Navigating Uncertainty

With the rise in prominence of geopolitical conflicts and global health crises, the COVID-19 pandemic is redefining organizations’ business approach to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). While organizations from all industries suffered due to the pandemic, specific types and sectors of firms reacted differently during and post-pandemic. Considering France’s extensive involvement in CSR and its restricted academic content on the matter, examining the impact and implications of the pandemic on firms’ business outlook is of highly relevant. Evaluating the role of stakeholders’ expectations in shaping CSR attitudes is also highly pertinent in this study. The main research question is as follows: How has COVID-19 influenced the business outlook toward CSR activities in (French) organizations? To investigate this further, a qualitative study was conducted to evaluate the influence of COVID-19 on French organizations’ business outlooks toward CSR activities. A total of 9 semi-structured in-depth interviews with CSR professionals were conducted. The findings indicate that the pandemic did not initiate CSR initiatives across organizations. Rather, the COVID-19 pandemic helped accelerate a shift toward additional CSR actions in MNCs and helped boost the creation of distinct CSR policies and committees for SMEs. Consequently, post-COVID business outlook on CSR varied by business sector. Additionally, the findings suggest that the pandemic did not impact firms’ commitment to the SDGs, as most organizations asserted following a set CSR framework prior to the pandemic. Commitments varied according to firm size and financial capacities. Furthermore, the results outline how the pandemic acted in a double-faceted manner concerning the institutionalization of CSR. COVID-19 served as a driver for inconsistent CSR across organizations. Due to an emphasis on health and safety priorities, the social domain of CSR suffered. Regardless of the successful democratization of remote work, inconsistencies in workload and internal difficulties regarding employees emerged. Stakeholders’ expectations were also observed to vary by firm size. Considering that SMEs are faced with minimal state regulations in France, their business outlook on CSR can be defined as mainly voluntary or as originating from the rising demands of internal stakeholders. However, some tensions may be discerned across interviews as the French government gradually implements additional regulations in specific sectors. Firms are thus increasingly ‘responsibilized.’ Ultimately, not only did the French culture help shape French CSR ambitions, but it also foregrounded mixed sentiments of stakeholders regarding government action and public policies due to occasional corporate growth restrictions.