CEO Views on Corporate Social Responsibility

This article reports the results of a survey of 150 Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of the largest public and private companies in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. The survey was designed to examine their views on issues related to corporate social responsibility. The findings indicate that CEOs view corporate social identity as important to business success and believe that a good social reputation is achieved more by operating in a socially responsible manner — defined by ethical conduct, profitability and legal compliance — than through philanthropic endeavors. At the same time, although they do not necessarily view philanthropy as a reliable indicator of a company's actual commitment to social responsibility, CEOs think it may be an important symbol of such a commitment. © 2000, Palgrave Macmillan.