Corporate social responsibility to build strong Brazilian bank brand

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to identify and analyze the set of corporate social responsibility actions of a Brazilian bank as support to the strengthening of an organizational brand. The specific scope is to discuss the reflections of sustainable actions adopted for the recognition of the organization's brand.

Design/methodology/approach

A case study, based on Yin, and in‐depth interviews with those responsible for the sustainability department of the studied organization were adopted.

Findings

Literature and the understanding of the organization's executives, when compared to actions adopted by Banco do Brasil, allow the conclusion that the set of corporate social responsibility actions reflects, in its instrumental use, the intention of managing answers to social, economical and environmental demands, and in its conceptual use has helped in strengthening the financial institution's brand.

Originality/value

The paper focuses on the set of corporate social responsibility actions adopted by the largest financial institution in Brazil and its relationship with brand strengthening. It is one of the few studies examining the efforts of corporate social responsibility in a bank's brand.

Citation

Roberto Scharf, E., Fernandes, J. and Diego Kormann, B. (2012), "Corporate social responsibility to build strong Brazilian bank brand", International Journal of Bank Marketing, Vol. 30 No. 6, pp. 436-451. https://doi.org/10.1108/02652321211262203