Corporate Social Responsibility and Coping with COVID-19 Pandemic in the Global Health Service Institutions: The United Kingdom

In the following chapter, the authors describe how the private sector, the third sector, and philanthropists have carried out their corporate social responsibility (CSR) in supporting the United Kingdom’s health service institutions during the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has created excess demand on the National Health Service’s (NHS) resources, particularly on its essential equipment, medicines, and workforce. The COVID-19 pandemic has also highlighted inequalities in health faced by poorer households from institutional services outside of the NHS. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the mentioned stakeholders have provided support to the NHS, as well as to disadvantaged communities, and wider society. Health inequalities have become more visible due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as social determinants of health have disproportionately exacerbated COVID-19 mortality rates in a number of ethnic minority communities. Moreover, routine data on COVID-19 fatalities have found a correlation with age, with elderly people being more adversely affected. This chapter is divided into four main parts that focus on the four major aspects of CSR: philanthropic, legal, ethical, and economic responsibility. Using CSR and health system policies, practices, and cases, this approach is framed in the context of the NHS and health stakeholders during the COVID-19 pandemic. The mentioned aspects of CSR in the United Kingdom are detailed using publicly available data. This overview is intended for researchers, health practitioners, students, policymakers, civic authorities, the private sector, and the third sector and is intended to aid CSR planning for future waves of the COVID-19 pandemic and for different future pandemics.