CSR signals: exploring their use in controversial industries

Domenico Sardanelli (), Francesca Conte (), Agostino Vollero () and Alfonso Siano ()
Additional contact information
Domenico Sardanelli: Sapienza University of Rome
Francesca Conte: University of Salerno
Agostino Vollero: University of Salerno
Alfonso Siano: University of Salerno

Italian Journal of Marketing, 2021, vol. 2021, issue 3, No 6, 249-266

Abstract: Abstract To reduce information asymmetries with stakeholders and increase stakeholder engagement, firms frequently adopt corporate social responsibility (CSR) signals in order to highlight their commitment to sustainability. The paper explores how organizations in controversial industries use CSR signals, which play a key role in sustainable marketing strategies. These organizations are more likely to be affected by the skepticism of stakeholders, however it is not clear if and how they are involved in CSR signaling. Through a content analysis of corporate websites, CSR signaling is explored at the levels of strategic management (CSR policies), and operative management (CSR reporting). Companies in controversial industries show a degree of involvement in CSR reporting, while being less active in adopting CSR policies. These findings suggest that controversial organizations should embrace a more strategical and organic approach to CSR signaling. In addition, inter-sectoral comparisons are used which show that companies operating in the most environmentally unfriendly sectors (materials, energy and utilities) are keener to engage in CSR policy signaling than companies in other controversial industries.

Keywords: Controversial industries; Signaling theory; Sustainable marketing; Content analysis; CSR policies; CSR reporting (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

Downloads: (external link)
http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s43039-021-00030-z Abstract (text/html)
Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:ijmark:v:2021:y:2021:i:3:d:10.1007_s43039-021-00030-z

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://www.springer.com/journal/43039

DOI: 10.1007/s43039-021-00030-z

Access Statistics for this article

Italian Journal of Marketing is currently edited by Daniele Dalli

More articles in Italian Journal of Marketing from Springer
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().