Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom

Key definition

Corporate social responsibility definition

What does Corporate social responsibility mean? Corporate social responsibility (CSR) describes, in legal practice, how a company structures its policies, governance and reporting so its commercial activities seek positive or responsible outcomes for the environment, consumers, employees and other stakeholders, alongside profit. Also called corporate responsibility or corporate citizenship, it is a descriptive concept used across corporate governance, compliance and shareholder stewardship, rather than a defined statutory term. United Kingdom (England & Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland): while CSR itself is not legislated, boards must have regard to stakeholder and environmental factors under Companies Act 2006 section 172. Related requirements include the strategic report (non-financial...

How to Develop, Implement and Review a Corporate Social Responsibility Strategy and Policy for Organisations

Published by a LexisNexis Practice Management expert

Practice notes

This How-to guide helps organisations to shape a corporate social responsibility (csr) strategy and to draft and put a CSR policy into practice. It outlines key points to consider and signposts useful tools. This Practice Note covers:

what CSR is
considering how CSR can help
developing a business case for CSR
key staff members
formulating the organisation's approach to CSR
formulating the organisation's CSR policy
CSR policy precedent
implementing CSR
reviewing the CSR policy

For information on regulatory requirements relevant to CSR, see Practice Note: Corporate social responsibility (CSR)—regulatory requirements.

What is CSR?

CSR is a self-regulating approach through which an organisation oversees the effects it has on economic, social and environmental aspects of society. It is commonly understood as a commitment to go beyond profit alone, to operate responsibly, and to embed economic, social and environmental considerations into culture and decision-making, thereby fostering better internal practices and contributing to improvements in the wider community. There are often two strands to CSR:

the quality of the organisation's management, and
the organisation's wider social responsibility

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Web page updated on 21/05/2026

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