CSR: What Does Board Diversity Bring to the Table?

Ouidad Yousfi () and Rania Béji ()
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Ouidad Yousfi: UM - Université de Montpellier
Rania Béji: UM - Université de Montpellier

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Abstract: Corporate governance literature shows that the composition of boards and committees matters in corporate outcomes (Uzun et al., 2004; Klein, 1998; and Beasley, 1996). Specifically, the attributes of committees' members could play a key role in the definition of a CSR strategy and its implementation. In the current chapter, we discuss how diversity in boardrooms could drive meaningful changes, through specific channels to enhance social performance. Also, we discuss the criterion established by recent studies to define two main CSR strategies: (1) strategic CSR driven by initiatives and pioneering actions and (2) responsive CSR based on CSR standards, the imitation of the main competitors and the implementation of actions to "avoid" stakeholders' pressure. We show that the concept of strategic CSR has been widely discussed and extended while responsive CSR is marginalized and often associated with low social performance. We point out that this dichotomous approach of CSR strategies could be biased. Many firms could display a strategic CSR in some areas and a responsive CSR in other areas. The current chapter analyses the influence of diversity on social performance. It discusses the influence of structural and demographic diversity in boardrooms on CSR performance and the role of CSR committees on the implementation of a strategic CSR-building process.

Keywords: social performance; corporate governance; diversity; strategic CSR; CSR committee (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020-09-01
Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal.science/hal-03145041
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Published in Béatrice Orlando. Corporate Social Responsability, IntechOpen, 2020

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