Corporate Political Responsibility

There has been increasing pressure from several parts of civil society for greater transparency around corporate political action. This volume puts forward a new norm of corporate political responsibility (CPR) to go alongside corporate social responsibility, exploring what it means and what will be required to make that norm a reality.

Behind closed doors, many large companies quietly use their political clout to influence public policy on social and environmental issues – often in a negative direction. This book seeks to create a new norm for responsible political behaviour by corporations. It brings together leading scholars of corporate political responsibility with leading organizations that have been working to support companies in adopting more responsible political practices. The contributors present new evidence on what motivates firms to become more responsible and how markets view corporate 'dark money' spending. They also explain how activists have pressed companies to play a more responsible role in politics. With a particular focus on climate change and the important role of corporate lobbying in supporting or blocking climate policy, this volume leads the way forward for researchers, activists and citizens who seek a future in which corporate political influence is transparent, accountable and responsible.