Global Corporate Citizenship: What Does it Mean?

Abstract

This article investigates the relationship between corporate social responsibility and a phrase that is fast becoming a preferred description of much the same thing but now set in an international context, namely global corporate citizenship. It is argued that the distinction between these two has not been clearly enough made in the literature. In clarifying the difference, the political nature of the idea of citizenship is focused upon and the politics of introducing triple-line considerations into the activity of transnational corporations is explored. An engagement with a wide range of civil society actors by corporations to further the ‘ethical’ agenda, a reconsideration of ‘corporate democracy’ in an international context, and the idea of a ‘progressive capitalist’ group of companies that might spear-head genuine corporate citizenship are concentrated upon in this assessment. Finally, the politics of an alliance for global corporate citizenship is broached that would take companies well beyond the limited agenda of just noting and attending to their social and environmental responsibilities.