The future of CSR - Selected findings from a Europe-wide Delphi study

The literature on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is rich in historical evidence explaining its rise, development, and global diffusion. Very few studies, however, have tried to forecast its future. Hence, the aim of this study is to explore the expected future role of CSR in Europe. To achieve this objective, we apply the Delphi method, an interactive forecasting technique based on the opinions of experts. Drawing upon the opinions of more than 500 experts representing 32 European countries and five economic sectors, the study concludes that the role of CSR will increase in the near future years, although the importance of this projection might differ among European macro-regions and sectors. We also examine the role of public CSR policies as well as different stakeholder groups in stimulating greater CSR involvement among companies. We show that among public CSR policies, the most important will be public procurement, subsidies and tax incentives, and CSR reporting standards. As for groups, the most prominent role in mobilising the socially responsible corporate behaviour will be played by business stakeholders, public authorities, and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).