The integration of CSR into corporate communication in large European companies

Purpose - This paper aims to shed light on corporate practices regarding the integration of CSR into corporate communication in large European companies. Design/methodology/approach - An e-mail survey was conducted among large European companies in a total of 14 European countries. The questionnaire focuses on the organization of corporate communication activities, the organization of CSR activities, and the cooperation between the two. Findings - The authors find that CSR is managed most frequently by CSR departments, but also by communication departments to a small extent. Whichever organization is chosen, the communication departments frequently engage in cooperation with the CSR departments. The more frequently the two cooperate, the more likely they are to have formalised their cooperation. The authors also conclude that the communication department is generally aligned to the strategic management of the organization, whereas this is not always the case for the CSR department. Research limitations/implications - A limitation of the study is clearly the sample size, which could have been larger. However, corporate policies against survey participation pose an obstacle to large-scale surveys among companies in general. Originality/value - The question of whether and how companies integrate CSR and communication responsibilities is an under-researched area. This paper provides empirical evidence of how large companies manage the two functions in their organizations.