Communicated identity and corporate social responsibility: a case study of Unilever's “Sustainable Living”

The goal of this study was to assess how best practices surrounding CSR messaging are employed from the perspective of stakeholder theory. Through an analysis of Unilever’s “Sustainable Living” web content, this paper establishes how a company can blend both messages about its CSR goals and achievements to create a consistent communicated identity. This paper builds on literature that suggests that communications about CSR activities and policies must acknowledge that CSR benefits both corporations and the social good. By exploring how these two messages can be blended, this paper provides a concrete example of how both types of messaging do not need to be seen as at odds with one another but can actually strengthen each other. Keywords: Corporate social responsibility, CSR, communicated identity, stakeholder theory