Student: Saurav Raj Basnet | Degree: Master of Arts (Social Innovation and Sustainability) | Graduation Year: 2019 | Role: Advisor
This research examines how the top five Fortune 500 companies adapted their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to their pre-pandemic approaches. Through detailed case study analysis, the study found that despite having different CSR models and core values, these companies implemented remarkably similar initiatives during the pandemic, focusing primarily on philanthropic activities and employee/consumer safety measures. However, when compared to their pre-pandemic CSR programs, these COVID-era initiatives proved to be largely short-term responses that failed to maintain the same level of stakeholder engagement and overall sustainability commitment that characterized their previous CSR work.