Should CSR be used as a Marketing Tool by Producers in the Cosmetics Industry?

ABSTRACT
The purpose of this paper is to prove that CSR can be used as a positive approach in the area of marketing and promotion, particularly in the cosmetic industry. The paper substantiates this hypothesis by drawing on theory from scholarly articles and literature and analysing data from annual reports. A portion of the research is dedicated to the Body Shop, based on analysis of their annual reports, as well as the reaction of different stakeholder groups based on several literatures. The paper finds that there are positives and negatives in using CSR and promoting it using marketing depending on the consumers’ perceptions. It also finds that there exists an information asymmetry between producers and consumers in terms of CSR for their products. The paper supports previous ideas that CSR is useful in benefitting the company brand and value and that it can also be used to influence a consumer’s purchase decision of the cosmetics.

INTRODUCTION
In conceptual theory, CSR is how a company incorporates “social, environmental and economic issues into their values and business operations in a transparent and accountable manner” (FAITC, 2012). In simple terms, CSR is the actions that a company undertakes or doesn’t undertake during their business functions to benefit society and their stakeholders. There are many arguments for and against CSR and also differing views on whether it actually “pays” to undertake CSR. Friedman (1970) essentially argues that the only social responsibility that a business should undertake is to increase profits for the benefit of its shareholders and that CSR should be left to governing authorities that know best which social responsibilities to act upon. In contrast, Mintzberg (1983) argues that CSR is indeed important for corporations to undertake with