Abstract

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has become a prominent concept in the business world, garnering significant global attention for its role in helping companies establish and maintain sustainable relationships with their stakeholders. To gain a competitive advantage, many companies strive to position themselves as responsible corporate citizens. This paper examines the perceived impact of CSR on brand image building among customers, with a particular focus on three well known Indian FMCGs. The study employs a quantitative approach within the framework of stakeholder theory. Additionally, it explores the key dimensions of CSR—Economic, Legal, Ethical, Philanthropic, and Environmental—based on which companies are ranked to determine the one that most effectively captures customer attention and trust through its CSR initiatives. The findings indicate that effective CSR activities positively influence a company’s perceived brand image. However, while CSR plays a role in brand positioning, product quality remains the top priority for customers. This paper provides valuable insights for corporations and regulatory authorities, enabling them to better understand customer expectations and strategically plan and implement CSR and media initiatives for brand image enhancement.

Authors

Gouri S. Dev, C.R. Jayaprakash, S. Nithiyanandhan
PSG College of Arts and Science, India

Keywords

Corporate Social Responsibility, Stakeholder, Corporate Citizen, Brand Image