Published Date:
10 February 2006
ORGANISATIONS communicating their corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities to the media need to make sure they are targeting journalists with real and relevant stories – or they risk permanently damaging the reputation of CSR as a whole, academics from Leeds Metropolitan University have warned.
A team from the university recently carried out an investigation into the relationship between CSR and the media, questioning 75 journalists from a wide range of regional and national, print and broadcast media.
The findings determined that although many believe that CSR is a worthwhile activity that can benefit local communities, they also think that it is something companies now feel that they have to do to ward off criticism.
Research team member, Dr Ralph Tench, said: "Many journalists that we questioned believe too may companies highlight activities under the banner of CSR that are really just publicity stunts and photo opportunities. This has damaged the reputation of CSR."
The research also determined that some journalists believed that the majority of companies only paid lip service to CSR and did so only to meet legal requirements."
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Last Updated:
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Source:
n/a
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Location:
Leeds
