CSR Under Pressure

In times of crisis, is CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) still a priority for companies? The health crisis of 2020 had raised ecological awareness, but the conflicts and geopolitical unrest since 2022 have led to a period of inflation and economic instability which, conversely, has pushed companies' social and environmental concerns into the background, resulting in the postponement or even halting of environmental investments. Is this a good calculation on the part of companies? Various studies show that ecological backlash is in fact a double strategic error. On the one hand, CSR commitments and practices make companies more resilient, thanks to the trust they engender among their stakeholders. On the other hand, climate change and social inequalities also have harmful economic consequences, both in the short and long term. This setback for CSR reflects its fragility and calls into question its very nature. As long as companies' CSR strategies are part of a “weak sustainability” paradigm geared towards their economic sustainability, they will not be a lever for transforming our societies. Which raises a major question: how can we (re)place the economy at the service of society?