ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the products and activities associated with Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) are also likely to question and interact with local institutional arrangements. It also explores the national business system framework provides a useful theoretical and analytical framework for the study of CSR approaches which emerge and develop in a national context. The chapter focuses on the field of social rating agencies in France. In this country, social rating agencies can be regarded as prominent actors that are engaged in the construction and operationalization of CSR ideas. The chapter compares the idealistic CSR conceptions promoted by social rating agencies. During the mid-2002 to mid-2004 period, the field of social rating in France has been dominated by these two French agencies, Vigeo and Core Ratings. Behind Moody's and Standard and Poor's, Fitch is the third worldwide financial rating agency and was part of the French family-owned financial group Fimalac.
