State Of Corporate Social Responsibility In Institutional Structure Of Russian Society:
Influence On Civil Society Sphere
Krasnopolskaya, Irina, National Research University Higher School of Economics
This article examines the state of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in Russian institutional
social structure. Major international corporations introduced CSR in Russia at the beginning of
1990. CSR has developed and gained local specificity, for example the high percent of profit,
which is directed to philanthropic needs, major focus of CRS is on social sphere, low level of
engagement of third sector organizations. Two main theoretical perspectives of CSR might be
sorted out. One has logics of economics, business and management, which has roots in papers
of Levitt, 1958, Friedman, 1962, Freeman, 1984; Mitchell et al., 1997 etc. The second perspective
follows sociological and institutional logics concerning the place of CSR in social structure
(Waddock, 2008, Bishop, 2007). Significant sociological and institutional studies imported
managerial and business CSR’s perspective into institutional discourse (Campbell, 2007,
Galaskiewicz, 1991). In this respect, several scholars indicate a tendency of examine CRS as a
part of civil society sphere (Bruyn, S.T., Sire Р-О; Haufler, 2008; Gainer, 2010; Froelich, 1999).
This study relies mainly on the last theoretical perspective on place of CSR in society.
This article investigates which institutional actors influence the course of CSR in Russia and how
they do it. We suggest that this influence is mutual. The mutual influence of CRS and institutions
were examined to find evidence of the functional role of CSR in civil society infrastructure
development. The theoretical development of arguments to explain the presence of CRS in civil
society sphere significantly contributes to the analysis of CSR social influence. This theoretical
development is based on CRS social functions (Bruyn, 1999, Dekker, 2009, Kumar, 1999,
Haufler, 2008).
Analysis based of the qualitative and quantitative surveys of corporations, volunteers and the
general population and non-profit organizations respectably. Here is the list of surveys –
qualitative and quantitative survey of corporate volunteering (2012, with IAVE, 36 corporations,
20 NGOs, 800 employees), qualitative survey of corporate philanthropists’ community (2010, 19
corporations, content analysis of mass-media), longitudinal representative quantitative study of
Russian nonprofit organizations (since 2007, 1000 NGOs), qualitative and quantitative survey of
municipal authorities (2009, 25 municipal authorities representatives). As a prime analytical
instrument – a structural scheme both of CSR influence on social institutions and of institutional
determination of CSR was used – we examine.
The findings of the study revealed the main actors (state, civil society organizations, professional
associations, international associations and standards and accreditation, educational courses, the
institutionalised expectations of the population, “historical memory”). These actors contribute to
the construction of the social legitimacy of CSR in the society. The study identified great
imbeddedness of CSR in the social context and revealed the diversity of institutional influence
schemes. As one of the result the stages of CSR institutionalization in Russia were developed.
They were developed through the analysis of legislative acts, business professional standards
and everyday CSR practices at level of corporations. In свете significant determination, merely by
the state, in the providing of social services. However this doesn’t bound corporations performing
as “agents of social change” (Anheier, Salamon, 2006, Barr, Fafchamps, Owens, 2005).
An analysis of the mutual influence proved the presence and the functional input of CRS in civil
society infrastructure development, namely in volunteerism infrastructure and NGO development.
Presentation will include main characteristics and actual data of this development.