Development and CSR

So far, I've written a feature article and a book chapter, to be published this fall, on corporate social responsibility in Turkey. My subsequent research has actually led me to different conclusions than the experts I quoted in the feature article, but it is a fascinating subject.

Some believe it is only Western multinationals driving the development of CSR in Turkey. However this European Stability Initiative report alone, without discussing the CSR agenda, proves otherwise.

Today I received a call for papers from UNRISD on the effects of the financial crisis on social policy and governmental policy regarding financial regulation as well as social issues. I'm thinking of writing a piece on what has changed with the CSR situation in Turkey since the financial crisis.

Some have argued that CSR is doomed thanks to the financial crisis, whereas others believe it is in demand now more than ever and firms find it in their interest to do. Many CSR efforts remain largely tied to public relations campaigns, but there are businesses out there that find certain concrete actions necessary. Yet I found highly visible foreign multinationals such as HSBC participate in Turkish-style corporate philanthropy without incorporating more accepted forms, such as compensating employees for volunteer time, despite lots of glossy publications stating their comprehensive supstainability programs. (I aslo write about this in my above-mentioned article).

After discovering many Turkish firms outperforming HSBC on this end and rising public awareness in Turkey about climate change and other health issues, I'm eager to see what's happening in the current economic situation.