Corporate social responsibility

Rupert J. Baumgartner, Josef-Peter Schöggl and Martina Zimek

Chapter 23 in Elgar Encyclopedia of Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment, 2026, pp 74-77 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: This chapter outlines the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and discusses how frameworks and methods, such as Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA), can support companies in its implementation. The chapter first delves into the evolution of CSR and its implications for how businesses prioritize and fulfill their ethical, legal, and economic responsibilities. Then, its theoretical rooting in stakeholder theory is discussed alongside practical challenges such as handling trade-offs and integrating CSR into business strategies. Concerning the latter, the chapter further introduces the Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development (FSSD) and the ISO 26000 standard, which can both guide the strategic implementation of CSR. Finally, the chapter describes how LCSA can serve as the key decision-support method for monitoring and steering a company's CSR implementation. Although LCSA is more demanding regarding data and resources, the rich insights gained from its application can support a CSR engagement that is both environmentally and socially effective and economically advantageous.

Keywords: Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR); Corporate Sustainability; Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA); ISO 26000; Strategic Management; Stakeholder theory (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035309887
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