Does corporate social responsibility cushion unethical brand behavior? Insights from chocolate confectionery

Food and agribusiness companies face increasing scrutiny of their corporate social responsibilities (CSRs) due to the impacts of their business activities on the environment and in society. In particular, the procurement practices of some companies in the commercial food industry have been linked to...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of public affairs 2018-08, Vol.18 (3), p.n/a
Main Authors: Insch, Andrea, Black, Tessa
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agribusiness
Biodiversity
Brands
Chocolate
Companies
Confectionery
Consumers
Deforestation
Ethics
Expectations
Farming
Food processing industry
Halo effect
Insurance
Misconduct
Natural environment
Purchasing
Reputations
Scrutiny
Social responsibility
Trade
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Summary:Food and agribusiness companies face increasing scrutiny of their corporate social responsibilities (CSRs) due to the impacts of their business activities on the environment and in society. In particular, the procurement practices of some companies in the commercial food industry have been linked to unsustainable farming, deforestation, and loss of biodiversity. This study investigates the extent to which a positive CSR reputation influences consumers' evaluations of a company and its new products following brand misconduct involving unethical procurement of palm oil. The results of an experiment revealed that a positive CSR reputation prior to the misconduct enhanced consumers' evaluations of the company and their support for its new products, thereby facilitating its recovery. These findings extend understanding of the potential insurance afforded by a positive CSR reputation and its halo effect in situations of brand misconduct in the food industry, in this case where a brand has failed to meet consumers' expectations of its obligations to avoid commercial activities that threaten the natural environment.
ISSN:1472-3891
1479-1854
DOI:10.1002/pa.1853