The history of corporate philanthropy goes back to at least the 19th Century in the UK where the innovative working practices of Quaker organizations such as Cadburys and Rowntree Mackintosh put employee welfare and ethical behavior at the heart of their business values.
The term ‘CSR’ emerged in the 1960s, commented Jonny Gifford, research advisor to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). “The term ‘CSR’ became increasingly common in the 1990s, in particular when the spotlight was being shone on poor working conditions in global supply chains,” he said. “CSR or CR (corporate responsibility) has its sceptics as well as advocates but the defining feature is that it activity and standards that companies voluntarily sign up to, separate from legal governance.”