MG476      Half Unit
Corporate Social Responsibility and International Labour Standards

This information is for the 2025/26 session.

Course Convenor

Availability

Requisites

Additional requisites:

Any social science background.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is becoming an expected element of corporate strategy. This course critically evaluates CSR, focusing on firms’ attempts to prevent labour standards violations in their supply chains. We begin by analysing the rise of CSR, setting it in the context of global value chains and transnational regulation of labour standards. We then analyse topics such as: the impact of CSR on corporate financial performance; whether CSR is an effective means of raising labour standards; theories of CSR; how to embed CSR within the firm and implications of human rights due diligence legislations for firms. The course includes plenty of examples of how large corporations are dealing with the ethical challenges posed by global supply chains. The course is interdisciplinary, and students are encouraged to bring insights from their “home” discipline so that seminars become a mutual learning experience. The course will include a few seminars and a lecture from CSR professionals to share real-world challenges and practices. 

15 hours of seminars and 10 hours of lectures in the Winter Term.

This course has a reading week in Week 6 of Winter Term.

In its Ethics Code, LSE upholds a commitment to intellectual freedom. This means we will protect the freedom of expression of our students and staff and the right to engage in healthy debate in the classroom.

• Aguinis, H., & Glavas, A. (2013). Embedded versus peripheral corporate social responsibility: Psychological foundations. Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 6(4), 314-332. 
• Anner, M. (2021). Three labour governance mechanisms for addressing decent work deficits in global value chains. International Labour Review, 160(4), 611-629. 
• Elliott, K. A., & Freeman, R. B. (2003). Can labor standards improve under globalization?. Peterson Institute Press: All Books. 
• Locke, R. M. (2013). The promise and limits of private power: Promoting labor standards in a global economy. Cambridge University Press. 
• Porter, M. and Kramer, M. (2011) ‘The Big Idea: Creating Shared Value’ Harvard Business Review (Jan-Feb): 1-17. 
• Soundararajan, V., Wilhelm, M., Crane, A., Agarwal, P., & Shetty, H. (2025). Towards a Systemic Approach for Improving Working Conditions in Global Supply Chains: An Integrative Review and Research Agenda. Academy of Management Annals, 19(1), 230-264. 

Course participation (10%)

Essay (50%)

Essay (40%)

For detailed assessment information, including all deadlines and timings, please see the relevant course Moodle page. Assessment timings will be available at the start of each term.