The Power of Unions on Corporate Social Responsibility within Businesses
Translated title
The Power of Unions
Authors
Pedersen, Maria Bøge ; El Mir, Sarah
Term
4. term
Publication year
2020
Submitted on
2020-06-02
Pages
109
Abstract
This thesis examines how the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals and the UN Global Compact (UNGC) have influenced Nestlé’s communication of its CSR commitments. Adopting a social constructivist, hermeneutic, and inductive approach, we analyze Nestlé’s Creating Shared Value (CSV) reports from 2011–2019 to compare the period before and after the 2015 adoption of the SDGs, and interpret the results through Nils Brunsson’s theory of organizational hypocrisy (action vs. politics). We also discuss the concept of bluewashing and the role of UN affiliations as legitimation strategies. The analysis indicates that Nestlé significantly restructured its CSV reporting after 2015 and increasingly framed initiatives through the SDGs, supporting a tendency toward bluewashing in external communication. The study further suggests that the breadth and abstraction of the SDGs enable strategic presentation, that action-oriented intentions are emphasized over political results, and that UN partnerships may function as part of a crisis response. The thesis concludes with an open, explanatory discussion acknowledging methodological limitations and the need for further research.
Dette speciale undersøger, hvordan FN’s 17 Verdensmål og FN’s Global Compact (UNGC) har påvirket Nestlés kommunikation af sine CSR-forpligtelser. Med et socialkonstruktivistisk og hermeneutisk, induktivt udgangspunkt analyserer vi Nestlés Creating Shared Value-rapporter fra 2011–2019 for at sammenligne perioden før og efter SDG’ernes vedtagelse i 2015, og vi fortolker fundene gennem Nils Brunssons teori om organisatorisk hykleri (handling vs. politik). Vi diskuterer desuden fænomenet bluewashing og rollen af FN-tilknytninger som legitimeringsstrategi. Analysen indikerer, at Nestlé markant omstrukturerede sin CSV-rapportering efter 2015 og i stigende grad indrammede initiativer via SDG’erne, hvilket understøtter en tendens til bluewashing i den eksterne kommunikation. Studiet peger også på, at Verdensmålenes bredde og abstraktion muliggør strategisk præsentation, at handleorienterede intentioner vægtes højere end politiske resultater, og at partnerskaber med FN kan indgå som led i en kriserespons. Specialet afsluttes med en åben, forklarende konklusion med forbehold for metodens begrænsninger og behovet for videre forskning.
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Keywords
CSR ; UN ; UNGC ; Bluewashing