Corporate Social Responsibility in an Untouched Market

Corporate social responsibility is a concept that has been embraced by many industries over the past decennia. However, the media industry remains one of the least involved industries in terms of CSR. The media industry is characterized by efficiency and a problem-solving attitude. This research set out to find how the B2B media industry may incorporate CSR efforts, while not losing sight of the industry’s identity. The research questions for this research is thus, ‘what determines a good fit between CSR strategies and corporate identity of B2B companies in the media industry?’. To answer this question, the research took a qualitative approach, by making use of in-depth interviews and applying an ethnographic aspect. The interviews were conducted with employees and clients of a single faciliatory company that operates within the European media industry. The research found that on both the individual and corporate level, two groups of people can be distinguished: those in favor of implementing CSR efforts, and those who consider it a waste when implemented within the industry. However, CSR enforcement is driven by a top-down demand, that is currently barely present: merely a handful of clients consider CSR important, while most other clients do not consider it relevant for the industry at all. This perception goes hand in hand with the decrease in production budgets that has taken place over the past few years: there simply is no financial room for sustainable innovation. The only exception to this, is when the innovation provides more, often economic, benefits for the production. Yet, it seems that without further incentives for clients at the beginning of the value chain of TV production, the top-down demand for, and thus the implementation of CSR practices will not increase any time soon. The research findings imply that a good fit between CSR strategies and the corporate identity for the media industry are determined by its business practice and a will to adapt. However, it is also determined by its economic performance and business model, which is currently halting the development of CSR strategies.