Corporate social responsibility, or CSR, refers to the belief that businesses have an obligation to society beyond their commitments to their stockholders or investors. In addition to generating profits, companies are expected to have some responsibility to stakeholders such as employees, customers, communities, and the environment. CSR includes corporations being economically responsible, improving labor practices, embracing fair trade, mitigating environmental damage, giving back to the community, and increasing employee satisfaction.

This guide provides an overview of CSR. It is not intended to be comprehensive; rather, the goal of this guide is to provide credible starting points for research, and to assist in further study of this topic.

This guide is one of several research guides produced by Business Reference Services focusing on current business and economics topics. Consult our Doing Company Research guide for information on active companies, and our Guide to Business History Resources for information on inactive companies. For resources on sustainable businesses please see the Green Business: Sources of Information Guide. Researchers may also be interested in consulting the library guide Business and Labor History: Primary Sources at the Library of Congress.

Some sources are only available on-site at the Library of Congress, although your local public or academic library may also have access to the material. If you plan to visit, you'll need to get a reader registration card.