Development and application of an ethics of care scale to advance organization-public relationships (2021)

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a given for most organizations. What started as a model for helping companies embrace responsible business practices regarding environmental and employee welfare has evolved in nuanced ways. Companies are becoming more invested in corporate social advocacy and action efforts. And as we continue to weather the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve also seen an increased discussion about the value of “caring” business practices. However, ethics of care is more nuanced than simply behaving in a caring manner or being kind to others. As a relationship-based ethic, care privileges evaluating the quality of relationships by considering the presence of caring practices and values.