Conspicuous Philanthropy or CSR in Times of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

This chapter glances through the desired roles of businesses as corporate citizens in society and discusses why ‘CSR as Unusual’ is needed in times of crisis, like the COVID-19 pandemic. Through a qualitative study of secondary data, the author reviews the disasters/pandemic-related public policies and companies’ CSR policies separately, along with contributions made by firms and wealthy entrepreneurs for the COVID-19 pandemic relief. Although the findings acknowledge the businesses’ contributions, they also simultaneously raise some questions if firms could have played their role differently and done better in such times of crisis. The chapter also reflects on some severe consequences of the Government’s interferences in CSR. Also, it expresses concerns over the blurred, ad hoc, and spend-centric CSR responses by firms to the pandemic, primarily done for the private benefit. Finally, the author summarizes all his arguments to term it ‘Conspicuous CSR’. © 2022 selection and editorial matter, Indranil De, Soumyadip Chattopadhyay, Hippu Salk Kristle Nathan, and Kingshuk Sarkar;individual chapters, the contributors.