External CSR as strategic action in the shadow of commercial interests. A study into oil and gas companies in Trinidad and Tobago

• Authors: Roozendaal van Gerda , Verrest Hebe , Paradowska Monika , Platje Joost (Johannes)

Title variants

PL

Zewnętrzne CSR jako strategiczne działanie w cieniu komercyjnych interesów. Badania firm naftowych i gazowych w Trynidadzie i Tobago

• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

In countries such as Trinidad and Tobago (T&T), the energy sector can make a significant contribution to country and community development, through corporate social responsibility (CSR). Focusing on socioeconomic and environmental domains, this paper examines what drives companies to develop external CSR activities. Taking an institutional approach, combining internal features of companies with the national and international institutional context, it studies the external CSR behaviour of three energy companies operating in T&T. It concludes that the companies develop external CSR activities hardly in alliance with their core business but do show a strong interest in fence line communities. While the companies’ external CSR might contribute to public goals, it is developed in an ad hoc manner, and in isolation of public policy. Instead it results from streetwise tactic behaviour. As civil society holds a weak position and the state opts for a laissezfaire approach, leaving room for the mother companies to shape CSR behaviour.

PL

W krajach takich jak Trynidad i Tobago (T&T) sektor energetyczny może w znaczącym stop-niu przyczyniać się do rozwoju kraju i społeczności poprzez społeczną odpowiedzialność biz-nesu (CSR). Koncentrując się na społeczno-gospodarczych i środowiskowych aspektach, ni-niejszy artykuł przedstawia badania dotyczące czynników skłaniających przedsiębiorstwa do rozwoju zewnętrznych działalności w ramach CSR. Stosując podejście instytucjonalne, połą-czono wewnętrzne cechy przedsiębiorstw z instytucjonalnym kontekstem narodowym i mię-dzynarodowym, dzięki czemu przestudiowano zewnętrzne zachowanie w ramach CSR trzech firm energetycznych funkcjonujących w T&T. stwierdzono, że przedsiębiorstwa rozwijają CSR nie tyle w obrębie swojej głównej działalności, co by pokazać silne zainteresowanie spo-łecznością. O ile zewnętrzne CSR może przyczyniać się do osiągania celów publicznych, o tyle jest rozwijane na zasadzie ad hoc i w izolacji od polityki publicznej. Wynika natomiast z „cwanego” zagrania taktycznego, ponieważ społeczeństwo posiada słabą pozycję, a państwo optuje za podejściem laissez-faire, umożliwając spółkom matkom kształtować dowolnie ich CSR.

Keywords

EN

CSR; Trinidad; oil

PL

CSR; Trynidad; ropa naftowa

• Publisher: Uniwersytet Opolski, Wydział Ekonomiczny
• Journal: Economic and Environmental Studies
• Year: 2016
• Volume: 16
• Issue: 3(39)
• Pages: 469-490

Dates

online

2016-09-30

Contributors

author

Roozendaal van Gerda

• University of Groningen, the Netherlands

author

Verrest Hebe

• University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands

redactor

Graczyk Alicja Małgorzata

author

Paradowska Monika

author

Platje Joost (Johannes)

References

• Aguinis, H.; Glavas A. (2012). What We Know and What we don’t know about Corporate Social Responsibility. Journal of Management 38 (4): 932-968. Available at: http://jom.sagepub.com/content/38/4/932. Accessed 29 September 2016.
• Atlantic (2012). Sustainability Report 2012. Atlantic: Trinidad and Tobago.
• Atlantic (2013a). Our Trains. Retrieved from: http://wwwatlanticlng.com/index.php/our-business/our-trains. Accessed 15 May 2014
• Atlantic (2013b). Sustainability Report 2013. Trinidad and Tobago: Atlantic.
• Atlantic (2014). Sustainability Report 2014. Trinidad and Tobago: Atlantic.
• Atlantic (2015). Our Trains. Available at: http://www.atlanticlng.com/our-business/our-trains. Accessed 16 Jan-uary 2015.
• Balboni F., K., Sookram R. (2007). Mapping Corporate Social Responsibility In Trinidad & Tobago, Private Sector And Sustainable Development. UNDP/STCIC CSR Mapping Project. UNDP/STCIC, Port of Spain: Above.
• Baulch, B. (2006). The New Poverty Agenda: A Disputed Consensus. IDS bulletin, (37)4: 82-90. Available at: http://community.eldis.org/?233@@.598d2424!enclosure=.598d2425&ad=1. Accessed 29 September 2016.
• Beall, J., Fox S. (2009). Cities and Development. London and New York: Routledge.
• Boodram, K. (2014). OWTU Calls on Greenpeace for Help. Trinidad Express. Available at: http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/OWTU-calls-on-Greenpeace-for-help-248122331.html. Accessed 28 September 2016.
• BP (2013). Building a Stronger, Safer BP. Annual Report and Form.
• BPTT (2013a). BPTT Puts Focus on Education and Sports in Mayaro. Available at: http://www.bp.com/en_tt/trinidad-and-tobago/media/media-releases/bptt-puts-focus-on-education-and-sports-in-mayaro.html. Accessed 18 September 2015.
• BPTT (2013b). The Geoscience Legacy. Available at: http://www.bp.com/en_tt/trinidad-and-tobago/media/media-releases/the-geoscience-legacy.html. Accessed 18 September 2015.
• BPTT (2014). BPTT and Development. Available at: http://www.bp.com/en_tt/trinidad-and-tobago/BPTT-and-development.html. Accessed 16, 24 May 2014.
• BPTT (2015a). Our Impact. Available at: http://www.bp.com/en_tt/trinidad-and-tobago/about-bp-in-trinidad-and-tobago/BPTTFactsandfigures.html. Accessed 18 September 2015.
• BPTT (2015b). UWI. Available at: http://www.bp.com/en_tt/trinidad-and-tobago/bptt-and-development/uwi.html. Accessed 18 September 2015.
• BPTT (no date). What We Do. Available at: http://www.bp.com/en_tt/trinidad-and-tobago/about-bp-in-trinidad-and-tobago/BPinTT.html. Accessed 23 May 2014.
• Campbell, J. L. (2007). Why Would Corporations Behave in Socially Responsible Ways? An institutional theory of corporate social responsibility. Academy of Management Review, (32)3: 946-967. Available at: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.321.6698&rep=rep1&type=pdf. Accessed 29 September 2016.
• Campbell, J. L.(2004). Institutional Change and Globalization. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
• Carroll, A. B. (1991). The Pyramid of Corporate Social Responsibility: Toward the moral management of organ-izational stakeholders. Business Horizons (34)4: 39-48. Available at: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/000768139190005G. Accessed 29 September 2016.
• Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago (2013). Annual economic Survey 2013: review of the National Economy. Port of Spain. Available at: http://www.central-bank.org.tt/sites/default/files/AES%20Report%202013_Online%20Version.pdf. Accessed 29 Septem-ber 2016.
• Clarke, R.; Charles, R. N. (2012). Caribbean Liming. A metaphor for building social capital. International Jour-nal of Cross Cultural Management (12)3: 299-313. Available at: http://ccm.sagepub.com/content/12/3/299.abstract. Accessed 29 September 2016.
• Cochran, C.E.; Mayer, L.C.; Carr, T.R.; Cayer, N.J. (2009). American Public Policy: An Introduction. Ninth Edition. Boston: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
• code_26nov2013_en.pdf. Accessed 28 September 2016.
• Corporate Governance Code (2013). Available at: http://www.ecgi.org/codes/documents/trinidad_tobago_cg
• Frynas, J. G. (2009). Corporate Social Responsibility in the Oil and Gas sector. Journal of World Energy Law & Business (2)3: 178-195. Available at: http://jwelb.oxfordjournals.org/content/2/3/178.extract. Ac-cessed 29 September 2016.
• Gaffar la Guerre, J. (2002). National unity, the Westminister Model and Governance in the Commonwealth Caribbean. In: Ryan, S.; Bissessar A.M (eds). Governance in the Caribbean, 23-31. St. Augustine: SALISES/UWI.
• Government of Trinidad and Tobago (2011). Innovation for lasting prosperity: mid-term policy framework 2011-2014. Available at: http://finance.gov.tt/wp-content/uploads/2013/11//Medium-Term-Policy-Framework-2011-14.pdf. Accessed 13 July 2016.
• https://www.petrotrin.com/~/media/Files/CSR%20report/CSR%20report.ashx?la=en. Accessed 29 September 2016.
• IDB (2013). Trinidad and Tobago’s Energy Market. Available at: http://blogs.iadb.org/caribbean-dev-trends/2013/12/02/trinidad-and-tobagos-energy-market/. Accessed 25 February 2015.
• Iwaro, J.; Mwasha A. (2010). A Review of Building Energy Regulation and Policy for Energy Conservation in Developing Countries. Energy Policy (38)12: 7744-7755. Available at: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301421510006427. Accessed 29 September 2016.
• Jackson, G.; Apostolakou A. (2010). Corporate Social Responsibility in Western Europe: an institutional mirror or substitute? Journal of Business Ethics ( 94)3: 371-394. Available at: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10551-009-0269-8. Accessed 29 September 2016.
• Leisinger, K.; Schmitt K. (no date). Corporate Responsibility and Corporate Philanthropy. Available at: http://www.un.org/en/ecosoc/newfunct/pdf/leisinger-schmitt_corporate_responsibility_and_corporate_philanthropy.pdf. Accessed 18 September 2015.
• Lim, A (2012). The Global Expansion of Corporate Social Responsibility: Emergence, diffusion, and reception of global corporate governance frameworks. Phd Dissertation, University of Michigan. Available at: https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/handle/2027.42/93879. Accessed 28 September 2016.
• Lim, A.; Tsutsui K. (2012). Globalization and Commitment in Corporate Social Responsibility: Cross-national analyses of institutional and political-economy effects. American Sociological Review (77)1: 69-98. Available at: http://asr.sagepub.com/content/77/1/69. Accessed 29 September 2016.
• Matten, D.; Moon J. (2008). “Implicit” and “explicit” CSR: a conceptual framework for a comparative under-standing of corporate social responsibility. Academy of Management Review (33)2: 404-424. Available at: http://carleton.ca/ces/wp-content/uploads/MattenMoon-in-AMR-2008.pdf. Accessed 29 September 2016.
• Mendes, S. (2015). Environmental CSR: Addressing, Reflecting and Affecting Community Needs. Master Thesis, University of Amsterdam.
• Ministry of Planning and Sustainable Development (no date). Report of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States. Available at: https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/1169242Final%20T&T%20report.pdf. Ac-cessed 25 May 2015.
• Ministry of Trade, Industry, Investment and Communications (2015). National Strategic Corporate Social Responsibility Policy of Trinidad and Tobago. Available at http://tradeind.gov.tt/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/National-Strategic-Corporate-Social-Responsibility-Policy-for-Trinidad-and-Tobago.pdf. Accessed 13 July 2016.
• Moon, J. (2007). The Contribution of Corporate Social Responsibility to Sustainable Development. Sustainable Development (15)5: 296–306. Available at: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/sd.346/pdf. Ac-cessed 29 September 2016.
• Nelson, J. (2008). CSR and Public Policy: New Forms of Engagement between Business and Government. Cor-porate Responsibility Initiative Working Paper no 45. Cambridge: Harvard University. Available at: https://www.hks.harvard.edu/m-rcbg/CSRI/publications/workingpaper_45_nelson.pdf. Accessed 29 September 2016.
• Petrotrin (2013a). CSR in a Region with Extractive Industries: The Petrotrin Perspective. A National Oil Com-pany With A Long & Rich History. Presentation at UWI conference "Achieving Sustainability in Re-gions with Extractive Industries" on June 14th 2013 at Paria Suites, South Trunk Rd, La Romaine. Available at: https://sta.uwi.edu/conferences/13/ted/documents/Edited-CSRINAREGIONWITHEXTRACTIVEINDUSTRIES.pdf. Accessed 29 September 2016.
• Petrotrin (2013b). Corporate Social Responsibility. Available at: http://www.petrotrin.com/Petrotrin2007/CSR.htm. Accessed 24 May 2014.
• Petrotrin (no date). Focusing on our future: corporate social responsibility, report 2012-2013. Available at:
• Poppen, J. (2012). The View from the Boardroom. CEO Study on Corporate Social Responsibility in Trinidad and Tobago. UNDP: Port of Spain.
• Porter, M.; Kramer M. (2004). Evolution or Revolution? A special report by European Business Forum: 3-4. Available at: http://www.johnelkington.com/archive/ebf_CSR_report.pdf. Accessed 18 September 2015.
• Porter, M.; Kramer, M. (2002). The Competitive Advantage of Corporate Philanthropy. Harvard Business Re-view (80)12: 56-69. Available at: https://hbr.org/2002/12/the-competitive-advantage-of-corporate-philanthropy. Accessed 29 September 2016.
• Punnett, B.J.; Greenidge D. (2009). Cultural Mythology and Global Leadership in the Caribbean islands. In: Kessler, E.H. Wong-Mingji D.J. (eds), Cultural Mythology and Global Leadership: 65–78. Chelten-ham: Edward Elgar Publishing.
• Repsol (2013). CSR Report 2013, http://www.repsol.com/imagenes/es_en/Corporate_Responsibility_Report_2013_tcm11-682061.pdf. Accessed 25 May 2015.
• Shell (2012). Sustainability Report 2012. Available at: http://reports.shell.com/sustainability-report/2012/servicepages/welcome.html. Accessed 25 February 2015.
• Shell (2013). Sustainability Report 2013. Available at: http://reports.shell.com/sustainability-report/2013/servicepages/downloads/files/entire_shell_sr13.pdf. Accessed 25 February 2015.
• Spence, D.B. (2011). Corporate Social Responsibility in the Oil and Gas Industry: The Importance of Reputational Risk. Chi.-Kent. L. Review 86(1): 59-85. Available at: htp://scholarship.kentlaw.iit.edu/cklawreview/vol86/iss1/4. Accessed 7 September 2015.
• Sulek, M. (2010). On the modern meaning of philanthropy. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly (39)2: 193-212.
• Torfing, J. B.; Guy Peter. J. P.; Sorensen E. (2012). Interactive governance: Advancing the paradigm, Oxford University Press.
• Trinidad Guardian (2013/b). After City Protest over Seismic Surveys Minister Says: Fisherman awarded $77.3m in four years. Available at: http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2013-10-24/after-city-protest-over-seismic-surveys-ministry-says-fishermen-awarded-773m-four. Accessed 21 May 2014.
• Trinidad Guardian (2013a). Petrotrin Defends Seismic Surveys: No harm to marine life. Available at: https://guardian.co.tt/news/2013-11-20/petrotrin-defends-seismic-surveys-no-harm-marine-life. Ac-cessed 21 May 2014.
• TTEITI (2013). Making Sense of T&T’s Energy Dollars. Trinidad & Tobago EITI report 2010-2011. Port of Spain: TTEITI.
• UN (2013). World Economic Situation and Prospects 2013. UN: New York.
• UNCTAD (2010). 2010 Review of the Implementation Status of Corporate Governance Disclosures: An Inven-tory of Disclosure Requirements in 21 Frontier Markets. UNCTAD: Geneva. Available at: http://unctad.org/en/Docs/ciiisarcrp9_en.pdf. Accessed: 29 September 2016.
• UNDP (2015). Human Development Report 2015, Briefing note for countries on the 2015 human development report, Trinidad and Tobago. UNDP: New York. Available at: http://hdr.undp.org/sites/all/themes/hdr_theme/country-notes/TTO.pdf. Accessed 1 July 2016.
• Verrest, H.; Moorcroft, S.; Mohammed, A. (2013). Global Urban Development Programmes and Local Realities in the Caricom-Caribbean: Mismatches in Needs and Approach. Habitat International 40: 258-267. Available at: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0197397513000520. Accessed 29 September 2016.
• Yin, R. K. (2009). Case Study Research: Design and Methods. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.
• Zollo, M. (2004). Philanthropy or CSR: A strategic choice. A special report by European Business Forum:18-19. Available at: http://www.johnelkington.com/archive/ebf_CSR_report.pdf. Accessed 18 September 2015.

Identifiers

ISSN

2081-8319