The general interest for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has increased considerably within the last couple of decades, and is today a hot topic especially in the EU. Influence of Trans National Corporations (TNC), such as Royal Dutch Shell is significant on the environmental agenda (Lawrence & Weber, 2004). Today it is not just enough to have a superior quality product, if it is not produced in an ethical correct way, regarding employees, environment, NGO’s and other essential stakeholders1 to the company. Being social responsible is important, but if the stakeholders are not aware of the fact that the company is social responsible, the efforts of the company are lost. (Morsing & Beckmann, 2006, p. 17) (Elkington, 2000, p. 229) (Freeman & Velamuri, 2006, pp. 10-11)
Communicating the CSR policy is, as a consequence, vital for corporations around the globe, and is today a large part of the PR communication in many organizations. Especially the industry of “sin stocks”, being tobacco, oil products, weapon industry etc. is often accused of producing products harming the general public health, environment and supporting war (Morsing & Beckmann, 2006, p. 136). The focus of this thesis is on the oil industry, and the Shell Corporation.
Since the early 1970’s the oil industry has been accused of polluting and destroying the environment on a global perspective, especially by non government organisations (NGO), such as Greenpeace (Bakir, 2006, p. 81). Today the majority of people in the western world are aware of the fact that the world is facing huge problems with large Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emissions and global warming. Furthermore it is evident that large oil companies, such as Shell, have a vast influence on today’s environmental agenda and what can be done to stop the development of the problems.
On the background of these details and facts an investigation on