• A guide to the main principles of corporate social responsibility (CSR)

• Looks at how and why it was established and how it developed over time

• Considers the role CSR has in Western business traditions as well as its international context

• Explores the controversies and dynamics of CSR

• Part of the bestselling Very Short Introductions series - over six million copies sold worldwide

Corporate social responsibility has been defined as 'the responsibility of enterprises for their impacts on society'. Is Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) just window dressing or is it a contradiction in terms? In this Very Short Introduction, Jeremy Moon shows that CSR holds much more value than it first appears, and shows how it has come of age in recent years. Illustrating the sorts of CSR investments companies make, the ways in which they practice CSR, and the challenges this brings, Moon considers how the principles migrated from their US roots to become a global business phenomenon.

Exploring the place of CSR in different economic, social, political, and managerial contexts, this short guide considers the many positives, but also challenges, that CSR can present for companies, societies, and governments worldwide.