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(Re)discovering the Social Responsibility of Business in Germany

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Abstract

The concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a relatively recent addition to the agenda in Germany, although the country has a long history of companies practicing social responsibilities. The expectations of society had remained stable for many years, encapsulated in laws, societal norms, and industrial relations agreements. But the past decade has seen significant changes in Germany, challenging established ways of treating the role of business in society. This contribution reviews and illustrates the development of diverse forms of social responsibility in German corporations and analyzes how actors in business and society can build on traditional strengths to find new institutional arrangements for sharing tasks and responsibilities in the interests of achieving a better balance between societal, economic, and environmental needs.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung, Reichpietschufer 50, 10785, Berlin, Germany

    Ariane Berthoin Antal & Maria Oppen

  2. Audencia School of Management, 8 route de la Jonelière, B.P. 31222, 44312, Nantes Cedex 3, France

    André Sobczak

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  1. Ariane Berthoin Antal
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  2. Maria Oppen
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  3. André Sobczak
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Correspondence to Ariane Berthoin Antal.

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Berthoin Antal, A., Oppen, M. & Sobczak, A. (Re)discovering the Social Responsibility of Business in Germany. J Bus Ethics 89 (Suppl 3), 285–301 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-010-0390-8

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