Marketing Management, 16th Edition

The Role of Social Responsibility in Marketing Management

Effective marketing must be matched by a strong sense of ethics, values, and social responsibility. According to the 2016 PwC Global CEO Survey, 64 percent of CEOs believe that “corporate social responsibility is core to their business rather than just an adjunct stand-alone program.”2 Taking a more active, strategic role in corporate social responsibility is thought to benefit not just customers, employees, the community, and the environment but also shareholders.

Companies engage in prosocial activities and invest in corporate social responsibility for a variety of reasons. Some do it because creating societal benefits is a key element of the corporate culture and the company’s value ...