Investigating industry expert discourses on aspirational CSR communication

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate industry expert discourses on aspirational corporate social responsibility (CSR) communication. Analysing CSR managers’ and communication consultants’ talk about aspirational talk as constitutive of aspirational CSR communication, the data provide valuable insights into the dominant discourses, and draw attention to the manifold elements in the process of aspirational CSR communication. Design/methodology/approach Data gathered during 11 in-depth, qualitative interviews with food industry experts in CSR and CSR communication roles in Ireland, the UK and the USA are studied. Findings The analysis of industry expert discourses suggests that communicating CSR, and in particular the communication of CSR aspirations, is a source of tensions and ambiguity for organisational members. It is evident that aspirational talk acts as a “commitment and alignment device”, raising the bar for the organisation by encouraging enhanced performance and ensuring a competitive differentiation – and thus revealing a performative character. However, it is also shown that industry experts favour action over talk and consider verification crucial to reduce reputational risk. The challenge ahead will be to encourage organisations to embrace aspirational talk in the age of CSR professionalisation and standardisation to ensure incremental and continual CSR improvements. Practical implications The research findings suggest that aspirational talk is a useful resource for organisations to transition towards becoming more responsible businesses. Rather than censoring aspirational talk to prevent scepticism by some, managers rely on robust auditing and verification systems to provide proof of achievement over time. Originality/value The study provides data on the topic of aspirational talk, where there has been much theory development, but limited empirical evidence. It does so in the context of the food industry, an industry manifestly to the forefront in the sustainability/CSR agenda.

Talk–Action Dynamics: Modalities of aspirational talk

“…Without suggesting that this conclusion is representative for the performative power of CSR talk in general, it is possible to argue that CSR aspirations play a significant role in putting their senders on the line and under pressure to improve their practices (see also Lunheim, 2005). In a study of CSR communication in the Irish food industry, Koep (2017), for example, shows how aspirational claims are the cause of uneasiness and fear of failing among participant organizations. Such tensions, she argues, have performative potential because they motivate various players in the industry to work harder toward their CSR goals.…”

The communicative stance of CSR: reflections on the value of CSR communication

“…They were selected as the best papers at the conference and underwent a double-blind review process. Broadly speaking, they nicely capture the value of communication for CSR and represent contemporary key interests and concerns in CSRCom theory and practice by addressing the following questions: how are CSR programmes and policies implemented amongst employees in organisations (Coombs, 2017), how are CSR norms and practices proactively communicated and deliberated amongst internal and external stakeholders (Heath and Waymer, 2017), how do CSR and corporate reputation affect the perceived value by customers (Arslanagic-Kalajdzic and Zabkar, 2017), how and in what sense can tension, ambiguity and conflictual interaction be embedded in particular CSR communication instances such as aspirational talk (Koep, 2017) and how can stakeholder interaction contribute to advancing our understanding of CSR communication as more realistic and a prerequisite for creating beneficial shared value for stakeholders? (Høvring, 2017).…”

Preparing the Show: Organizational ventriloquism as autocommunication

“…This assumption has been confirmed in several empirical studies (e.g. Haack, Schoeneborn, & Wickert, 2012;Koep, 2017;Livesey & Graham, 2007). While none of these studies focus, as this paper does, on the preparation of official communication, they empirically confirm the theoretical tenets of retroactive and inventive autocommunication.…”

“…At the same time, it underscores the observation that organizational ventriloquism is a dynamic and contested practice where multiple figures can be mobilized to challenge existing understandings and practices. Koep's (2017) study of the Irish food industry likewise illustrates how organizations are animated by the figures they invoke themselves. Specifically, her study shows how publicly articulated CSR aspirations from the industry caused uneasiness and a fear of failing among the involved corporations.…”

“…Koep’s (2017) study of the Irish food industry likewise illustrates how organizations are animated by the figures they invoke themselves. Specifically, her study shows how publicly articulated CSR aspirations from the industry caused uneasiness and a fear of failing among the involved corporations.…”