Avoiding the greenwashing trap: between CSR communication and stakeholder engagement

Agostino Vollero; Maria Palazzo; Alfonso  Siano; Wim Elving

Avoiding the greenwashing trap: between CSR communication and stakeholder engagement

Agostino Vollero, Maria Palazzo, Alfonso Siano , Wim Elving

Communication, Behaviour & Sustainable Society

Department of Political, Social and Communication Sciences, University of Salerno

Onderzoeksoutput: Article › Academic › peer review

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Samenvatting

The paper analyses key elements of communication that may lead to
accusations that a company is engaging in practices of greenwashing failing to
create stakeholder engagement. According to sensemaking and sensegiving
approaches, the theoretical foundations that underpin the concepts of corporate
social responsibility (CSR) communication and greenwashing practices are explored and a comparison between two energy companies in the Italian and Dutch context is set up for exploratory purpose. The integration of a company’s strategic CSR approach and its communication practices may help to enhance effective stakeholder engagement, prevent accusations of greenwashing and avert the negative associated consequences (e.g., scepticism among stakeholders). The research provides a theoretical contribution to CSR communication by identifying several pitfalls that can lead to the appearance of greenwashing and provides caveats for the further development of both theory and managerial practices.

Originele taal-2	English
Pagina's (van-tot)	120-140
Tijdschrift	International Journal of Innovation and Sustainable Development
Volume	10
Nummer van het tijdschrift	2
Status	Published - 2016

Duurzame ontwikkelingsdoelstellingen van de VN

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SDG 07 – Betaalbare en schone energie
SDG 09 – Industrie, innovatie en infrastructuur

Keywords

strategische communicatie
energieindustrie

Research Focus Areas Hanze University of Applied Sciences

Energie

Publinova thema's

ICT & Media
Mens en Maatschappij

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Vollero_et_al_Avoiding_the_greenwashing_trapFinal published version, 259 KB

CSR communication in corporate social media: an empirical investigation of European companies’ use of social media between 2012 and 2020
Vertaalde titel van de bijdrage: MVO communicatie in corporate sociale media. Een empirisch onderzoek naar het gebruik van MVO in sociale media van Europese organisatiesValentini, C., van Zoonen, W. & Elving, W., 10 nov. 2022, Social Media for Progressive Public Relations. Niininen, O. (uitgave). Routledge, blz. 73 - 90 16 blz.
Onderzoeksoutput: Chapter › Academic › peer review

Citeer dit

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title = "Avoiding the greenwashing trap: between CSR communication and stakeholder engagement",

abstract = "The paper analyses key elements of communication that may lead to accusations that a company is engaging in practices of greenwashing failing to create stakeholder engagement. According to sensemaking and sensegiving approaches, the theoretical foundations that underpin the concepts of corporate social responsibility (CSR) communication and greenwashing practices are explored and a comparison between two energy companies in the Italian and Dutch context is set up for exploratory purpose. The integration of a company{\textquoteright}s strategic CSR approach and its communication practices may help to enhance effective stakeholder engagement, prevent accusations of greenwashing and avert the negative associated consequences (e.g., scepticism among stakeholders). The research provides a theoretical contribution to CSR communication by identifying several pitfalls that can lead to the appearance of greenwashing and provides caveats for the further development of both theory and managerial practices. ",

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AU - Vollero, Agostino

AU - Palazzo, Maria

AU - Siano , Alfonso

AU - Elving, Wim

PY - 2016

Y1 - 2016

N2 - The paper analyses key elements of communication that may lead to accusations that a company is engaging in practices of greenwashing failing to create stakeholder engagement. According to sensemaking and sensegiving approaches, the theoretical foundations that underpin the concepts of corporate social responsibility (CSR) communication and greenwashing practices are explored and a comparison between two energy companies in the Italian and Dutch context is set up for exploratory purpose. The integration of a company’s strategic CSR approach and its communication practices may help to enhance effective stakeholder engagement, prevent accusations of greenwashing and avert the negative associated consequences (e.g., scepticism among stakeholders). The research provides a theoretical contribution to CSR communication by identifying several pitfalls that can lead to the appearance of greenwashing and provides caveats for the further development of both theory and managerial practices.

AB - The paper analyses key elements of communication that may lead to accusations that a company is engaging in practices of greenwashing failing to create stakeholder engagement. According to sensemaking and sensegiving approaches, the theoretical foundations that underpin the concepts of corporate social responsibility (CSR) communication and greenwashing practices are explored and a comparison between two energy companies in the Italian and Dutch context is set up for exploratory purpose. The integration of a company’s strategic CSR approach and its communication practices may help to enhance effective stakeholder engagement, prevent accusations of greenwashing and avert the negative associated consequences (e.g., scepticism among stakeholders). The research provides a theoretical contribution to CSR communication by identifying several pitfalls that can lead to the appearance of greenwashing and provides caveats for the further development of both theory and managerial practices.

KW - strategische communicatie

KW - energieindustrie

KW - greenwashing

KW - corporate communication

KW - stakeholder engagement

KW - energy industry

KW - strategic communication task

M3 - Article

SN - 1740-8830

VL - 10

SP - 120

EP - 140

JO - International Journal of Innovation and Sustainable Development

JF - International Journal of Innovation and Sustainable Development

IS - 2

ER -

Avoiding the greenwashing trap: between CSR communication and stakeholder engagement

Samenvatting

Duurzame ontwikkelingsdoelstellingen van de VN

Keywords

Research Focus Areas Hanze University of Applied Sciences

Publinova thema's

Toegang tot document

Vingerafdruk

Onderzoekersoutput

CSR communication in corporate social media: an empirical investigation of European companies’ use of social media between 2012 and 2020

Citeer dit