Drivers for food risk management and corporate social responsibility; a case of Chinese food companies

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) provides principles and guidelines for food risk management (FRM). This study aims to find the driving factors for both CSR and FRM. This is considered from the views of 183 food company managers in 14 regions across China. Both questionnaire survey and face-to-face in-depth interviews are employed. It is found that the current situation of FRM and CSR in Chinese food companies is still poor, and people do not have a clear understanding of the concept of CSR, FRM, and other related terms. The following nine drivers for FRM and CSR are identified: implementation of international standards, corporate value, trainings received, status of early warning systems, the cost, financial performance of the company, management support, CSR recognition (whether or not CSR being part of the company strategy), and management attitude to CSR. External affecting factors of FRM and CSR adoption are also explored. Finally, suggestions for policy-making and future research are made.