Introduction. Strengthening of the positions of large and very large agricultural enterprises, employing large area of lands, is one of the characteristics of the Ukrainian agricultural sector. This raises fears concerning negative social consequences of the process. Improvement of the agrarian production model requires application of high standards of social responsibility in the activity of large land users. The purpose of the research is to propose instruments to evaluate social responsibility of agricultural enterprises, describe peculiarities and trends in the formation and development of social responsibility of large agricultural land users, basing on such instruments. Results. The article proves a dependence of social expenses by agricultural enterprises on their land use. The authors give proposals concerning application of the criteria of evaluation of some forms of social responsibility by agricultural enterprises and determine positive and negative social consequences of large agricultural land users' performance according to the criteria. The work confirms higher social responsibility of large agricultural enterprises established with participation of foreign capital, their positive impact on the formation of high standards of social responsibility in the branch. The authors of the article describe problems of information supply for the analysis of social responsibility and stress reasonability to introduce voluntary social reporting by business entities. Conclusions. The study of statistical reports of agricultural enterprises has helped to evaluate their social responsibility according to the following criteria: maintenance of an adequate remuneration level, responsibility in the organisation of land lease, ecological responsibility through the formation of parameters of their economic activity, creation of job positions, submission of objective financial reports, etc. High social responsibility supports existing large agricultural enterprises. This, however, does not preclude the need to restrict their growing land use and to deprive them of the right to certain elements of state support which is rendered to smaller agrarian producers.