Tobacco Industry's Corporate Social Responsibility and Political Access
Author Information
Author(s): Gary J. Fooks, Anna B. Gilmore, Katherine E. Smith, Jeff Collin, Chris Holden, Kelley Lee
Primary Institution: University of Bath
Hypothesis
How do tobacco companies use corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives to gain access to policymakers?
Conclusion
Tobacco company CSR strategies can facilitate access to and dialogue with policymakers, highlighting the need for transparency in these interactions.
Supporting Evidence
- Tobacco companies have developed CSR programs to improve their public image and gain political access.
- CSR initiatives are used to create dialogue with policymakers, even in restrictive political environments.
- Documents show that CSR can be strategically employed to influence public health policy.
Takeaway
Tobacco companies use their CSR programs to make themselves look good and get closer to government officials, which can help them influence laws about smoking.
Methodology
Qualitative analysis of 764 internal British American Tobacco documents related to CSR strategies.
Potential Biases
The analysis relies on documents from a single company, which may present a biased view of CSR's effectiveness.
Limitations
The study's findings may not be generalizable beyond the UK context and are based on internal documents that may not fully represent the industry's activities.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website