Responsible Lobbying

Abstract

Practitioners and scholars have long ignored the need to align CSR and lobbying, although lobbying is a powerful corporate tool that arouses public criticism and risks CSR credibility if it remains unconstrained. This conceptual paper integrates CSR and lobbying research to develop an encompassing understanding of responsible lobbying, defined as lobbying in congruence with the corporate responsibilities towards society. I present a multidimensional model constituting four principal requirements. Three content-related pillars call for: 1) consistency between the firm's own stated CSR commitment and lobbying; 2) consideration of perspectives and needs of stakeholders; and 3) the alignment with the objectives and values of broader society. 4) An ethical, democratic process is put forward as the basis of responsible lobbying. The model allows firms to determine the degree of responsible lobbying and is of normative value, as it constitutes what ought to be done. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]