Corporate Social Responsibility and Corporate Governance among Major U.S. Corporations: Relationship between Having a PA/SR Committee and Corporate Social Performance

This study investigates the relationship between corporate social responsibility and corporate governance among major US corporations belonging to S&P 500 index during 2000-2008. Specifically, it examines the ways in which firms engage their boards of directors in integrated strategy by establishing a public affairs(PA) or social responsibility(SR) committee at the board level and the effects of this practice on their corporate social performance(CSP). The empirical findings show that negative CSP is the major driver for establishing such a committee, that is, firms suffering from negative CSP as a result of experiencing undesirable social events tend to establish such a committee. On the other hand, such a committee helps the firm increase positive CSP once it is established. In other words, the purpose of establishing such board-level committees is to address problems associated with negative CSP, and once established, they can help enhance positive CSP by enabling the firm to integrate market, non-market, and social responsibility aspects in strategy formulation more effectively. This is evidence that Baron’s integrated strategy framework can help firms achieve tangible outcomes.