Enhancing environmental regulations through public policies on corporate social responsibility (CSR): a case study of the offshore oil and gas industry in Eastern Newfoundland

Edu, Banjo Afeez (2016) Enhancing environmental regulations through public policies on corporate social responsibility (CSR): a case study of the offshore oil and gas industry in Eastern Newfoundland. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

The objective of this thesis is to contribute to the public policy literature on the role that government policies can play in supporting Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). It does so through a case study of existing and potential relationships between government policy and CSR in enhancing environmental regulations in the offshore oil and gas industry of Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador (NL). The research analytically engages two concepts; environmental governance and CSR. Theoretically, a public-policy CSR classification model is developed, using a theoretical classification schemes on the role of government in CSR. The model is used to analyze the role government in NL can play in using CSR to enhance environmental regulation in the offshore oil and gas (OAG) industry of Eastern NL. The thesis adopts a mix of primary and secondary data for the case study. Primary data is gathered through key informant interviews, which are used to supplement findings in the literature. Data collected reveals that environmental regulatory regimes in NL‟s offshore OAG industry currently face numerous challenges; however, the study moves away from demanding more stringent regulations as an immediate solution, and concludes by recommending that the government of NL develop a public-policy CSR strategy. Such a strategy can incrementally strengthen environment regulations in the offshore OAG industry over time.

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