Corporate social responsibility: is it still relevant? A critical look on its effectiveness in the fashion industry and contribution to corporate greenwashing

Abstract

Through the years, corporate social responsibility has served as a tool to demonstrate how accountable businesses are to the communities and the environment in which they choose to operate for their actions. Initially, CSR was thought to be the answer to all of humanity's problems, arguments, however, point to the opposite outcome of corporate social responsibility in business practice. It's interesting to note that as the fashion industry grew, it incorporated more environmental and social aspects, and its evolution over time has further clarified the significance of the concept of CSR in this given context. The fashion industry in general and fast fashion in particular have been under the spotlight in recent years due to its negative environmental and social impacts. Observations imply that the industry has reached a tipping point where the excessive use of the earth's resources has led the industry to contribute to the exploitation and harm of the environment. Overall, this paper endeavours to examine, discuss, and determine whether CSR in the fashion industry offers a path forward or leads nowhere other than towards greenwashing phenomena.