Lobbying and CSR: the devil and the holy water or an integrated strategy? Insights from a systematic literature review

Through the results of a systematic literature review, this paper provides insights into the interplay between lobbying and CSR by uncovering phenomena that contest conventional views on non-market strategy. Contrary to traditional beliefs that perceive CSR and lobbying as distinct or conflicting activities, the findings indicate that successful firms incorporate both into a unified business strategy. The evidence suggests a significant evolution in corporate approaches to non-market strategy: firms use CSR not merely as a means of ethical participation, but also as a strategic instrument to obtain political legitimacy and shape regulatory outcomes. This integration can yield significant advantages, such as better reputation, increased stakeholder confidence and more efficient policy advocacy. Some concerns arise, however, especially when CSR activities are undertaken only to provide impact mitigation from debatable lobbying activities. In such cases, the perceived discrepancies between CSR statements and actions and parallel political endeavours tend to erode stakeholder trust and expose the firm to more in-depth regulatory scrutiny, thus putting the company’s own legitimacy at risk.