Title: The role of foreign and local companies in shaping Brazilian positions on global sustainability: empirical evidence from a survey research

Authors: Mônica Cavalcanti Sá De Abreu; Ana Rita Pinheiro De Freitas; Simone Oliveira Guerra De Melo

Addresses: Federal University of Ceará, Av. da Universidade, 2470 – Benfica, CEP 60.020-180, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil ' Federal University of Ceará, Av. da Universidade, 2470 – Benfica, CEP 60.020-180, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil ' Federal University of Ceará, Av. da Universidade, 2470 – Benfica, CEP 60.020-180, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil

Abstract: This paper analyses the role of foreign and local companies in shaping Brazilian positions on global sustainability. It deals with an empirical investigation of CSR practices of firms from the electronics, food, and personal care sectors in response to pressures of 'market' and 'non-market' stakeholders. The results demonstrate that CSR decisions by foreign and local firms are triggered by organisational considerations and anticipated economic gains. The degree of implementation of CSR activities by foreign firms is more advanced than that of local firms. The survey also confirms the hypothesis that market stakeholders exert pressure on companies and positively influence CSR. Non-market stakeholders seem to have a minor effect on corporate social responsibility decisions. We conclude that the institutional environment is a critical determinant of the extent to which the dialogue between stakeholders and companies leads to the attainment of sustainable development.

Keywords: corporate social responsibility; CSR; sustainable development; stakeholders; institutional environment; emerging economies; Brazil; foreign companies; local companies; global sustainability; electronics industry; food industry; personal care industry; foreign firms; local firms.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBGE.2015.074346

International Journal of Business Governance and Ethics, 2015 Vol.10 No.3/4, pp.305 - 323

Accepted: 21 Aug 2015
Published online: 23 Jan 2016 *

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