Top of page
Global Site Navigation

School of Business and Law

Local Section Navigation
You are here: Main Content

‘Bushfires and irreversible consequences of global warming: A serious wakeup call for corporations and complexities around CSR’

Tuesday, 21 January 2020

Tags:

According to CNN (2020), Australia is being ravaged by the worst wildfires seen in decades, with large swaths of the country devastated since the fire season began in late July. All this has been exacerbated by persistent heat and drought, and many point to climate change as a factor making natural disasters go from bad to worse.

Dr. Mehran Nejati, Senior Lecturer and Director of PRME and Sustainability at ECU School of Business and Law, confirms this view. He has taught various units across the business and management discipline on Business Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and has been recognised for his research contributions on various occasions such as Outstanding Publication Award 2016 and Certified Sentinels of Science Award 2016.

“The irreversible consequences of global warming are undeniable, and Australia’s ravaging bushfires were a serious wakeup call showing what the future world might look like if we don’t take climate change seriously. Businesses and corporations have a great social and environmental responsibility to play and should contribute towards realisation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)” says Dr Mehran Nejati.

In response to the bushfires, many businesses have donated to the social causes and funds attributed to that. However, “(…) regardless of the intention behind these socially responsible practices businesses should be mindful of using this CSR initiative in their public relation communications” Dr Mehran Nejati continues.

Recent research by Dr Mehran Nejati highlights the complexities around CSR and how it can act as a double-edged sword for corporations when it comes to CSR authenticity and stakeholder relations. Findings of his research in Australia demonstrates that symbolic CSR practices for the sake of gaining legitimacy without substantive changes to core activities or policies of the corporation do not result in improved employee outcomes.

Dr Nejati believes benefits of self-serving and symbolic CSR practices to corporations could be short-lived and such practices might even backfire leading to some negative consequences for corporations.

University students in one of Dr Mehran Nejati’s classes ‘Managing for Sustainability’ (MAN2610) get an introduction to sustainability as a planned change process within organisations. They learn how to develop a management framework for sustainability that considers strategy, structure, system and stakeholder issues that will enable sustained responsible programs and practices within organisations.

Are you interested in studying Commerce and Sustainability? Have a look here!

If you need emotional support during this time, you should contact our ECU Counselling Service on (08) 9370 6706 or visit the ECU Counselling webpage for more information.

Share

Skip to top of page