Csr Reporting and the Belt and Road Initiative: Implementation by Chinese Multinational Enterprises?

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is a major development strategy launched by the Chinese government with the goal of fostering economic cooperation among countries along the proposed routes. The BRI marks a new era in which multinational enterprises (MNEs) from developing countries are beginning to take primary responsibility for driving global flows of outward foreign direct investment (OFDI). Among hotly debated topics on how the BRI is reshaping the global competitive landscape, corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting practices of Chinese MNEs along the Belt and Road are noteworthy but relatively less discussed.

This book investigates how do Chinese MNEs engage with, define, and implement CSR under such an enormous cooperative initiative through analyzing their CSR reporting practices in the BRI host countries. Besides this, opportunities and challenges of the BRI investments for sustainable development in host countries are examined. The book provides critical insights into the current institutional architecture for CSR reporting to promote sustainable development. It also highlights the importance of stakeholders’ capacities to sustain, enact, and execute strict CSR disclosure laws and regulations.

The findings mark important implications, particularly in view of growing concerns about international reputational damage of unsustainable OFDI. The book is suitable for researchers, undergraduate and postgraduate students in the fields of CSR, sustainability development, accounting, and international business; as well as others who are keen on the latest development of the BRI in relation to other developing and least-developed countries.

Ruopiao Zhang is Assistant Professor in the Department of Accounting and Finance at the School of Business, Macau University of Science and Technology. Dr. Zhang obtained her Ph.D. degree in Accounting from the University of Macau. Dr. Zhang is an early career researcher in the field of social and environmental accounting with specialization in corporate social responsibility and sustainability, biodiversity and extinction accounting.

Carlos Noronha is Associate Professor in the Department of Accounting and Information Management, Faculty of Business Administration, University of Macau. Dr. Noronha researches and publishes in the area of social accounting, especially in corporate disclosure. Currently, he is collaborating with his research team in the development of the Phenomenon Grande, a theoretical perspective to look into inter-related and multi-disciplinary social phenomena through a critical lens.

Jieqi Guan is Assistant Professor in the School of Hospitality Management, Macao Institute for Tourism Studies. She obtained her Ph.D. degree from the University of Macau. Her research areas are mainly related to social accounting and reporting, corporate social responsibility and sustainability.