Drawing on existing theoretical and empirical literature on the rationale behind corporate social responsibility (CSR), this article analyses the potential implications of mandated CSR under the recently enacted Companies Act, 2013 in India on firm incentives, likely responses of corporates that come under the ambit of the law, implications for resource availability and delivery of social goods and the prospects and challenges of implementing mandated CSR. Insights into these issues are drawn by empirically examining the voluntary CSR behaviour of a sample of 500 large companies listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange for the period 2003–2011 that predates the new regulation. The article argues that notwithstanding the potential economic costs that may accompany mandated CSR, the provisions of the new Act are designed thoughtfully to balance the objectives of the corporation and its shareholders, on the one hand, and that of the society and its stakeholders, on the other. However, addressing the challenges of implementation successfully would determine how far the objectives of the new regulations are met.
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