Final Report Summary - CSR PLATFORM (European platform for excellence in CSR research) The ultimate aim of the CSR PLATFORM project was to mobilise researchers in order to support and develop the excellence in the research into the Corporate social responsibility (CSR) and business in society in the European Research Area (ERA). The CSR research platform was built on the foundation work of the European Academy of Business in Society (EABIS). EABIS mission was to improve the understanding and the integration of business in society issues. It set out to address a number of identified barriers and failures that were hindering real progress in terms of CSR research content, structure, approaches and coordination; therefore, the CSR research platform was designed to cover these issues and had the following specific objectives: - mobilise an international community of researches through the creation of fora and relevant scientific collaboration; - foster cooperation, participation and co-ownership in promoting CSR research amongst academia, the business community, policy makers and other key stakeholders through the creation of a multi-stakeholder platform and the organisation of multi-stakeholder research colloquia; - put in practice an effective dissemination and integration system which would exploit past, current and future European research efforts, projects, initiatives, resources and outcomes on CSR-related issues to benefit all stakeholders CSR PLATFORM was structured in seven Work packages (WPs): WP1 concerned the multi-stakeholder research colloquia, whereas WP2 focused on the research coordination of young research professionals, WP5 focused on the establishment of a CSR knowledge centre and WP6 gathered researchers to share knowledge and support the dissemination of research findings and knowledge in practice. Their success was measured by the number of participants involved, the exchange of ideas and knowledge, the geographic scope of involvement and the extend and accessibility of dissemination compared with that one which existed in Europe before the CSR PLATFORM. The WPs developed venues and structures previously absent from the European CSR research landscape or supported the networking or profile of those that existed. WP3 concerned the research coordination network and WP4 the multi-stakeholder platform; both were specifically established to improve the quality and relevance of CSR research. WP3 set out to understand how research could better match the cross-disciplinary nature of business and society, as well as CSR problems and issues, whereas WP4 developed and demonstrated a multi-stakeholder approach to the research process. These WPs were more like experiment-oriented than the other ones as they were set out to identify, address and resolve the barriers with the aim of a better and more relevant research on CSR. It turned out that there is a continuing need to connect researchers in the ERA, as well as provide centralised resources to support research on CSR and business in society, as an emerging field of research and promote its quality. However, improving the relevance of research and its usability and accessibility were just as important if real gains were to be made in accomplishing the ambition of the ERA as a centre of excellence in competitiveness and innovation, through responsible business practices that maintain the quality of the European environment and contribute to social cohesion. The project has identified ways and means to bolster and strengthen CSR research in Europe so that research can realise its full potential in contributing to the vision of Europe as a pole of excellence in CSR. The thrust of the recommendations resulting from the project serve to strengthen and advance the quality and relevance of research as a means to meet the objective of better-informed theory and practices in CSR. The overall approach intended to have a direct impact on the established institutions, structures and mechanisms by which research is developed, funded, conducted and disseminated. The key to this approach was found in 'more and better-connected knowledge', with its base in connections between research centres and disciplines, between research and practice and between research and education. In parallel with the reconfiguration of the profound relationship between business and society, the complex relationship between research, education and practice is undergoing significant change. This was undoubtedly a necessary paradigmatic shift. Only in that way research would fulfil its capability to contribute to a competitive, environmentally sound and socially cohesive Europe. Related documents Final Report - CSR PLATFORM (European platform for excellence in CSR research)
