Module Directory

This module examines the concepts, theories and models of corporate responsibility and corporate social responsibility (CSR) and their implications and challenges for business law and practice. It examines the role of CSR in as a business strategy and public governance tool in the context of the social and environmental impacts of business activities that suggest interesting dimensions to the role of business in society.

In this module you will examine the debates and doctrines of CSR in domestic and transnational environments and explore broad questions such as: What is CSR and what are the forms of corporate responsibility? What is the relationship between law and CSR and can public and private laws facilitate CSR? Can CSR address regulatory and governance gaps in national and transnational jurisdictions? What are the limits of international law in business regulation and can CSR fill gaps in international law? What is the status of a company? What is a stakeholder and what interest groups exist in a company? What is the role of social reporting? Can CSR be used as a development tool and for promoting socio-economic rights and sustainable development?

The module reflects some degrees of comparative analysis and interdisciplinarity and case study exercises will also enable you to explore the approaches of different disciplines to CSR, including law, management, politics, philosophy, ethics and international relations. You will have an opportunity to discover the strengths and weaknesses of taking global, contextual and comparative approaches to CSR.

The aims of this module are:

• To give students a solid grasp of corporate responsibility and corporate social responsibility (CSR), covering relevant, history, sources, concepts, theories, and models. Students will explore the legal, practical, and business contexts of these ideas.


• To improve students' decision-making and risk management in business, empowering them to apply CSR models at different organisational levels for competitive advantage.


• To familiarise students with appropriate research methodology skills and improve their abilities in comparative and case study analysis. 


• To enable students to apply the law critically to hypothetical and real-world scenarios.


• To foster a deeper understanding of the role of business in society, equipping students with independent research, communication, and interpersonal skills for study and employment.

By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to:

1. Have a systematic and comprehensive understanding of the history, sources, theories, and models of corporate responsibility and (CSR) and the legal, practical, and business contexts in which they function. This includes an analysis of their benefits, limitations, and challenges.


2. Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of applicable regulatory frameworks related to corporate responsibility and (CSR), including their historical developments.


3. Gain the ability to identify and critically assess legal data on corporate social responsibility from multiple jurisdictions.


4. Demonstrate critical and analytical skills by evaluating and applying laws and procedures about corporate social responsibility.


5. Assess the business environment, critically analyse and apply legal data to specific scenarios, and deduce likely outcomes when the law is ambiguous.

The module will incorporate both taught instruction and group discussions during weekly lectures and interactive seminars, where your active participation is essential under the guidance of the tutor. Additionally, you will be required to work independently on the summative assessment exercise.

This module will be delivered via:

• Weekly 2-hour seminars.

The module teaching team will upload all relevant teaching materials on Moodle. You will find reading lists, the textbook, weekly handouts or PPS notes on Moodle. The materials in question are designed both to help you navigate the material to be covered in the seminars and to equip you to analyse the required readings. You will be expected to have completed the required readings in advance of your seminars.