Introduction

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is now firmly on the business agenda for a significant number of firms. Some 2,000 international companies regularly report on their environmental and social impacts, and in some countries, such as France and Australia, reporting is mandatory. It is increasingly common for Fortune 500 companies to have a designated manager or department that has oversight of CSR. Many of these same companies retain management and public relations consultants selected from a growing pool of professional services firms offering CSR advice.