Corporate Social Responsibility and Organic Farming –Experiences in Austria

Summary

Although the market for organic products has been growing in Austria for a few years, the rising competition of so called regional, natural or sustainable products should be taken seriously. One solution in times of “conventionalisation” of organic farming could be higher ethical standards in organic farming and more effective communication of ethical values, as it has already been practised by a great number of medium-sized and large enterprises under the name of “Corporate Social Responsibility” (CSR). CSR refers to all services that are beyond legal requirements, performed on a voluntary basis. This article discusses the topic CSR and similar approaches in the Austrian organic sector on the basis of 30 interviews with Austrian organic farmers and processors. Its level of familiarity, its institutionalisation and the farmers´ and processors´ attitudes towards the Anglo-American concept are analysed. The article also points out which CSR services could be performed in the organic food chain by giving concrete examples and presents a typology of three different groups of organic farmers and processors concerning their exposure to written marketing of CSR or similar services.