14. Storytelling and Corporate Social Responsibility Reporting: A Review of BHP 1992–2017

The aim of this study is to critically examine the development of corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting through storytelling and institutionalism to understand how BHP Billiton Ltd. (BHP) has shaped stakeholders’ sensemaking of CSR and its CSR performance. To explore this, the study focuses on how the narrative themes in CSR reports by BHP corroborate with newspaper articles published by the Sydney Morning Herald (SMH) from 1992 until 2017. Results have identified instances where BHP used CSR storytelling to manage negative impressions of its CSR conduct, restore trust and re-establish legitimacy. This reinforces literature that identifies how companies use organisational storytelling to shape stakeholders understanding of social responsibility and manage impressions about CSR conduct.