“Corporate Social Responsibility”- Sustainability areas in the company's worldwide sustainability strategy

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to take this chance for thanking my research facilitator, friends & family for support they provided & their belief in me as well as guidance they provided without that I would have never been able to do this research.

DECLARATION

I, (Your name), would like to declare that all contents included in this dissertation stand for my individual work without any aid, and this dissertation has not been submitted for any examination at academic as well as professional level, previously. It is also representing my very own views and not essentially those that are associated with the university.

Signed __________________ Date _________________

ABSTRACT

Corporate social responsibility takes in retailer strategies to the natural resource, climate change ethical sourcing, sustainability, corporate governance and community engagement, among the further issues. The aim of this research as to analyze the role played by CSR in the retail industry and more specifically to suggest Wal-Mart that how it can achieve competitive advantage in a competitive environment. This research followed the method of secondary data collection. The data was collected from variety of sources like internet publications, journals, books and articles. Secondary research was conducted through a number of sources, including libraries & the Internet. A number of libraries were visited for gathering valuable data from textbooks & journals. From the findings of the literature and the study of the previous searches it has been identified that retail businesses can help in managing the infrastructure of the country that would not only help the countries to cope with the infrastructure problems but would also help in making the distribution network much stronger. Thus, social innovation, embedded in the strategies of CSR, not only allow companies to demonstrate their citizenship, but also become an important marketing tool, enabling them to excel, to develop new products and trends that create an emotional connection between brand and consumer, thereby contributing to the growth loyalty.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATIONIII

ABSTRACTIV

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION1

1.1 Background1

1.2 Rationale1

1.3 Research Aim2

1.4 Research Questions2

1.5 Research Objectives3

1.6 Theoretical Framework3

1.7 Dimensions of CSR and levels of business involvement in CSR4

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW7

2.1 Company Background7

2.2 Corporate Social Responsibility7

2.3 Components of CSR11

2.3.1 Economic Responsibilities11

2.3.2 Legal Responsibilities11

2.3.3 Ethical Responsibilities11

2.3.4 Discretionary Responsibilities12

2.5 Examples of CSR in Practice12

2.6 Social Responsibility and Investors13

2.7 Implementing CSR14

2.7.1 Putting Words into Actions17

2.7.2 Measuring Words against Deeds17

2.8 The Theory of CSR18

2.8.1 Concepts of Corporate Social Responsibility20

2.9 Benefits of Corporate Social Responsibility for Business21

2.10 CSR as a source of competitive advantage and increased productivity22

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY26

3.1 Pitfalls and Problems26

3.2 Rationale for a Qualitative Study26

3.3 Literature Search27

3.5 Reliability/Dependability28

3.6 Validity30

3.7 Ethical Considerations31

CHAPTER 4: CRITICAL ANALYSIS32

4.1 Overview of an Organization32

4.2 Wal-Mart Strategies33

4.2.1 Existing Strategies33

4.2.2 Growth Strategy34

4.2.3 Sustainability Strategy35

4.3 Wal- Mart Sustainability35

4.3.1 Need for Corporate Sustainability at Wal-Mart37

4.3.2 Strategic Planning38

4.3.3. Critical Sustainability Areas to be Included38

4.4 Code of Conduct40

4.4.1 Internal Code of Conduct40

4.4.2 External Code of Conduct41

CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION/ RECOMMENDATIONS44

5.1 Conclusion44

5.1.1 CSR Allows Companies to Better Manage Their Risks and Enhance Their Value46

5.1.2 Corporate Social Responsibility Tools Can Be Helpful For Companies in Achieving Competitive ...