The Next Wave of Corporate Community Involvement

This article identifies "Corporate Social Initiatives" (CSI) as an evolving form of corporate philanthropy, now integral to corporate strategy. CSI programs are linked to core company values, responsive to moral pressures, based on core competencies, and have measurable objectives. Firms adopt CSI for competitive advantage through reputation or in response to market demands. The article explores drivers behind CSI, its relation to changing social expectations for businesses, potential challenges, and critical success factors for designing effective CSI programs.