Sistemas de saúde e franchisings internacionais

: impactos nas práticas de corporate social responsibility em saúde mental

Abstract

Workplace mental health is an increasingly pressing challenge, with significant implications for employees, companies, and society at large. This dissertation aims to analyze corporate management practices from a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) perspective, focusing on employee mental health and exploring the influence of intrinsic factors, such as corporate values, and extrinsic ones, such as health systems and the franchising model. A narrative literature review and a comparative analysis of three companies were conducted: an American company, its Portuguese franchisee, and an independent Portuguese company in the form of mini-case studies. The findings reveal differences in management practices and implemented CSR policies, suggesting that corporate values and strategic goals are the main drivers of business proactivity, although contextual factors, such as health systems, also play a relevant role. An international dimension of CSR is conceptualized, positioning it as a form of political intervention with socioeconomic, geopolitical, and potentially public health impacts. The analysis additionally highlights the importance of establishing mental health benchmarking criteria, both to optimize corporate practices and to enable more consistent comparative studies.

Date of Award	25 Feb 2026
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Henrique Manuel Gil Martins (Supervisor)