Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) at Hindustan Uniliver Ltd.—A Case Study

Anand Chakravarthi, Abhyuday Chakravarthi
(1. IBS, Hyderabad, India; 2. Cornell University, USA)

Abstract: Corporate Social responsibility (CSR) refers to the business man's decisions and actions taken for reasons at least partially beyond the firm’s direct economic or technical interest. CSR of business is understood from two different angles of business obligations, i.e., Socio-economic obligation, and Socio-human obligation. CSR is the sense of obligation on the part of the companies to build certain social criteria and manage the business activities by taking strategic decisions. Socially responsible companies should consider various issues, from the organization of the firm to build relationship with the community. The CSR is towards the customers, employees, intermediaries like Banks & Financial Institutions, shareholders, society and Government. CSR is not merely a charity, but much beyond that and is a tool to contribute directly or indirectly to the company’s bottom line and also ensures its long term sustainability. This CSR case study of Hindustan Uniliver Ltd (HUL) is based on the analysis of the parameters like the company history, vision, principles, industry, products, financial data, CSR activities, CSR Methodology and Rating Criteria, rating given to the company and justification thereof.

Key words: corporate social responsibility (CSR); socio-economic obligation; socio-human obligation; and global reporting initiative (GRI)

JEL codes: L2, M, Z