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CSR and Sustainability Report for Nonprofit Organizations. An Italian Best Practice

Author

Listed:
  • Patrizia GAZZOLA

    (University of Insubria)

  • Massimo RATTI

    (University of Insubria)

  • Stefano AMELIO

    (University of Insubria)

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the sustainability report for the communication of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in a nonprofit organization. To this aim, an Italian case study is analyzed: the Fondazione Renato Piatti Onlus, a nonprofit organization of Social Utility. In the first part, we analyze the CSR for nonprofit organizations and the sustainability report (also called ‘social balance’). In the second part, we present evidence from the case study. The research is exploratory in nature when considering the connection of corporate social responsibility efforts to the nonprofit sector, a qualitative methodology was chosen over quantitative methods. Specifically, the case study was used to show what strategy a nonprofit organization can develop. Nowadays CSR strategies received a growing attention from both businesses and nonprofit organizations but also from the EU which forced large public-interest entities to present a social balance. For nonprofit organizations, applying social responsibility is not a voluntary issue. Nonprofit organizations have an ethical obligation to their stakeholder and to the public to conduct their activities with accountability and transparency. Scholars have increasingly been studying the impact of corporate social responsibility as a business strategy in for-profit companies. However, there is still lack of researches on how nonprofit organizations implement CSR into the strategy. As a consequence of the above remarks, a large part of nonprofit organizations fails to correctly implement a successful long term CSR strategy. The Fondazione Renato Piatti Onlus belongs to that group that has been able to incorporate social responsibility within the organization, then expanding its content into a social report drawn up in accordance with the guidelines of the Italian Agency for the Third Sector.

Suggested Citation

  • Patrizia GAZZOLA & Massimo RATTI & Stefano AMELIO, 2017. "CSR and Sustainability Report for Nonprofit Organizations. An Italian Best Practice," Management Dynamics in the Knowledge Economy, College of Management, National University of Political Studies and Public Administration, vol. 5(3), pages 355-376, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:nup:jrmdke:v:5:y:2017:i:3:355-376
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Giorgio Mion, 2020. "Organizations with Impact? A Study on Italian Benefit Corporations Reporting Practices and Reporting Quality," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-21, October.
    3. Patrizia Gazzola & Roberta Pezzetti & Stefano Amelio & Daniele Grechi, 2020. "Non-Financial Information Disclosure in Italian Public Interest Companies: A Sustainability Reporting Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(15), pages 1-16, July.
    4. Patrizia Gazzola & Stefano Amelio & Daniele Grechi & Fragkoulis Papagiannis, 2021. "NPO Funding in Italy: The Role and the Contribution of Corporate Governance," International Journal of Business and Management, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 15(12), pages 1-1, July.
    5. Mihaela Păceşilă & Sofia Elena Colesca, 2020. "Insights on Social Responsibility of NGOS," Systemic Practice and Action Research, Springer, vol. 33(3), pages 311-339, June.
    6. Mihaela PACESILA, 2020. "Social Responsibility Of Ngos In Romania: Perceptions And Trends," APPLIED RESEARCH IN ADMINISTRATIVE SCIENCES, Research Centre in Public Administration and Public Services, Bucharest, Romania, vol. 1(2), pages 12-23, December.
    7. Patrizia Gazzola & Stefano Amelio & Fragkoulis Papagiannis & Elena-Madalina Vatamanescu, 2019. "Financial Reporting in European Football Teams: A Disclosure Analysis of Player Registrations," International Journal of Academic Research in Accounting, Finance and Management Sciences, Human Resource Management Academic Research Society, International Journal of Academic Research in Accounting, Finance and Management Sciences, vol. 9(4), pages 182-206, October.
    8. Guillaume PLAISANCE, 2021. "Corporate social responsibility in non-profit organizations: Beyond the evidence," CIRIEC Working Papers 2102, CIRIEC - Université de Liège.
    9. Gazzola, Patrizia & Amelio, Stefano & Papagiannis, Fragkoulis & Michaelides, Zenon, 2021. "Sustainability reporting practices and their social impact to NGO funding in Italy," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).

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