The term corporate social responsibility (CSR) is often used in the boardroom, classroom, and political platform, but what does it really mean? Do corporations have ethical or philanthropic duties beyond their obligations to comply with the law? How does CSR relate to business ethics, stakeholder management, sustainability, and corporate citizenship?

Mark Schwartz provides a concise, cutting-edge introduction to the topic, analyzing many case studies with the help of his innovative “Three Domain Approach” to CSR. Corporate Social Responsibility also provides a chronology of landmark contributions to the concept of CSR and includes CSR resources on organizations, global codes and criteria, corporate CSR reports, and websites and blogs. It is an invaluable resource for students, instructors, and business leaders looking to master the basics of CSR.

Mark S. Schwartz's profile page

Dr. Mark S. Schwartz MBA, LLB, PhD, is Associate Professor of Law, Governance and Ethics at York University in Toronto. His work has appeared in such journals as the Journal of Business Ethics, Business Ethics Quarterly, and Business & Society.

“Mark Schwartz’s Corporate Social Responsibility: An Ethical Approach deserves a careful reading by academics and practitioners alike. Dr. Schwartz does a first-rate job of providing a succinct history of the CSR construct, honing in on its ethical dimension, and presenting a valuable and creative three domain approach for conceptualizing CSR. This book will take its rightful place as one of the exceptional treatments this topic has received in recent years.” — Archie B. Carroll, Professor Emeritus and Director, Nonprofit Management & Community Service Program, Terry College of Business, University of Georgia

“In the last decade, university courses focused on corporate social responsibility (CSR) have proliferated. But outpacing the proliferation has been confusion. How can one even define CSR? Is CSR economically possible? What is merely CSR window dressing, and what is real? Professor Schwartz has come to the rescue with a compelling guide for the perplexed.” — Thomas Donaldson, Mark O. Winkelman Professor at the Wharton School, and Director, the Zicklin Center for Business Ethics Research, University of Pennsylvania

“Dr. Schwartz’s brilliantly written book is a must-have for anyone with an interest in corporate social responsibility.” — Professor Adam Lindgreen, Cardiff Business School, UK

“Corporate Social Responsibility: An Ethical Approach undoubtedly will become the essential compendium for understanding CSR and its relation to business ethics, stakeholder management, sustainability, and corporate citizenship. This marvelous work will be the bible for all serious students and scholars of CSR.” — W. Michael Hoffman, PhD, Executive Director, Center for Business Ethics, and Hieken Professor of Business and Professional Ethics, Bentley University, Waltham, MA

“Too often, students of CSR are sold a version of responsibility that’s only concerned with the bottom line. Mark Schwartz’s book fulfills the need for a distinctly ethical approach to CSR that is both practically challenging and intellectually stimulating. This book is a valuable companion for any student of CSR.” — Andrew Crane, George R. Gardiner Professor of Business Ethics, Schulich School of Business, York University