Corporate social responsibility (CSR) of Chinese seaport operators

Abstract

Nowadays there is a high demand for sustainable business practices. This also applies to the seaports’ infrastructure, which carries multiple environmental risks for the environment and economic risks for local communities. In this regard, the purpose of this study is to evaluate the development of corporate social responsibility (CSR) of Chinese seaport operators. The article uses research made by authors from Edinburgh Napier University, publications of the journal "Cooperativism and Development" and other materials in the field of sustainable development and CSR, which examine in detail the negative impact of port activities on the environment and evaluates the CSR model of Chinese seaport operators. The main sources for the study are reports of Chinese operators of seaports and Chinese regulatory framework. The article compares practices of large Chinese seaport operators, identifies their features and relevance to the Chinese and global trends in CSR development. The article concludes that the CSR system of Chinese seaport operators is at the stage of active formation. However, it lags behind the best practices of some developed countries at the regulatory level. At the same time, Chinese seaport operators are actively developing environmental and social aspects of their activities, which is mainly due to the national policy to reduce carbon emissions, combat poverty, and also due to needs of improving the efficiency of ports and strengthening the positive image of Chinese companies in the international arena.