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Corporate Social Performance as a Bottom Line for Consumers

Vrije University, mm.meijer{at}fsw.vu.nl

Theo Schuyt

Vrije University, tnm.schuyt{at}fsw.vu.nl

This study replicates Paul, Zalka, Downes, Perry, and Friday’s scale to measure U.S. consumer sensitivity to corporate social performance (CSP) in another sample—namely, that of Dutch consumers. In addition, theories on the effects of sociodemographic variables on environmental concern have been applied to investigate the influence of individual consumer characteristics on the sensitivity to CSP. It was found that the Consumer Sensitivity Scale to CSP is a reliable one, and it also seems applicable to West European countries. For Dutch consumers, CSP serves more as a hygiene factor—it should be at a minimum acceptable level (a bottom line)—than as a motivator to buy a product. Having a left-wing political orientation, a higher level of education, being female, and being older are consumer characteristics that all have a positive influence on sensitivity to CSP. Surprisingly, household income did not influence this.

Key Words: corporate social responsibility (CSR) • corporate social performance (CSP) • consumers • triple bottom line • the Netherlands

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