Emerging Trends in Stakeholder Engagement and Corporate Social Responsibility Communication

Abstract

This chapter focuses on the analysis of several issues linked to communication implemented by organisations oriented toward corporate social responsibility (CSR). Communication plays an important role in pursuing CSR goals and starts a process in which the organisation is pushed to rearrange the way it structures its identity. This process is centred on communication, a driving force for the creation of shared contexts between the company and its publics. In fact, the communication of CSR contents requires the full engagement of stakeholders to attain full participation in the organisation's commitment to sustainable corporate performances. Reaching this goal is essential for the success of every kind of company. This chapter sees communication as the main pillar for building the relationship between the company and the external environment, enabling the creation of reputational capital. In particular, the chapter presents a literature review that reflects the need to prevent reputational risk by paying attention to managing growing stakeholder empowerment, since stakeholders often express their dissatisfaction and seriously endanger the company's reputation.