By and large, corporations of the 21st century have come to realise that their obligations to societies in terms of corporate social responsibility are fourfold: economic, ethical, altruistic and strategic. Meeting these four responsibilities is crucial to their survival in their various markets and industries; it also requires them to rewrite their previously less socially responsible business models in order to do so. All indications continue to suggest that it is those organisations that are perceived to be socially responsible by stakeholders in modern markets that survive and prosper. Corporations have equally realised that by being innovative in all things including their CSR activities and initiatives they will add value to the so-called bottom line, to the positive contributions they make to society and to how they are perceived by their key stakeholders."

The history of modern Socially Responsible Investment began with the Apartheid crisis in South Africa in the 1970s. When asked if divestment played a role in ending South African Apartheid, Nelson Mandela answered "undoubtedly". But what about SRI in the 21st century, does it make a difference for society? The first part of this book explores the innovative approach of socially responsible investors in building engagement approaches, mobilizing networks, developing new products, and proposing alternative models showing the potential to create change. The second part interrogates the limits of SRI in making a difference. It questions the potential of SRI to create change but also proposes ways to increase societal impacts of SRI. The last section of the volume addresses the boarder issues of values and governance and shows how they are central in the SRI discussion. The book takes a critical but constructive stance on SRI with the objective of contributing to the capacity and ability of SRI to make a difference. Little research has been undertaken on the societal impacts of SRI. With this book we contribute to this debate, pushing the boundaries of SRI even further.

The first book specifically written for teaching and professional training in responsible investment (RI)12 hypothetical case studies examining the challenges facing RI professionalsSuggested responses from 35 professionals in the RI community

The recent global financial crisis has indicated that the conventional dominant paradigm in finance is unable to cope with the problems of financial systems, markets, and behaviour of financial institutions, and failed to understand the proper role of finance in society and the economic system as a whole. Drawing on the recent movements of corporate social responsibility, socially responsible investing and sustainable development, this volume goes further to examine the ongoing making of financial reality towards social responsibility and sustainability, and aims at a better understanding of finance as a collective construct and endeavour embedded in societal context. Bringing together leading scholarly thinking, this collection opens new avenues of comprehending corporate social responsibility, reveals mechanisms and strategies in shaping the reality of responsible finance, searches alternative approaches towards financial sustainability, and explores new thinking of coping with complex financial choice and financial risks. Moving away from the conventional financial paradigm, this volume demonstrates paradigm shifting in the financial world and provides fresh insights on how we may reshape the financial reality to enable societal betterment and prevent any future financial crisis.

Our experiences of life have enabled us to understand that new times create new problems and perhaps new opportunities as well for those who can spot them. Some fifty or so years ago, issues relating to global warming, environmental pollution, terrorism, human rights abuses and a host of other social and environmental problems that are of concern for us today were not of too much of concern to us. It is therefore reasonable to assume that the problems future generations of man would face in 50 years time would certainly be dissimilar to the problems of our time In order to ensure that man's future situations are not unnecessarily made more problematic and unbearable than they need be, the present generation must ensure that they embed in all their many activities socially responsible behaviours. This was the goal of this book. After all, today's CSR students are tomorrow's managers, politicians, opinion leaders, customers, suppliers, social activists etc. Taking all the issues explored in the fourteen chapters of Theory and Practice of Corporate Social Responsibility direct to these leaders of tomorrow was an attempt to begin a journey which would help us to achieve this goal. It is hoped that this book has successfully set the scene for socially responsible behaviours to thrive in our world.