Environmental-oriented CSR communication and the attractiveness of employers

: From a potential employee perspective

Abstract

The purpose of this bachelor thesis was to extend the knowledge of how environmental-oriented CSR communication in job advertisements affects the attractiveness of employers from a potential employee perspective. The study was based on three theories, Employer brand, Social identity theory, and Signaling theory, and the concept of environmental-oriented CSR communication. The hypothesis was that environmental-oriented CSR communication in job advertisements increases employer attractiveness. The thesis had a quantitative method and used experimental web-based surveys to measure the attractiveness of two fictitious job advertisement scenarios, one which included environmental-oriented CSR communication and one which did not. The web-based survey was distributed to students by program managers of the major education areas taught at Kristianstaduniversity, in total 177 responses were collected. Previous studies have concluded that a company's CSR engagements may increase its attractiveness to potential employees. The results of the surveys show that there was a slight positive difference in employer attractiveness in the scenario including environmental-oriented CSR communication, when compared to the scenario that did not. However, the difference was not enough to be considered significant at the 0,05 level. The hypothesis that environmental-oriented CSR communication in job advertisements increases employer attractiveness was therefore rejected. Therefore, the conclusion of this bachelor thesis is that environmental-oriented CSR communication in job advertisements does not significantly increase the attractiveness of the employer.