Corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the Russian banking sector: Through an institutional lens.

Knowledge on how Russian companies perceive and practice corporate social responsibility (CSR) is limited. The objective of this study is to fill this gap and analyse how the institutional environment in the country determines CSR practices and motivations of Russian financial organisations. The project employs institutional perspectives as the primary lens through which CSR is observed in the Russian context, arguing that such approach allows grasping a wide range of factors that may influence CSR processes in a given environment. In particular, the thesis strives to understand what forms CSR in Russia takes, what drives and motivates organisations to engage in socially responsible behaviour, and what institutional factors have their say in shaping these processes. To answer these questions the study examines the construction of meanings across fourteen Russian banks. In particular, it applies qualitative methods to analyse publicly available information on CSR, such as CSR reports, annual reports, and website sections. Findings explain that the understanding and practice of CSR in Russia is determined by the country’s institutional environment and unique history, which assumes organisations to contribute to social development. However, the project also addresses to ‘crossvergence’ of CSR in Russia, meaning that responsible practices in this framework are not exclusively shaped by the national context, but also by global processes and practices.