Corporate Racial Responsibility

This chapter contributes to a growing area of public relations research, corporate racial responsibility (CRR). CRR theory maintains that corporations have historically benefitted from racial oppression, which has fostered social strife, and as a result, corporations have a responsibility to communicate in ways that aim to improve race relations. Aligned with many of the ethical and moral commitments of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and corporate social advocacy (CSR), CRR is differentiated through its focus on race. The chapter outlines key similarities and differences between CRR and other areas of prosocial communication. A review of CRR literature is presented as the chapter also discusses CRR’s theoretical value as a means to identify, understand, and analyze corporate discourse about race. The current context of pushback against DEI and other progressive efforts is also addressed. Suggestions for future CRR research are offered. Ultimately, this chapter extends extant CRR research to highlight the positive role corporations can potentially play in achieving fairer and healthier societies through communication.