ABSTRACT

This chapter investigates a large sample of corporate social responsibility (CSR) solutions presented as innovative by 72 companies. It presents the methodologies used to select the sample and analyses the data including some concrete examples of CSR solutions. The chapter provides information on the sample with some insights on the solutions: the stakeholders and issues targeted by the solutions and the innovative assessment of the solutions. The 129 solutions were analysed through a three-step approach, each step of which had a specific purpose. The first step involves compiling basic information on the company, second involves describing the solutions, and the third to assess the innovation dimension. Minority groups constitute about 20" of the targeted stakeholders. Those solutions are mainly about social issues such as diversity, empowerment, demography, human capital but also poverty and solidarity. CSR has been highly criticised for being too fragmented and disconnected from business and strategy.