Branding and CSR in Indian Agribusiness

Abstract

Indian agribusiness firms are facing increased challenges to manage their corporate brand because many negative implications of agribusiness activities on society are now under public scrutiny. Agribusiness firms are being blamed for environmental degradation, use of excess fertilizers and pesticides, and for promoting unhealthy foods. Such issues pose challenges to corporate brand building efforts of agribusiness firms. In recent years, the Indian agribusiness sector is witnessing a growing trend of using CSR activities to attenuate such negative impacts of agribusiness activities on the corporate brand building efforts of agribusiness firms. This chapter, through theoretical and empirical literature, explores the emerging brand-CSR relationship and uses of CSR as corporate branding strategies in the context of Indian agribusiness firms. The chapter highlights that instead of the traditional community-oriented CSR activities, key beneficiaries-oriented strategic CSR initiatives could be the way forward for sustainable corporate branding strategies in agribusiness.