NGO strategic communication approaches to CSR institutionalization: pathways of resistance, reform and (mutual) reinforcement

Purpose Premised on the growing involvement of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), this exploratory study advances an NGO-led perspective on corporate social responsibility (CSR) institutionalization. It examines NGOs as CSR actors by approaching CSR as an institutionalized practice and explicating the strategic communication approaches NGOs employ in the CSR field. Design/methodology/approach We conducted interviews with 14 international NGO managers in Switzerland. Findings NGOs unanimously defined the CSR field in Switzerland as driven by “business logics.” Against this backdrop, Swiss NGOs employed strategic communication approaches of resistance, reform and (mutual) reinforcement. We treat these as a constellation or repertoire of practice that illustrate the intersections of the macro (CSR field description) and the micro (NGO strategies). Research limitations/implications Given the contested roles of NGOs as CSR actors, a contextual examination of NGO perspectives and approaches has important implications for illuminating how business and the NGO sector “relate to each other.” Originality/value Our study finds that NGOs view their role as more expansive than the traditional binary of corporate critics or corporate collaborators.