ABSTRACT
The chapter discusses the issue of commodified compassion in the context of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and CSR communication. As a result of marketization of society, compassion has become increasingly commodified. The commodification of the compassion process has been developing under the umbrella of CSR with the corporations playing a pivotal role. The chapter offers an overview of different modes of commodified compassion in the context of CSR, such as the very popular brand activism and increasingly present free philanthropy via digital platforms. While these market-based approaches might be efficient and create some value for selected segments or social ills, the main problem of treating compassion as a commodity lies in the fact that such an approach is very selective and tends to simplify complex social issues. The discourse plays an important role in legitimizing commodified compassion and acts as a motivational force. Consequently, it also enhances various negative side-effects of commodified compassion at the macro (societal) and micro (individual) level.
