Spilling the beans of recent oil spills in Latin America and Africa: A multi-case study analysis of corporate social irresponsibility

The irresponsible acts of multinational corporations pose a significant threat to the environment and society. Unfortunately, measuring corporate social irresponsibility (CSI) remains a challenge for academics and practitioners. This study examines the responses of corporations involved in recent oil spills, specifically Repsol in Peru, Shell in Nigeria, and Chevron in Brazil, using the CSI framework. Through a comprehensive multi-case analysis, the authors validate the framework’s application and highlight crucial factors, such as the degree of harm, intentionality, and rectification measures, for understanding CSI. This contribution increases the understanding of CSI and environmental justice by highlighting the inconsistencies and contradictions between corporate sustainability initiatives and their simultaneous misconduct. The analysis highlights the shortcomings of the current framework and proposes an extension to improve its accuracy and explanatory power. By advancing theoretical discussions on CSI and environmental justice, this study offers a refined lens to better evaluate corporate wrongdoing in connection with environmental crises.