CSR Communication through Annual Reports: To Whom, How Much and Why?

Purpose: The purpose of the paper is to understand the difference in the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) communication made by Indian and MNCs through the use of Annual Reports (ARs).

Design/Methodology/Approach: Annual reports of top 100 Information and Technology (IT) Companies operating in India bifurcated into Indian and Multinational Companies (MNCs) were analysed using content analysis and chi-square value was seen to gauge the difference in CSR communication vis-a-vis the stakeholders and their area of activity.

Findings: Indian and MNCs communicate their CSR differently to various stakeholders. Their focus of CSR activities for the same stakeholder also varies primarily because CSR communication is dependent upon the size, age, country of origin and composition of the board of the organization.

Research Limitations/implications: The study is limited to the IT sector.

Originality/Value: The paper brings out a clear picture of the CSR communication made by the IT sector, through the Annual Reports and best practices for CSR communication.