The rising tide of corporate social responsibility in China

Proponents of ‘corporate social responsibility’ or ‘CSR’ believe that corporations should be responsible to the societies and environments in which they operate. CSR is a familiar concept in the developed markets of North America and Europe; increasingly, companies are also being held accountable for their social and environmental impacts in developing countries. This trend is being observed in China, where CSR appears to be gaining considerable ground. This paper examines the drivers and challenges to the adoption of CSR in China, and argues that the rising tide of corporate social responsibility will continue to grow, both from internal and external pressures, as China becomes an increasingly important and influential participant in the global economy.