Language Use and Identity Construction in Corporate Social Responsibility Communications

Thesis Abstract

In the contemporary corporate landscape, organizations increasingly utilize corporate social responsibility (CSR) communications as strategic tools to shape public perceptions and reinforce organizational identities. However, the ways in which language functions within these communications to construct and negotiate organizational identities remain underexplored, particularly within the context of evolving stakeholder expectations and global sustainability discourses. This study aims to investigate the interplay between language use and identity construction in CSR communications, emphasizing how linguistic choices reflect and shape corporate identities and stakeholder perceptions. The research adopts a qualitative case study design, focusing on the CSR reports and public statements of twenty multinationals operating within the manufacturing and technology sectors over a five-year period (2018-2022). The population comprises corporate communication teams, sustainability officers, and relevant stakeholders such as community representatives and investors. A purposive sampling technique is employed to select organizations with active CSR campaigns, ensuring relevance and richness of data. Data collection involves document analysis of CSR reports, press releases, social media posts, and interview data from twenty in-depth semi-structured interviews with communication practitioners and stakeholders. The interviews aim to capture interpretive meanings associated with linguistic choices and identity representations. Data analysis is conducted through thematic analysis supported by Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), guided by the theoretical frameworks of Fairclough’s Dialectical-Relational Approach and identity theory. Thematic coding identifies patterns and discursive strategies linked to identity construction, while CDA explores how language reflects power relations and ideological positions within CSR communications. NVivo software facilitates coding and analysis, ensuring systematic data management. It is anticipated that the findings will reveal specific linguistic features—such as metaphor use, modality, and agency—in CSR discourse that serve to construct organizational identities aligned with sustainability, social responsibility, and ethical commitments. The analysis is expected to show how organizations strategically employ language to position themselves as responsible corporate citizens, shaping stakeholder perceptions and fostering organizational legitimacy. Moreover, the study aims to delineate the discursive strategies that build a cohesive corporate identity in the globalized context, considering cross-cultural variations. Theoretically, the study contributes to the discourse on language and identity by integrating CDA and identity theory within the CSR communication domain, highlighting the discursive construction of organizational identities in public-facing texts. Practically, the research offers insights for corporate communicators on effective linguistic strategies for identity positioning in CSR narratives, potentially influencing best practices in corporate communication. The main conclusion underscores that language plays a pivotal role in shaping and projecting organizational identities through CSR communications, with specific discursive devices serving as powerful tools for identity reinforcement and stakeholder engagement. Based on the findings, it is recommended that organizations adopt a strategic linguistic approach sensitive to cultural and contextual nuances to enhance the authenticity and effectiveness of their CSR narratives. Future research should explore longitudinal changes in language use and identity construction across different industries and cultural contexts to further deepen understanding of the discursive dynamics in corporate social responsibility communication.