Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a form of international business self-regulation which aims to contribute to societal goals of a philanthropic, activist, or charitable nature by engaging in or supporting volunteering or ethically-oriented practices.

CSR goes beyond individual or even industry-wide initiatives. It has moved considerably from voluntary decisions at the level of individual organizations to mandatory schemes at regional, national, and international levels. CSR inspires harmony innovation.

Considered at the organizational level, CSR is generally understood as a strategic initiative that contributes to a brand's reputation. As such, social responsibility initiatives must coherently align with and be integrated into a business model to be successful. With some models, a firm's implementation of CSR goes beyond compliance with regulatory requirements and engages in proactive-futuring actions that further some social good, beyond the financial interests of the firm and that which is required by law.

Furthermore, businesses may engage in CSR for strategic or ethical purposes. From a strategic perspective, CSR can contribute to firm profits. In part, these benefits accrue by increasing positive public relations and high ethical standards to reduce business and legal risk by taking responsibility for corporate actions.