Discourses on Environmental e-Corporate Social Responsibility of Manufacturing Industries in the Southern Philippines
Venus Parmisana and Nancy Echavez
Abstract
In the Philippines, Iligan City has benefited from its industrial companies. However, the negative environmental impact of operations and waste products of these companies has been a growing concern. Companies engage in corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs for environmental protection to address this concern. Company websites have reported little evidence of environmental concerns, largely owing to the voluntary mandate of CSR in the Philippines.
Using a qualitative-descriptive design, the study examines CSR reports on company websites, and stakeholder views. Applying a critical discursive framework, findings suggest that companies aim for environmental stewardship through management systems and partnerships, but suppress negative impact to control information or to engage in greenwashing. Findings also suggest a need for analysis of discourses of corporate sustainability to further environmental advocacy across industries. The study recommends aligning CSR with UNESCO’s SDG 13: Climate Action, and a model for the analysis of CSR toward ‘corporate environmental responsibility.’
Keywords: Corporate social responsibility, linguistic anthropology, manufacturing industries, greenwashing, corporate environmental responsibility