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Institutional Work and Legitimation in the Construction of CSR Standards. The Case of ISO 26000

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  • Christoph Beat Stamm

    (IGUL - Institut de Géographie [Lausanne] - UNIL - Université de Lausanne = University of Lausanne, UdeM - Université de Montréal)

Abstract

This paper studies the initiation and construction of transnational CSR standards and looks at the case of ISO 26000. By focussing on the actors and by applying the concept of institutional work, the analysis distinguishes between six forms of institutional work which had been undertaken: the creation of the standard (discursive/substantial), the mobilization of support (internal/external), and the organization of an inclusive space for discussion (consultation/negotiation). On the one hand, the social position of the initiators and of the organization that produces the standard as well as the external conjuncture can either hamper or facilitate the construction of a standardization project. On the other hand, certain forms of institutional work can foster the legitimation of the project. Legitimacy, potentially bestowed by an interested audience, is a necessary condition for the recognition and adoption of the standard by corporations. The analysis reveals the legitimation mechanisms in the initial construction of a CSR standard and shows that the amount of the different forms of institutional work varies depending on the specific context of a standardization initiative.

Suggested Citation

  • Christoph Beat Stamm, 2019. "Institutional Work and Legitimation in the Construction of CSR Standards. The Case of ISO 26000," Working Papers hal-01972270, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:wpaper:hal-01972270
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal.science/hal-01972270
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    5. Luc Bres & Emmanuel Raufflet, 2011. "Power and Institutions in Global Standardization: The Role and the Importance of Ambiguity in Institutionalizing New Standards of OSR," Zeitschrift für Wirtschafts- und Unternehmensethik - Journal for Business, Economics & Ethics, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, vol. 12(1), pages 32-47.
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