By Karim Buus Drif, WELL

Little is known about what students associate with CSR. With this study we attempt to fill this gap by focusing on three issues. Firstly, we analyse students' perceptions about responsible activities of companies and, in particular, the dimensions used to describe CSR. Secondly, we assess the effect of gender, knowledge about CSR and perceived stakeholder pressure on CSR perceptions. Finally, we analyse the importance of CSR elements in students' buying- and career decisions. Data is going to be collected among more than 20.000 respondents - all students at Danish universities and business schools.

The purpose
The purpose of the study is to contribute to identifying those company activities considered by students as being the most representative of CSR and to assess the importance of companies' CSR activities in students' buying- and career decisions. We also assume that students' gender, CSR information, and perceptions about stakeholders' pressures could have an influence on their CSR perceptions. Quite a few studies have been conducted in the US and the UK, but much less research focuses on Europe. Moreover, measuring students' perceptions about CSR practices is scarce. Consequently, this research is to begin with carried out in Denmark, with the future perspective of examining differences and similarities across European country boarders.

Seminar and publication
The results from the study will ground the foundation for a seminar at Copenhagen Business School and a range of articles in Børsen. More information about the seminar and the publications will be provided soon.