Corporate social responsability

: instrumento ou objeto de ação do corporate governance?

Abstract

This dissertation aims at addressing some crucial issues related to the interconnection between the concepts of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Corporate Governance (CG).The study is conducted in three steps, starting with the analysis of the CG, moving on to the analysis of the CSR and, finally, analysing the convergence of the two concepts.With this study, we conclude that the relationship between the concepts of GC and CSR is somewhat tense, because we conclude that practices related to CSR, in a context of real applicability, are carried out in a context of discretion by administrations and because they end up mainly leading to behaviours directed towards compliance with regulations and maximisation of profits.We recognise that CSR practices may in some cases be consistent with the principles and good practices of the CG, but taking into account the above conclusions, we consider that the CSR should be subject to the control and transparency mechanisms of the CG.Finally, we mention that the protection of stakeholders will only be feasible in coherence with CG principles when the notions of CSR move away from accountability towards stakeholders, and when they approach internal business ethics practices, driven by high moral standards, which cause a general rise in business ethics and cause the market to abandon economic players who do not follow this ethical path.

Date of Award	13 Jan 2022
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Ana da Paz Ferreira da Câmara Perestrelo de Oliveira (Supervisor)