Predictors to Evaluate Effective CSR Communications (2014)

This study examined what consumer-publics expect from companies’ CSR communications through surveying a representative sample of the general public. Our findings suggested that publics wanted to know “who is benefiting” from the companies’ CSR more than any other CSR information. CSR beneficiaries were identified as the most preferred communication sources, whereas CEOs and public relations spokespersons were listed as the least preferred sources. In general, non-corporate sources were preferred significantly more than corporate sources. However, the company itself was also preferred as a communication source significantly more than activists, other stakeholders, employees, CEOs, and PR spokespersons. Finally, as CSR communication channels, consumer publics tended to prefer company-controlled media such as companies’ local stores, websites, and promotion events to uncontrolled media such as news media, experts’ blogs and microblogs.