Key Elements of Corporate Social Responsibility of Food Companies in Croatia

Abstract

There is increased interest in corporate social responsibility (CSR) in Croatia. Corporate social responsibility includes economic, environmental and social responsibility and businesses increasingly recognize its importance. Regardless of the type of business, Croatian companies have started implementing corporate social responsibility in business strategies in order to develop sustainable practices in their businesses and communities. Consumers are also increasingly aware of and interested in corporate social responsibility. Existing research in Croatia has not examined social responsibility of food companies from the perspective of Croatian consumers. The aim of our research was to investigate social responsibility of Croatian food companies from the perspective of Croatian consumers and to determine which elements of social responsibility influence their decision to buy from these companies. Our research was conducted in October and November 2017 by administering an online questionnaire on a sample of 105 respondents, mostly from the Northwest Croatia. The results were statistically analyzed and revealed that consumers’ decisions to buy certain food company’s products are least influenced by whether these companies have positive cash flow and most influenced by the company’s socially responsible activities. This is because consumers indirectly feel part of the company’s positive CSR and its responsible behavior toward the environment, natural resources and global environment in general. The research revealed statistically significant differences between consumers’ age and level of education and the influence that the company’s care for the global environment had on their decision to buy that company’s products.