• Illia Manzan Laura Géraldine

• Giorgi Nicole

Attention: this course is organized by learning blocks, not by themes. Therefore, there will be four sessions per week, but only during certain weeks of the semester. Please check the exact dates.

Corporations possess immense potential to enhance societal wellbeing—yet, too often, their involvement in addressing social challenges is limited or superficial. Some organizations lack a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) department altogether, while others deploy CSR merely as a tool for marketing or reputation management, rather than as a means to foster genuine trust and deliver meaningful value to stakeholders.

This course invites students to explore the dynamic field of CSR and empowers them to critically evaluate how businesses can authentically contribute to society through strategic communication. Through focused inquiry and practical application, students will gain the skills and insights necessary to drive socially responsible action within organizations.

The course is structured into three interconnected modules:

• Block 1: We begin by defining CSR and social impact, examining the ethical theories underpinning various models. We will also analyze the pivotal role of communication in shaping responsible business practices.
• Block 2: This module develops students’ critical thinking around the integration of social value creation with corporate profitability, emphasizing circular economy principles and the crucial contribution of communication to these innovative models.
• Block 3: The final block concentrates on designing CSR and communication functions that create value for a range of stakeholders. Here, we will focus on strategic approaches to compliance, reputational risk management, and addressing major concerns such as outsourcing, accountability, anti-bribery measures, executive engagement, and ethical supply chain management.

Taking a global and contemporary perspective, students will engage with real-world cases spanning diverse time periods, countries, and industries. Active participation is essential, as the course incorporates interactive workshops, simulations, and hands-on labs designed to tackle authentic CSR and communication challenges. Students are expected to prepare in advance by completing assigned readings and to contribute thoughtfully to class discussions and activities.

Upon successful completion of this course, students will have developed the ability to:

Block 1: Defining CSR, Social Impact, and the Role of Communication

• Distinguish between key forms of Corporate Social Responsibility, including philanthropy, strategic CSR, and Creating Shared Value (CSV).
• Map and categorize a business’s ethical initiatives within a comprehensive portfolio framework.
• Analyze the connections between various CSR models and foundational ethical and organizational theories.

Block 2: Unleashing Social Value

• Apply five distinct circular economy models to unlock opportunities for Creating Shared Value (CSV).
• Promote ethical consumerism and critically examine the ways that communication strategies shape and support effective CSR initiatives.

Block 3: Sustaining Social Value through Communication

• Assess a range of approaches to communicating CSR, identifying best practices for transparency and trust-building.
• Investigate governance challenges, with a particular focus on understanding and combating the normalization of corruption.
• Design effective frameworks for personnel management, ethical guidelines, and risk assessment within CSR initiatives.
• Critically evaluate the ethical considerations of outsourcing, the influence of shareholder activism, and the implications of celebrity endorsement.
• Assess comprehensive strategies for compliance, accountability, anti-bribery measures, executive and board involvement, ethical supplier relationships, and the mitigation of social risks throughout the supply chain.

•    Chandler, D. (2016). Strategic Corporate Social Responsibility: Sustainable Value Creation. Sage Publications (4th Edition). – Chapter 9, 14, and Part IV.
•    Crane, A., Palazzo, G., Spence, L. J., & Matten, D. (2014). Contesting the value of “Creating Shared Value.” California Management Review, 56(2), 130–153.
•    Dahl, S. & Waehning-Orga, N. (2015). Ethical Consumption. In Eagle L. & Dahl S. (eds.), Marketing Ethics and Society (pp. 117-140). Sage.
•    Esposito, M., Tse, T., & Soufani, K. (2018). Introducing a circular economy: new thinking with new managerial and policy implications. California Management Review, 60(3), 5-19.
•    Fleming, P., Zyglidopoulos, S., Boura, M., & Lioukas, S. (2020). How corruption is tolerated in the Greek public sector: Toward a second-order theory of normalization. Business & Society, 1-34.
•    Goranova, M., & Ryan, L. V. (2014). Shareholder activism: A multidisciplinary review. Journal of Management, 40(5), 1230-1268.
•    Illia, L., Alberti, E., Murtarelli, G. et al. (2022) Being best in the world or best for the world? Fostering CSR cooperative behaviors through communication. Ital. Journal of Marketing, 173–202.
•    Illia, L., Romenti, S., Rodríguez-Cánovas, B., Murtarelli, G., & Caroll, C. E. (2016). Exploring corporations’ dialogue about CSR in the digital era. Journal of Business Ethics, 131(2), 39-58.
•    Jensen, J. (1997). Ethical Issues in the Communication Process.  Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. – Chapter 3 and 5.  
•    Lacy P., Keeble, J., & McNamara, R. (2014). Circular advantage: Innovative business models and technologies to create value in a world without limits to growth. Accenture Strategy Report.
•    Laufer, W. (2003). Social accountability and corporate greenwashing. Journal of Business Ethics, 43, 253-261.
•    Porter, M. E. & Kramer, M. R. (2011). The big idea. Creating shared value. How to reinvent capitalism – and unleash a wave of innovation and growth. Harvard Business Review, 62-77.
•    Schoeneborn, D., Morsing, M., & Crane, A. (2019). Formative Perspectives on the Relation Between CSR Communication and CSR Practices: Pathways for Walking, Talking, and T(w)alking. Business & Society. DOI: 10.1177/0007650319845091
•    Seeger, M. & Kuhn, T. (2011) Communication ethics and organizational contexts: Divergent values and moral puzzles. In G. Cheney, S. May & D. Munshi, Handbook of Communication Ethics: Information Censorship (pp. 166-189). Routledge.
•    Smith, N. C., Drumwright, M. E., & Gentile, M. C. (2010). The new marketing Myopia. Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 29(1), 4–11.
•    Visser, W., & Kymal, C. (2015) Integrated Value Creation (IVC: Beyond Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Creating Shared Value (CSV). International Journal of Business Ethics, 8(1), 29-43.
•    Walker K. & Wan F. (2012). The harm of symbolic actions and green-washing: Corporate actions and communications on environmental performance and their financial implications. Journal of Business Ethics, 109(2), 227-242.
•    Webley, S., & Werner, A. (2008). Corporate codes of ethics: Necessary but not sufficient. Business Ethics: A European Review, 17(4), 405-415.
•    Zadek, S. (2012). Path to corporate social responsibility. Harvard Business Review, 1-11.

Students will be subject to an ongoing evaluation, following the scheme below:
•  Applied team project (50%)
   - 30% Team project
   - 20% Class team simulation
•  Individual applied project (50%)

Continuously assessed courses: it will no longer be possible to unregister or withdraw from a course after the registration period (see session calendar on the Faculty website).

No retake exam.