A case study of employee perceptions of CSR in the Australian construction industry

The links between business and society are evident in much of the organisation studies literature, as is the notion that business has a responsibility to take care of wider society and the environment. It is more often than not espoused that for organisations today, rapidly changing economic environments as a consequence of globalisation, deregulation of markets, and ever-increasing competition have resulted in changing demands from customers, investors, employees and wider society. With many adding that in light of corporate misbehaviour, ethical scandals, financial crises, and environmental disasters, there is a growing demand for organisations to engage in and commit to socially responsible practices. Organisations are urged to widen their strategic orientation to include not only economic, but also social and environmental considerations in order to meet or exceed societal expectations. To remain competitive, organisations are encouraged, implored, and demanded to implement and report on their socially responsible activities and practices. They have to be seen as being socially responsible. They have to behave in ways that, at the least, appear to further social, ethical and environmental wellbeing.