CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY: A MULTIPLE CASE STUDY OF THE CIVIL CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY IN THE STATE OF BAHIA, BRAZIL

The main aim of this research is to verify the importance of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the context of the civil construction industry in the State of Bahia. The CSR became relevant as business environment is increasingly more complex and competitive, and society has demanded from organizations concrete actions about issues such as sustainability and social development. Those actions are aligned with the ten principles suggested by the United Nations Global Compact. To carry out this research, a multiple case study strategy was used through interviews with key respondents from six construction companies based in the State of Bahia. The findings showed that CSR is a relevant issue as far as business strategies are concerned for 67% of companies surveyed. Despite the theme is not a consensus, this study showed that several actions have been developed informally related to CSR, especially those linked to the welfare of communities surrounding construction sites and the use of modern technologies that help reducing environmental impact, the management of construction waste (debris).