Field of Research

• Situational analysis of ”Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in the Barents region”

Main Focus

• CSR – typologies, standards and frameworks (e.g. Global Reporting Initiative guidelines, UN Global Compact, ISO 26000, Environmental Management Systems….)
• Different approaches, strategies and backgrounds with respect to CSR in Finland, Norway, Russian Federation, Sweden and further regions in the Arctic
• CSR strategies & practices of metal mining companies in the Barents region
• Incentives for companies and political actors to enforce CSR
• The possibilities of CSR policies & practices to tackle ecological & social threats and challenges in the Arctic (e.g. regional unemployment, exploitation of natural resources, climate change, land conflicts, social impacts of economic recession and out-migration) 
• The role of numerous stakeholder groups in the CSR discourse, such as for example NGO´s, local communities, employees, customers, suppliers, competitors, governmental actors, indigenous peoples, researchers, media, future generations, potentially deprived groups and many more….
• The extent stakeholder dialogue might be beneficial to decrease negative environmental impacts and to improve the social performance in an organisation 
• Analysis of reactive and proactive implementation processes of CSR strategies inside organisations in the European Arctic 
• The meaning of the “Social” in the Barents region context 
• Power and influence of shareholders and investors on companies to improve environmental and social performances
• The relevance of CSR (soft-law) in comparison to established national and international laws and prescriptions in the European Arctic (hard-law)