Stakeholder Expectations, CSR & Legitimacy: A Case Study on BP
Author
Søndergaard, Rikke Ørris
Term
4. term
Publication year
2022
Submitted on
2022-05-31
Pages
79
Abstract
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has grown in importance as stakeholders increasingly favor socially and environmentally responsible companies, yet it remains especially challenging for firms in contested sectors such as oil and gas. This thesis examines how BP can meet stakeholder expectations for sustainability while operating in an industry widely perceived as environmentally harmful and facing legitimacy pressures. It employs a qualitative case study using critical discourse analysis of BP’s Sustainability Report 2020, leadership letters from the CEO and EVP, and a Bloomberg interview, interpreted through three analytical lenses: the Stakeholder Salience Model to identify which stakeholders BP regards as most powerful and legitimating, Morsing and Schultz’s three CSR communication strategies to assess how BP communicates sustainability, and Suchman’s legitimacy strategies to explore how the company seeks societal approval. The analysis suggests that stakeholder expectations are shaped by cultural context, that BP primarily prioritizes shareholders and employees as powerful and legitimating stakeholders, and that the company combines different communication and legitimation approaches to present itself as sustainable. The study contributes to understanding how firms in contested industries navigate stakeholder demands, CSR communication, and legitimacy amid skepticism and complex expectations.
Virksomheders sociale ansvar (CSR) er blevet stadig vigtigere i takt med, at stakeholders i højere grad foretrækker sociale og miljømæssigt ansvarlige virksomheder, men det er særligt udfordrende for virksomheder i kontroversielle industrier som olie og gas. Dette speciale undersøger, hvordan BP kan imødekomme stakeholderes forventninger til bæredygtighed, når virksomheden opererer i en industri, der opfattes som miljøskadelig og præget af legitimitetsudfordringer. Studiet er et kvalitativt casestudie baseret på kritisk diskursanalyse af BP’s Sustainability Report 2020, lederbreve fra CEO og EVP samt et Bloomberg-interview, og analyseres gennem tre teoretiske linser: The Stakeholder Salience Model til at identificere, hvilke stakeholders BP tillægger størst magt og legitimerende betydning, Morsing og Schultz’ tre CSR-kommunikationsstrategier til at vurdere, hvordan BP kommunikerer bæredygtighed, samt Suchmans legitimitetsstrategier til at belyse, hvordan virksomheden søger samfundsmæssig accept. Analysen indikerer, at stakeholderforventningerne forstås i en kulturel kontekst, at BP især prioriterer aktionærer og medarbejdere som magtfulde og legitimerende stakeholders, og at virksomheden kombinerer forskellige kommunikations- og legitimeringsgreb for at fremstå bæredygtig. Specialet bidrager til forståelsen af, hvordan virksomheder i omstridte industrier navigerer mellem interessentkrav, CSR-kommunikation og legitimitet under udbredt skepsis og komplekse forventninger.
[This apstract has been generated with the help of AI directly from the project full text]