Public Relations and Corporate Racial Responsibility (Routledge Research in Public Relations)

Public Relations and Corporate Racial Responsibility introduces corporate racial responsibility (CRR) theory. CRR responds to the persistent problem of racism by showing how communication from corporations can advance racial justice, support racial equality, and foster inclusivity, even in polarizing times.

Many people may wonder why corporations have racial responsibilities. The author lays out several examples that describe precisely why corporations have earned racial responsibilities – from the days of chattel slavery to today’s AI era. The book describes how corporations have directly or indirectly participated in and benefited from racial oppression, as well as how they can use communication to help right historical wrongs. Communications and campaigns from Ben & Jerry’s, Dove, Nike, P&G, Pepsi, Starbucks, and others are discussed and demonstrate how corporations have sought to communicate about matters of race, justice, and equality. CRR theory emerges from the nexus of corporate social responsibility thinking in public relations to offer scholars a new theoretical avenue they can use to identify, understand, contextualize, theorize, and analyze corporate discourse about race and its societal implications. It also provides communication practitioners guidance on how their organizations can approach communicating about race.

As the book advances the development of CRR theory, it provides readers with a fresh and dynamic take on the corporation and the societal import of its communications. Scholars and practitioners in public relations, corporate communication, corporate social responsibility, corporate social advocacy, business ethics, advertising, branding, marketing, race, and social justice will find this book of interest.

Nneka Logan is a Professor in the School of Communication at Virginia Tech, USA.