Corporate social responsibility and sustainable development. A Schaeffler Romania case study

• Author: Iuga F., Albu R.G.
• Pages: 339-344

Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov

Series V: Economic Sciences • Vol. 9 (58) No. 2 - 2016

Corporate social responsibility and sustainable

development. A Schaeffler Romania case study

Florina IUGA1, Ruxandra-Gabriela ALBU2

Abstract: The aim of this paper is to analyse corporate social responsibility and sustainable

development at Schaeffler Romania, in the light of the educational programmes the company

has designed and developed over the years. Thus, by using various tools of strategic

analysis, the beneficiaries’ degree of satisfaction was examined, rated in an online survey.

The research targeted students and young graduates from various universities in the country,

who had been directly involved in one or more educational programmes at Schaeffler

Romania, in the last three years.

Key-words: corporate social responsibility, sustainable development, educational

programmes, beneficiaries

1. Introduction

Nowadays, we live in a society that increasingly requires its own sustainability

models – economic and social. This context has had a direct influence on how

companies define their objectives and conduct their business. Thus, apart from the

former classical profit-oriented objectives, organisations around the world are

obliged to adopt a series of ‘smart’ goals which are meant to answer environment

protection and social-related issues (Doz, 2010). Given the occurrence of these

changes in the modern world, two new concepts have developed over the years and

gained the upper hand in wording long-term business strategies: Corporate Social

Responsibility (CSR) and Sustainable Development (SD).

Sustainability business targets have rapidly become increasingly relevant for

companies, but also for their stakeholders. A strategic approach to CSR is

undoubtedly important to a company’s competitiveness (Dey, 2012). It can bring

benefits in terms of risk management, cost savings, access to capital, customer

relationships, human resource management, and innovation capacity (Mohr, 1996).

It also encourages more social and environmental responsibility from the corporate

sector, at a time when the crisis has damaged consumer confidence and the levels of

trust in business. CSR helps pave the way for partnerships between businesses and

1 Transilvania University of Braşov, iuga.florina@gmail.com

2 Transilvania University of Braşov, ruxandra.albu@unitbv.ro