Commercial property investment companies and corporate social responsibility

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to offer a preliminary exploration of the corporate social responsibility (CSR) issues being addressed and reported by the UK's top ten property investment companies.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper begins with a short discussion of the origins and characteristics of CSR. The empirical information for the paper is drawn from the CSR reports and information posted on the world wide web by some of the leading construction companies.

Findings

The findings reveal substantial variations in the nature and the extent of reporting. The paper specifically focuses upon four sets of CSR issues namely those relating to environment, marketplace, workplace, and community and then provides some reflections on them and on CSR reporting.

Originality/value

The paper provides an accessible review of the CSR issues and agendas being reported by some of the UK's leading property investment companies and as such it will interest academics and practitioners working in property investment.

Citation

Jones, P., Hillier, D., Comfort, D. and Clarke‐Hill, C. (2009), "Commercial property investment companies and corporate social responsibility", Journal of Property Investment & Finance, Vol. 27 No. 5, pp. 522-533. https://doi.org/10.1108/14635780910982377