Abstract  

This  thesis  is  motivated  by  an  interest  in  corporate  social  responsibility  (CSR)  in  the  context  

of  employer  branding.  As  individuals,  we  worry  about  our  environmental  footprints,  and  thus  

expect  organizations  to  do  the  same.  Despite  the  fact  that  organizations’  commitment  to  CSR  

seems   to   influence   employees’   attachment   to   their   organization,   the   starting   point   for  

organizations   to   engage   in   CSR   is   often   characterized   by   the   prospect   of   strengthening  

corporate  reputation.  Or  at  least,  this  was  our  hypothesis  going  into  this  project.    

 

Problem  statement  

On   the   basis   of   a   preparatory   review   of   the   literature   dealing   with   CSR   in   an   employer  

branding   context,   our   initial   hypothesis   were   confirmed.   The   majority   of   the   existing  

literature   does   not   link   CSR   with   employer   branding   in   an   internal   perspective.   In   other  

words,   the   literature  regarding  CSR  and  employer  branding  has  tended  to   focus  on  external  

outcomes,  and  therefore  the  impacts  on  internal  stakeholders,  such  as  employees,  have  been  

neglected.    

Therefore,   the   purpose   of   this   master’s   thesis   is   to   link   the   theoretical   fields   of   employer  

branding  and  CSR  with   the  object  of  examining  how  CSR  can  strengthen  retention  ability  of  

organizations.   Subsequently,  we  will   discuss   this   approach   by  making   use   of   an   exemplary  

case  and  we  will  conclude  with  reflecting  on  the  theoretical  and  practical  implications.    

 

Theoretical  point  of  view  

The  theoretical  part  of  the  thesis  deals  with  the  link  between  employer  branding  and  CSR.  As  

mentioned   above,   a   review   of   the   employer   branding   and   CSR   literature   in   an   internal  

perspective  confirmed  that  these  fields  have  not  previously  been  linked.  We  found,  however,  

that   identification   is   the   connecting   link,   and   we   therefor   built   the   further   theoretical  

foundation  of  our  thesis  around  this  concept.  The  thesis  takes  a  social  constructivist  approach  

and   as   thus   focuses   on   relations   between   organization   and   employees.   As   we   consider  

identity  to  be  a  social  construction  Weick’s  sensemaking  theory  acts  as  the  overall  frame  for  

understanding   identity   and   identification.   Furthermore,   sensemaking   theory   helps   explain  

how  and  why  individuals  make  sense  of  CSR  as  potentially  valuable.    

Identification   arises   when   an   individual’s   identity   can   be   reflected   in   the   organisational  

identity  to  a  degree  to  which  the  individual  incorporates  the  organizational  identity  in  his  or  

her  self-­‐concept.  We  believe  that  CSR  can  add  positive  values  about  social  responsibility  to  the  

organizational  identity,  which  many  employees  relate  to,  and  therefore  influence  the  strength  

of  identification.  

Based  on   the   literature   review  and   the   following   introduction   to   sensemaking,   identity   and  

identification,  we  conclude  the  theoretical  part  of  the  thesis  by  proposing  a  model.  The  model  

states   that   through  an   identification  process   the  outcome  of   linking  employer  branding  and  

CSR   is   a   strengthened   ability   to   retain   employees.   Identification   emerges   from   the   relation  

between   the  organization  and   the  employee  and  affects   –   and   is   affected  –  partly  by   the   fit  

between  the  identity  and  values  of  the  organization  and  those  of  the  individual  and  partly  by  

the  degree  of  involvement  in  CSR  activities.    

 

Empirical  point  of  view  

The   theoretical   part   of   the   thesis   concludes  with   a  model   that   illustrates   the   link   between  

employer  branding   and  CSR  with   identification   as   the  outcome.  The  model   also   shows   that  

elements  as  identity,  values  and  the  degree  of  involvement  impact  the  identification  process.  

The  empirical  part  of  the  thesis  takes  its  point  of  departure  in  the  model  and  seeks  to  explore  

the  link  in  practice.    

To  demonstrate   the   link  between   employer  branding   and  CSR,   the  Danish   carpet   company,  

Egetæpper,  was  chosen  as  an  exemplary  case.  Through  three  overall  themes  –  identification,  

values  and   involvement  –   that  we  consider  as  key  aspects   in  making  valuable  use  of  CSR   in  

employer  branding,  we  examine   the   link   in  depth.  The   fact   that   the  Egetæpper’s  employees  

identify  with  the  organization  became  evident  in  part  as  a  result  of  the  congruence  between  

the  organizational  values  and  the  employees  personal  values  and   in  part  as  a  result  of   their  

involvement   in   CSR-­‐related   activities.   We   observed   an   interesting   difference   between   the  

degree  of  identification  of  office  workers  as  opposed  to  manufacturing  workers  based  on  the  

CSR   activities   carried   out   by   Egetæpper.   It   is   especially   office   workers   who   regard   CSR   in  

relation  to  their  daily  work  in  ideological  terms  and  hence  identify  with  Egetæpper.    

 

Conclusions  

Based  on  the  possibility  of  linking  the  fields  of  employer  branding  and  CSR  from  a  theoretical  

perspective  coupled  with   the   findings   from   the  empirical   exploration,  we  can  conclude   that  

the   potential   of   using   CSR   in   an   employer   branding   context   to   strengthen   organizations’  

retention   ability   does   exist.   However,   the   retention   ability   depends   on   the   condition   that  

employees  make  sense  of  CSR  as  a  constituting  value  in  the  organization,  which  presupposes  

that  a  congruence  of  values  between  the  organization  and  the  employee  and  a  certain  degree  

of  involvement  are  required.      

   Total  number  of  characters:  4327