La Responsabilidad Social Corporativa de las empresas españolas en los Medios de Comunicación

Abstract

An increasing number of organisations are undertaking activities of social and environmental responsibility. Companies are inserted in society not only as economic actors but also as social actors, developing a significant social role beyond their traditional economic role. The exercise of these roles, and the form in which these roles are communicated to the public, can influence the corporative reputation of companies. The mass media play an important role in the development of this corporate reputation. Luhmann (2000: 1) indicates that what we know about society and the world is perceived through the media. That is, the mass media contribute to establishing what the social reality of a community is (Wolf, 1994; Gamson et al., 1992; Berger and Luckmann, 1984) and to the visibility of the social actors before Public Opinion.

This article presents the results of a research project on the Media Visibility of the companies that are quoted on the Madrid stock exchange. The principal aim is to determine the level of visibility of these companies in the general information press, and what attributes (economic and/or social) are assigned to the companies.