Corporate Social Responsibility has positives and negatives, as we analysed for Arctic petroleum in Norway and Russia:

1. https://doi.org/10.17585/arctic.v7.418

2. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2016.03.008

3. https://doi.org/10.1108/SRJ-10-2015-0150

CSR is a complex construct which - if companies really take it seriously - can contain good and effective guidelines. However, if the CSR sustainability reports of the multinational companies are only expressed in advertising formulas that are not internalized in the companies themselves and questionable and completely irresponsible decisions are made in daily practice, then they are lies and deceit and green washing towards the public. See for example

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/358638904_Globalization_Societal_Risk_Management_and_Individual_Responsibility_Lack_of_Education_in_Values_and_Leadership_Skills

When you have a look at Tesla's or Amazon's sustainibility report, you are committed to think that these firms are deeply engaged in CSR. The trouble is that being involved in actions tied to CSR does not mean that you are fully engaged, for example, in decent working conditions for your employees. More than teaching CSR in HEIs, it would be useful to teach the minimum respect workers are supposed to be provided

Article Amazon and Tesla: Men Subordinate to Robots

Article Evolution of working conditions under the impact of ICTs

Conference Paper Bicycle delivery drivers: prevention prevented

Presentation OSH in a digital economy: workers’ health to the test of cus...

Michel Héry, Your contribution is really interesting. But don't you think that the lack of emphasis on the subject is also a contributing factor to the treatment of workers in these organizations you cited? Thank you for the articles. They will be useful.

Solomon Kunle Omogbemi

We have many examples of companies highlighting their action on environmental issues while having a very weak health and safety policy. Others communicate about their proactive environmental action in Western countries while turning a blind eye to environmental or labour issues in companies to which they have outsourced their production in countries where difficult working conditions are the rule. Many companies see CSR as a supermarket where they can buy whatever benefits them and forget about other issues. Clear and inclusive rules should be established before organisations (with an obvious financial interest) award certifications or qualifications.

Hans-Georg Petersen I agree with you that if organizations only use the CSR sustainability report for advertising purposes while not internalizing it, is dangerous. I would think that just like accounting, medicine, civil engineering etc., if CSR is offered as a major course and strategic CSR taught as part of that course, there would be a big shift, no matter how small. This brings another question;

Don't you think if there are well-trained personnel who studied CSR as a field of study, the formulation and implementation of CSR policies will effectively engender the result of this policy implementation?

Ilan Kelman Thank you. I will read up on your study to gain more insight.

Michel Héry But also, given the difficulty in having a global definition of an idea/concept such as CSR that is gaining grounds; given the politicization of the implementation of this concept, don't you also think the regional and geographical politics has a lot to contribute to the way organizations in that locate interpreter and implement their CSR strategies?

You are certainly more competent than I am on the subject. I fail to see how, in a globalised economy, a regional approach to the issue would make CSR more efficient and virtuous. The criteria chosen by companies and certification bodies are arbitrary and at their own discretion. Any company can find a certification body that will certify what the customer wants, audits are scheduled, etc. It seems to me to be of little importance whether this is done at regional, national or international level.