Title

CSR, sustainability and the meaning of global reporting for Latin American corporations

Abstract

We seek to add to the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Sustainable Development (SD) literature through the empirical study of Latin American firm membership in the United Nations Global Compact (GC) and Global Report Initiative (GRI). Within an institutional-based framework, we explore through three filters - commercial, state-signaling, and distinguished peers - the impact of normative and mimetic pressures associated with GC/GRI membership. Our sample includes 207 public firms from six Latin American countries (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru). Our results suggest Latin American firms from countries with a greater European influence (normative pressure) are twice as likely to be enrolled in the GC/GRI. Additionally, we find that Latin American firms listed on the NYSE (mimetic pressure) are also twice as likely to sign up under the GC/GRI. Hence, the normative and mimetic pillars of institutional theory are found to be significant factors for Latin American firms adopting sustainability initiatives. © Springer 2010.

Document Type

Article

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-010-0614-y

Keywords

Corporate social responsibility, Global report initiative, Institutional theory, Latin america, Punctuated equilibrium, Sustainable development, United nations global compact

Publication Date

9-3-2010

Journal Title

Journal of Business Ethics

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