Corporate Social Responsibility in Sweden

There is now a body of literature covering the history of CSR in Sweden and the shapes that the concept has taken in Swedish business. In recent years, however, a number of overarching trends have influenced the understandings and practices of CSR in Sweden. This chapter identifies such trends and discusses their implications. Thereby it complements earlier descriptions of CSR in welfare states. The chapter identifies three interrelated tendencies affecting how CSR has developed in Sweden: First, the regulatory development including both hard and soft regulation; second, an outspoken governance perspective on CSR, including ownership pressure on business to operate according to sustainability criteria; third, the interwoven demands of the multi-stakeholder context and business concerns that co-exist and define business practices. One conclusion is that CSR in Sweden has become strongly conditioned by institutional and ideological paradigms that define responsible business behavior. Political and multi-stakeholder activism influences CSR thinking to a higher extent today compared to a decade ago. It is obvious that the concept of sustainability has gained ground at the expense of CSR. Swedish companies do not object to being part of the sustainability agenda.