Corporate Social Responsibility Communication of German Family Firms: A Content Analysis

Abstract

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) gained importance over the last years. Yet, only few studies have investigated CSR in German family firms. This study analyzes the CSR communication of 714 listed German family and non-family firms using a content analysis of CSR mission statements. We find that family firms put strong emphasis in their CSR communication on the philanthropic dimension and convey CSR as part of their corporate culture. Non-family firms, in turn, are more likely to describe CSR as part of their corporate strategy.

Keywords: Corporate social responsibility, family-owned firms, CSR mission statements, content analysis

JEL Classification: M13, M14