Leading to Social Impact Communication: Understanding Corporate Social Advocacy (CSA) from Industry Professional Perspectives

This study aims to understand how practitioners define and describe corporate engagement with social issues within the larger context of their organization's social obligations. Semi-structured online interviews were conducted with 20 communication professionals involved in CSA practices of large U.S. corporations. This study proposes an expanded definition of CSA as a part of social impact communication. Additionally, we present a social impact valuation process model, offering an initial theoretical grounding for understanding CSA decision-making processes. The study contributes to public relations literature by extending our understanding of the dynamics of CSA in practice and bridging the gap between practice and theory.