Corporate Social Responsibility in Italy

The chapter aims to provide a picture of the most relevant developments regarding CSR that have occurred in the last decade in Italy from a theoretical, institutional and practical perspective. It includes a preliminary analysis of latest Italian academic studies that have investigated the CSR concept and CSR practices among Italian companies, while also pointing out the institutional and political conditions that favoured the development of CSR at the national and local level. In this regard, both national and regional laws and norms are considered. Subsequently, the chapter addresses the most important initiatives on CSR, both at a private and public level, involving both large companies and SMEs. This work contributes to the description of the position of CSR in Italy, where several private and public approaches coexist and frequently take the form of Territorial Social Responsibility. Finally, it critically discusses the ‘Italian model of CSR’ in the current scenario and provides insights on Italy’s future path toward the UN Sustainable Development Goals.