If each individual employee becomes a little more socially responsive every organisation can potentially increase their contribution in building a healthy and sustainable society with inter-connected stakeholders. It is in this context HR professionals in association with employees and organisational leaders can meaningfully enhance the impact of CSR activities by bringing in better corporate ethics, promoting stewardship growth and long-lasting practices aimed at improving both personal and corporate accountability to society at large.
Before I end my editorial, I on behalf of my editorial board would like to thank Dr Mousumi Padhi, Associate Professor, XIM University, Bhubaneswar who readily agreed to guest edit this issue on ‘Driving CSR and Sustainability Culture: The Role of HR’. This being a very well researched and relevant topic today for HR professionals, she left no stone unturned in bringing out this issue in time. I must mention here that while being engaged in doing so, she showed a tremendous determination and grit while handling an unprecedented challenge and loss in her personal life. Our deepest regard to her for accomplishing this arduous task. I am sure all of you will find the contents of this issue extremely useful and insightful.
Finally, I am happy to share with you that we have finalised two more contemporary themes for this year. These are as follows:
July, 2023 issue on the theme ‘Employer Branding: Current Context and Future Ahead’ by Dr Gordhan Saini, Associate Professor, School of Management and Labour Studies, Tata Institute of Social Science, Mumbai. October 2023 issue on the theme ‘Leadership & Innovation’ jointly guest edited by Dr Sushanta Kumar Mishra, Professor, IIM Bangalore and Dr Rupak Kumar Gupta, Assistant Professor, IIM Kozikode.
Please continue to offer your feedback and suggestions for improving the content and reach of our journal at
Happy reading.