RESEARCH

METHODOLOGY

ASSIGNMENT – II

THE AWARENESS TOWARDS CSR ACTIVITIES IN

APPAREL/ FASHION/ TEXTILE INDUSTRY

SUBMITTED TO:

DR. DEEPAK

MEHRA

SUBMITTED BY:

ARPITA PATHY (BFT/19/565)

SUSHREE PRIYABRAT
(BFT/19/1286)
Contents
ABSTRACT................................................................................................................................................................. 3

KEYWORDS............................................................................................................................................................... 3

INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................................................................... 4

LITERATURE REVIEW.......................................................................................................................................... 6

RESEARCH GAP....................................................................................................................................................... 9

OBJECTIVE................................................................................................................................................................. 9

FORMULATION OF HYPOTHESIS..................................................................................................................... 9

METHODOLOGY.................................................................................................................................................... 10

THE CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILTY THEORY................................................................................10

INVOLVEMENT OF CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY IN APPAREL/ FASHION INDUSTRY.................12
RESEARCH METHODS IN CSR AAPAREL/FASHION/TEXTILE INDUSTRY...................................................13
DATA COLLECTION (SURVEY)....................................................................................................................... 18

DATA INTERPRETATION.........................................................................................................................25
HYPOTHESIS TESTING....................................................................................................................................... 26

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS........................................................................................................................... 28

SUGGESTIONS........................................................................................................................................28
TRENDS AND FUTURE SCOPES...................................................................................................................... 31

CONCLUSION.......................................................................................................................................................... 32

REFERENCES......................................................................................................................................................... 34
ABSTRACT
Purpose: This paper focuses on the theory of Corporate Social Responsibility in the
Apparel sector, aiming to measure the relative importance of different barriers in CSR
activities in this industry.

Design/ Methodology/ Approach: Existing studies have mainly done a qualitative

methodology for identifying the barriers and factors to be aware of CSR activities. In this
study we have used Corporate Social Responsibility knowledge, age and occupation
perception, price sensitivity, consumer preference and awareness towards CSR activities in
the apparel industry. To test this model a survey study among 76 consumers of Odisha,
India was conducted followed with our hypothesis testing.

Findings: Our findings confirm that the role of age is associated with the awareness of the
CSR activities. Its one’s individual responsibility to get educated about the CSR activities in
general. It also provides a multifactor group analysis which uncovers the differences among
consumers from different places.

Originality: This research contributes to the awareness of CSR by examining the impact of
different barriers to CSR in apparel industry. To our best knowledge the level of awareness
towards CSR activities has never been surveyed or studied in the remote location. It also
provides some original ideas and suggestions to improve in this sector.

KEYWORDS:
Corporate Social Responsibility, Circular Economy, Fashion, Apparel, Social,
environmental, economic, Sustainability, consumer behavior, multi-methodological
approach, theory.
INTRODUCTION
Brands go to great lengths to cultivate their favorable image. They can accomplish this in a
variety of ways. Today's consumers, particularly millennials, want businesses to not only
have a favorable image but also to have a beneficial influence. This is an example of
corporate social responsibility. Corporate social responsibility is defined as the practice of
achieving long-term development by providing economic, social, and environmental
benefits to all stakeholders.

Stakeholders such as the government, garment purchasers, suppliers, and NGOs are
thought to have a role in CSI operations. Each stakeholder may have unique weaknesses
and strengths in the activity. Based on the issues identified, improvement proposals may be
developed to create a framework that clarifies the responsibilities of stakeholders and the
collaboration that can exist among stakeholders to improve bad working conditions in the
RMG industry in developing nations.

Luxury brands in the fashion sector have long been accused of endangering the natural
environment, despite the fact that their items are considered as timeless pieces.
Furthermore, harmful chemicals are used to color the fur throughout the production
process, adding to the environmental difficulties. Fast fashion brands, such as H&M, Zara,
Topshop, on the other hand, have been accused for low labour welfare, significant
environmental contamination, and large amounts of garment waste at the conclusion of the
product life cycle. CSR disclosure may assist stakeholders in better understanding a
company's sustainability performance.

Many fashion businesses announce their CSR policies on their official websites because it
allows them to adapt swiftly to the ever-changing business climate and reveal relevant
information in a cost-effective manner. The clothing business is one of the largest in the
world Because of the disregard of CSR when the sector develops in emerging nations; both
environmental and social concerns arise. Globalization makes clothes cheaper at ever
lower prices, yet it has a severe influence on the environment throughout its life cycle.
Obviously, it adds to the environmental strain. Furthermore, because the RMG business is
labour intensive, poor working and living conditions are another result. Low salaries, long
working hours, a dangerous work environment, workplace maltreatment, and exclusion
from unions are all examples of poor labour standards. The biggest issue may be
determining who is responsible for implementing CSR in the industry.

Furthermore, as CSR got more serious in modern companies, its application became more
serious, and the strategy of marketing practice turned to consumer interaction to respond
to requests from stakeholders and others. As CSR was incorporated into business practice,
it was recognized as a helpful application for businesses to focus on more than just profit.
The impact of business, particularly fashion businesses' participation in the fast fashion
business model, has been tremendous environmental harm, and arguments have indicated
that the fashion sector today is the total opposite of sustainable.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Chan, Hau-Ling & Wei, Felix Xiaoyong & Guo, Shu & Leung, Wing-Hong. (2020).
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) in fashion supply chains: A multi-
methodological study. Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation
Review. 142. 102063. 10.1016/j.tre.2020.102063.

Economic, legal, ethical, and discretionary elements comprise corporate social

responsibility. CSR is a problem that extends beyond the law and is compliant with
international behaviour norms. It is defined as "a voluntary concept in which corporations
integrate social and environmental issues into their business operations and interactions
with its stakeholders". "A variety of forms and points of focus, ranging from corporate
support for training and educating adults and youth in local communities, to nationwide
programmes helping welfare recipients get jobs, and to globally focused efforts providing
aid to developing countries," says the definition of social initiative. Environmental
initiatives, on the other hand, help to mitigate and minimise the negative impact of the
product manufacturing process and business practises on the environment, such as using
pollution reduction systems, adopting natural resource preservation measures, and having
environmentally friendly design.

Retailers can obtain from suppliers who are open about the origins of raw materials and
the environmental effect of manufacture. Social and environmental responsibility is a
competitive strategy that is especially effective when the accompanying practises match
with the firm's main business. Furthermore, organisations can create better financial
results internally, minimise labour turnover, and boost productivity. Externally, they may
increase customer trust, separate themselves from competitors, and boost brand equity.

Another line of inquiry focuses on CSR reporting. CSR reporting is a voluntary governance
practise that allows a company to communicate its commitment to sustainability. Among
CSR reporting standards, the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) is widely used and may help
a company balance its legality and sustainable status.

ĐORĐEVIĆ, DRAGOLJUB & Milovan, Vukovic & Urošević, Snežana & Štrbac, Nada &
VUKOVIĆ, ALEKSANDRA. (2019). Studying the corporate social responsibility in
apparel and textile industry. Industria Textila. 70. 336-341.
10.35530/IT.070.04.1572.

The apparel/textile sector began to restructure on a continual basis as the globalisation

process intensified, implying the elimination of trade barriers and the acceleration of the
flow of commodities, services, money, and labour. Large multinational firms'
apparel/textile sector capacity are rapidly being outsourced from once-traditional
industrial zones of the developed world.

Given that apparel and textile production is a highly labour-intensive activity, the leading
corporations in this field, in search of low-cost labour, outsource their production
processes to densely populated areas, which have a surplus of labour but a deficit of work
and, as a result, significantly lower income. This has mostly led to the apparel/textile
sector, developing a truly worldwide presence.

By permitting the introduction of numerous jobs that don't require specific knowledge and
skills, the garment and textile sector has helped to revive the economies of developing
nations. Without investment in this industry, many members of socially excluded groups
(especially women) would struggle to obtain jobs in these nations' rural areas. Given that
70% of the nearly 26.5 million people globally working in the apparel-textile industry are
women, this is very significant. Language limitations are not a significant barrier to
participating in the manufacturing processes of the garment and textile industries, which
makes it easier for migrant workers to get jobs. All of this results in the developing nations
producing around 50% of the textile export and 75% of the world's export of clothing.

An increase in interest in numerous challenges facing various industry stakeholders has

coincided with the clothing and textile sector's recent trend toward becoming more
globally interconnected, as previously noted. As a result, several research have been
conducted on the CSR models that apply to the garment and textile industries.

The most popular framework for offering instructions on CSR performance disclosure is
the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). Additionally, the GRI has created sector-specific
supplements, such as the Garment and Footwear Sector Supplement, a pilot version of
which was created particularly for the apparel and footwear sector (AFSS).

CSR reporting is defined by the AFSS as "the practise of measuring, disclosing, and being
accountable for organisational performance while working towards the goal of sustainable
development" and "provides a balanced and reasonable representation of the sustainability
performance of the reporting organisation, positive and negative contributions." Since
"human rights," "labour," "social”, "environmental," "product responsibility," and
"economic issues" are all included in this idea of CSR, it is challenging to ensure that all
dimensions be thoroughly evaluated in one study.

The CSR in the garment and textile industries may also be addressed using the ISO 26000
standard as a framework. Organizational governance, human rights, labour practises, the
environment, fair operating procedures, consumer problems, and community participation
and development are the seven fundamental elements that make up CSR according to ISO
26000. There are several concerns that are stated that are related to each subject. For
instance, the environment encompasses resource conservation, pollution control, and the
preservation of the natural environment. The ISO 26000 standard provides direction on
how businesses might conduct themselves in a socially responsible manner, improving the
health and welfare of society. Engagement with stakeholders is essential to social
responsibility, according to the ISO 26000 standard, which also defines CSR as the
contribution made by businesses and other organisations to sustainable development.

Gaskill-Fox, Jamie & Hyllegard, Karen & Ogle, Jennifer. (2014). CSR reporting on
apparel companies’ websites: framing good deeds and clarifying missteps. Fashion
and Textiles. 1. 10.1186/s40691-014-0011-8.

CSR Reporting on corporate websites

The sharing of information about community issues, health and safety, diversity and human
resources, environmental concerns, and human rights and supply chain practises is a
common part of CSR reporting. The majority of disclosures were thought to have a positive
tone, supporting the idea that CSR disclosures may help marketing initiatives. The
researchers also found that CRS reporting varied among industries (pharmaceuticals,
grocery, surgical equipment, software, and oil).

The focus of CSR reporting has changed from philanthropic problems to environmental,
health/safety, and ethical issues. In a sampling of Canadian businesses from 2003, just 27%
utilised their websites to promote their involvement in CSR; and by 2006, 67% did. The
researchers noticed a change in the firms' CSR reporting's content.

Researchers have also highlighted stakeholders that are frequently targeted in CSR
reporting, including clients, staff, shareholders, suppliers, rivals, and society. Few
businesses, they discovered, made specific reference to stakeholders in online
communications; however, those that did concentrated on staff, shareholders, customers,
and the community.
RESEARCH GAP
 The Survey conducted above was only limited to a smaller age and occupation group
i.e.; 18-28 mostly student. Had it been reached to all age/occupation group, a clear
idea about consumer awareness towards CSR would have been achieved for
conducting any test.
 In secondary data collected only three brands has been compared/ discussed as
example about the negative impact of CSR.
 Protection of human rights (sweatshops, child labour), ethical industrial purchasing,
reasonable working hours, acceptable pay (minimum wages, excessive overtime,
exploitation of workers), health and safety, bribery and corruption, and sustainable
supply chains of many brands or the sector not discussed due to lack of
transparency of data.

OBJECTIVE:
The objective of this paper was to understand the CSR activities in Apparel Industry and to
find out the level of awareness of the CSR activities among the residents of Odisha, India.
And to give further suggestions to improve the limitations we found.

FORMULATION OF HYPOTHESIS:
H₀= People of a certain age (18-28) can only be most aware about the concept of CSR
activities.

HA= People of all age can be equally aware about the concept of CSR activities.
METHODOLOGY
Secondary sources: Data was collected from various research papers and online journals
published by many trusted websites (McKinsey & Company, Forbes, researchgate.com, etc). The
implementation of CSR activities in different brands is studied with the theories of qualitative
research methods applied in the industry in CSR.

Primary Sources: A questionnaire was prepared and circulated across different age groups and
their responses were noted down. The sample consists of 76 people (32 men and 33 women and
1 non-binary), all of whom have access to the Internet. Of these, 5(3.2%) are below 18, 53
(80.3%) are between the ages of 18 and 28, 7 (10.6%) are between the ages of 29 and 39, 6
(4.5%) are between the ages of 40 and 50, and 5 (1.6%) are above 50. In the occupation section,
49 (69.7%) of the population are students, 18 (21.2%) are job holders, 4 (1.5%) are entrepreneur,
3 (1.5%) intern 1(3%) are homemakers and 1(3%) are retired.

After analyzing the responses and also comparing it with the data collected from the
secondary sources problem is identified and a conclusion is drawn and future scope of CSR
in the apparel industry is discussed.

THE CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILTY THEORY

Corporate Social Responsibility first came into light in 1953 by Howard Bowen, often cited
as “father of CSR”. What is Responsibility in context to Corporate Social Responsibility?
Responsibility- ability to respond. (2011:4) Hence CSR is defined as responsibility to
develop the society socially, economically and environment- friendly and give these all kind
of benefits to the stakeholders. Here the stakeholders maybe shareholders, employees,
customer, suppliers, investors, government body, etc. Basic and important terms used to
practice Corporate Social Responsibility are “corporate sustainability”, “corporate
citizenship”, “corporate responsibility”, “corporate governance”, “corporate accountability”,
“ethical business”, “sustainable entrepreneurship”, “sustainability”, etc. CSR can be
categorized into four groups: (a) instrumental/wealth (b) social/ political (c) integrative
(d) ethical/ sustainable.
Carroll’s model of four responsibilities is widely being used over years.

Fig 1. Carroll’s’ pyramid of Corporate Social Responsibility

[Fig. source: Carroll, A., Corporate social responsibility, In: Business & Society, 1999, 38, 3, pp.
268–295]

This model was modified as it consisted of some drawbacks. First of all the four categories
here had overlapping nature which wasn’t discussed and moreover, “philanthropic
responsibilities” should have been spread evenly in all the categories as this category is a
voluntary activity and should not be placed as an individual category. So Carroll and
Schwartz came with a modified model categorizing three responsibilities ethical, legal and
economical, while philanthropic responsibility was included in other two (ethical and
economic) domains. The three areas overlap, as shown in Carroll and Schwartz's Venn
diagram, and as a result, it is possible to define seven different types of CSR responsibility:
purely economic, purely legal, purely ethical, economic/ethical, economic/ legal,
legal/ethical, and, finally, economic/ legal/ethical.
Fig 2. Carroll & Schwartz Venn Diagram of Corporate Social Responsibility

[Fig. source: Masoud, Najeb. (2017). How to win the battle of ideas in corporate social
responsibility: the International Pyramid Model of CSR. International Journal of Corporate
Social Responsibility. 2. 1-22. 10.1186/s40991-017-0015-y.]

INVOLVEMENT OF CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY IN APPAREL/

FASHION INDUSTRY

Given that producing apparel and textiles requires a lot of labour, the top companies in this
industry often outsource their manufacturing processes to densely populated areas (most
notably China and India), where there is a labour surplus but a lack of work and, as a result,
a poorer standard of living. Despite this, regional inequalities in state laws, working
conditions, environmental protection, and income levels are widely emphasised in the
garment and textile business. Large textile firms are compelled by this variability to
establish distinct business environments in some regions of the world, which are not
always consistent with accepted ethical standards.

An increase in interest in numerous challenges facing various sector stakeholders has

coincided with the garment and fashion industries' recent trend toward becoming more
globally diversified, as previously noted. Consequently, various research have been
conducted on the CSR models that are appropriate to the apparel/fashion business.

One of the important studies on CSR in the apparel business is the one done by Dickson and
Eckman. The term "socially responsible apparel/textile business" was defined by scholars
of the fashion and textile industries using survey research techniques. Participants in this
poll were active ITAA (International Apparel and Textile Association) members. Out of the
sample of 523 ITAA members, 87 responded to the survey, yielding a response rate of
16.6%. (industria textile 2019, vol. 70, no. 4) The CSR in the garment and textile industries
can also be addressed using the ISO 26000 standard as a framework. Organizational
governance, human rights, labour practises, the environment, fair operating procedures,
consumer issues, and community involvement and development are the seven fundamental
elements that make up CSR according to ISO 26000. There are several concerns that are
listed that are related to each theme (subject). For instance, the environment encompasses
resource conservation, pollution control, and the preservation of the natural environment.
The ISO 26000 standard provides direction on how businesses might conduct themselves
in a socially responsible manner, improving the health and welfare of society. Engagement
with stakeholders, particularly those like employees, customers, affected communities, and
the general public, is essential to social responsibility, according to the ISO 26000 standard,
which also defines CSR as businesses' and other organizations’ contribution to sustainable
development. (ISO, Guidance on social responsibility, ISO 26000: 2010, IDT, 2010)

RESEARCH METHODS IN CSR AAPAREL/FASHION/TEXTILE INDUSTRY

Analyzing websites of some apparel/ fashion brands:-

As mentioned, this kind of analysis can shed light on how businesses interact with different
stakeholders to give the impression that they are "doing the right thing" (cf. Welford &
Frost, 2006). However, because such a study relies on self-reporting, it offers an
organizational viewpoint and a particular version of reality that could not accurately reflect
actual events or align with outside interpretations of organizational decisions and
practices.

Gap, Inc., Levi Strauss and Co., and Nike were chosen through a purposeful sampling
process as the three American garment businesses acknowledged as pioneers and leaders
in CSR (Freeman, 2006; Kolk & van Tulder, 2002). It's crucial to remember that each of
these businesses has already endured bad press as a result of unethical actions in their
business decisions and procedures (e.g., labour abuses). For instance, Gap, Inc. experienced
bad press in 1999 when it was one of 26 clothing firms mentioned in the Saipan Lawsuit,
which claimed that there were unethical labour practices and violations of human rights in
clothing factories (Iwanow, McEachern, & Jeffrey, 2005). In a similar vein, Levi Strauss was
attention when, in 1994, female workers in Indonesian factories making Levi's and Dockers
walked out of their jobs due to abuse by factory managers who were charged with abuse
and not paying minimum wage (Greider, 1994). Additionally, the New York Times reported
in 1997 that a Vietnamese firm producing items for Nike exposed laborers to too many
dangerous chemicals and harsh conditions situations (such as long hours at the office)
(Parloff, 2002).

The information provided on firms' websites from 2001 and that published on websites
from 2009 were compared to examine how CSR reporting on these companies' websites
has changed over time.

The Gap, Levi Strauss, and Nike corporate websites all had CSR reporting that covered six
key topics, including philanthropy, labour practices, sustainability, diversity, accountability,
and acknowledgement of CSR activities. This analysis also uncovered similarities and
discrepancies in the focus placed on the highlighted themes by the companies. Additionally,
investigations showed that Gap, Levi Strauss, and Nike believed their CSR programs made
companies accountable to a variety of stakeholders. Activists, auditors, nonprofits,
communities, businesses, customers, workers, the (natural) environment, factory workers,
governments, the media, nongovernmental organizations, and underrepresented groups
were among the stakeholders frequently mentioned.

Corporate Social Responsibility – A green washing trend?

The strategic benefit of CSR engagement recognises the positive long-term effects for
business. Instead, it has made it more challenging for businesses to incorporate CSR as a
required purpose. Since it is a voluntary act, according to the European Commission, and
firms autonomously decide on the goal. Additionally, the use of CSR has led to less
innovation to address social and environmental problems. Furthermore, assertions that
CSR is mainly utilised for "greenwashing" purposes have bred mistrust among customers
and other stakeholders, possibly leading to "the collapse of CSR," as Wayne Visser
contends.

How much of the fast fashion industry's corporate social responsibility is centered
on supply chains?

The supply chains of the fast fashion business define it. The conventional fashion industry'
globalization, which led to supply networks spanning national borders, is the root cause of
fast fashion. By placing greater time demands on suppliers from retailers, the fast fashion
business is putting more demands on its supply chain. Actually, the fast fashion industry's
very existence is what has led to the social and environmental problems that it is now
working to resolve through CSR. Thus, it follows that CSR in the fast fashion sector should
focus on supply chains since suppliers are where the harm is done. in their reporting on
sustainability. This suggests that SSCM is a type of CSR that fast fashion companies use
frequently.

From all of this information, it can be inferred that supply chains are the primary target of
CSR initiatives in the fast fashion sector. This suggests that fast fashion merchants should
concentrate on supply chain activities when developing their CSR strategy because it is
where the problems are generated. Therefore, the supply chain is where CSR initiatives
would be most useful and appreciated.

Objectives of implementing CSR in Apparel/ Fashion/ Textile Industry

Extrinsic or intrinsic motivations can be used to categorise CSR-related motivations in
general. The internal, intrinsic motivations are typically fueled by moral or ethical
sentiments. Extrinsic motivations are more strategic and may also be centred on cost
cutting as a result of modifications to a company's social or environmental stance.
However, stakeholders are the primary emphasis of CSR implementation. These
stakeholders may be internal, such as the company's employees, or external, such as the
personnel at the manufacturing firms. A third reason for applying CSR has been created in
the fast fashion sector. This is a stakeholder-driven motivation in that stakeholders are
pressuring the companies to adopt CSR. This third motive can be thought of as a category
that groups various justifications and pressures from diverse stakeholders.

Fast fashion shops have two reasons for implementing CSR, and both have to do with
stakeholders. Pressure from stakeholders and other social groups to participate in CSR
initiatives drives fast fashion merchants to do so in order to maintain a positive public
image. Additionally, fast fashion retailers are embracing CSR to maintain positive
relationships with all of their stakeholders. As a result, their CSR strategies should be
modified to meet the requirements of these groups. When developing their CSR strategy,
fast fashion merchants should consult with all of their stakeholders to prevent future
pressure from other organizations. Before developing any CSR strategy, these fast fashion
merchants should learn what is vital to customers who are considering sustainability
because doing so could draw in additional customers.

References Findings on objectves

Adams (2002) The simple economics of unsustainable

practices has become more complex.
Profitability of unsustainable practices is
reduced by resulting negative publicity.

Smith (2003) CSR in industries with high market sensitivity

like the fast fashion industry is (Čiarnienė &
Vienažindienė, 2014), CSR is used by companies
 distinguish from competitors.

Seuring & Müller (2008) Legal demands/regulations Customer demands

Response to stakeholders
Competitive advantage Environmental and
social pressure groups Reputation loss

Caniato et al. (2012) Implemented in fast fashion due to growing

pressure coming from customers and
media.
Kozlowski et al. (2012) Fast fashion retailers are altering their
strategies and use restorative behavior when
they are attacked by NGO-actions and boycotts.

Table 1. Summary of objectives of implementing CSR

(Table source: Bross Tatum, implementation of corporate social responsibility within the fast
fashion industry, Wageningen University and Research, July 6, 2020)

CSR’s triple bottom line considerations in fashion industry

BOTTOM LNE ENVRONMENTAL SOCAL

Category Production Retail Post- Labor Huma Society

Consumptio practice n
n s rights

Practice Use of Eco- Garment Working Enhancing Projects

sustainable efficiency collection conditions diversity and
materials in at stores program supporting
clothes charities
for
vulnerable
groups

Table 2. Summary of TBL strategy

Looking at table 2 helped us find the answer to this question. Table 2 describes the
practices of the eight fast fashion retailers that are primarily employed by these retailers in
light of the information obtained from the websites of the various fast fashion retailers and
in accordance with the classification of social standards proposed for standards of CSR
implementation. The categorization of social sustainability practices has undergone
extensive development and comes in numerous forms. Understanding the most effective
and widely accepted categorization approach is so challenging.

Given that many of the larger fast fashion merchants employ them, this may be considered
one of their more effective CSR strategies. One could argue that because the larger fast
fashion retailers have specialized teams looking at their CSR plans, they are thought to be
the most successful and effective. These procedures, however, can also be the ones that
demand the least work from fast fashion shops, but customers may not place a great value
on them. Therefore, for a new fast fashion business, it might be more advantageous to
adopt methods other than the top six. The new quick fashion businesses can set themselves
apart from the established fast fashion merchants in this way.

DATA COLLECTION (SURVEY)

In order to understand and interpret how consumers are aware of Corporate Social
Responsibility, we would first provide the survey data of the samples.
The first question was to know the age of the respondents. Based on the survey, it was observed
that 69.7% (majority) of the respondents belonged to the age group of 18 – 28.

The second question was regarding the gender of the respondents. From this it was
observed that the number of female respondents dominated over the number of male
respondents.

The third question was to know the occupation of the respondents; from which it was
observed that most of the respondents (i.e., 64.5%) were students.
The fourth question was to know how many people were aware of the term CSR. From this
chart it was observed that 22.4% of the respondents are familiar with the CSR concept,
while only 15.8% of the respondents are well known with this concept. Here the
percentage of people not at all aware of this concept also accounts for 22.4%.

From this chart it is observed that 32.9% of the respondents strongly agree that the
companies should operate on a socially responsible level whereas 18.2% and 5.3% of the
respondents did not even consider this term to be important.
This question was framed to know the ranking order of various factors affecting the
purchasing behavior of the consumers.

From this chart, it is observed that 48.6% of the respondents agrees to pay extra whereas
38.9% are not sure of paying.
From this chart, it is observed that 59.7% of the respondents are willing to pay an extra
price of Rs. 100 – 500 whereas only 4.5% of the people are willing to pay an extra price of
Rs. 1501 – 2000.

From this chart, it is observed that only 22.4% of the respondents agree that their
purchasing behavior will definitely be affected if a company bears a proven track record of
poor CSR.
From this graph it is clear that “offering good quality products”, “being environmentally
friendly”, and “treating employees with respect” are the major factors contributing to the
company’s responsivenss.

According to the respondents the most important reason for the companies to get involved
in CSR activities is “to help society and the environment” and “to attract costumers’
attention”.
From this graph it is clear that a company must include all these factors in its CSR activities
and promote awareness among the society.
DATA INTERPRETATION

According to the data collected from the survey, it is found that the maximum numbers of
respondents belonged to the age group of 18 – 28 and were students. Here we have
conducted chi-square non-parametric test using the Minitab software to check the
dependency of each variable on the other. The sample size we took is 76 and we conducted
this test particularly on the age group because it is majorly associated with our chosen
topic and from this survey it is clear that the people in between the age group of 18 – 28 are
most aware of these practices
HYPOTHESIS TESTING:
We did a Chi- square goodness to fit test too prove that H0 (null hypothesis) is accepted. We
did this test using the minitab software. We did chi square test because:

I. Our sample size is more than 50.

II. We had to show the independency of the age factor through a non- parametric chi
square test.

We have done the test with 5% significance level.

AGE RESPONSE

A 5

B 53

C 7

D 6

E 5

Table 3: The empirical testing.

Observed and Expected Counts

Test Contribution
Category Observed Proportion Expected to Chi-Square
A 5 0.2 15.2 6.8447
B 53 0.2 15.2 94.0026
C 7 0.2 15.2 4.4237
D 6 0.2 15.2 5.5684
E 5 0.2 15.2 6.8447

Table 4 : The observed and the expected counts with calculations

Chi-Square Test

N DF Chi-Sq P-Value
76 4 117.684 0.000

Table 5: The calculated chi square value and p-value

Graph 1: chart of contribution to the chi- square value by category

Graph 2: chart of observed and expected values.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
From all the above research we can conclude that the place where CSR lacks in this
industry is “awareness” and the preference of investing upon it. According to GC No.
14/2021, The CSR spending obligation of any company should be at least two per cent of
the average net profits of the company made. When the limit s too low why would any
company put any more efforts on investing upon CSR!
From what we collected from primary and secondary data, “awareness” may be the main
problem. According to our hypothesis testing, our null hypothesis is failed to reject
that means the age factor is associated to be aware of the concept CSR activities.
Maximum people are just aware of the term CSR but are not deeply into it. Also CSR has
been much into green washing concept becoming a green washing machine.

SUGGESTIONS

TO REEVALUATE CSR :-

Without a doubt, corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a great theoretical paradigm that
corporations should apply to all industries. However, the current CSR initiatives have
largely stayed to be "less awful than being entirely excellent," despite the fact that business
does contain CSR aims (Visser, 2011). Without a question, this is where the case against
CSR is strongest.

Up to this point, CSR programs have generally shown progress on a micro level, such as
community projects or charitable giving. On the other hand, every indicator reveals that we
are regressing in terms of our environmental, social, and ethical advancements on a
worldwide scale (Visser, 2011). But given that CSR does not improve societal or
environmental conditions, why is it even a business strategy? The truth is that it frequently
refers to the notion of "profit maximization," and that CSR has only just come into being; as
Jonathan Wicks puts it, it is still in its "teenage years" in 2018. No matter what the
fundamental principles of running a business are, it typically begins with a goal of
providing the public with good intentions. But as the business expands, grows more
sophisticated, and shifts its focus to maximizing profit, the issue becomes more visible.

For instance, the founder Erling Persson's desire to "Build a retail chain with apparel at
prices that will suit everyone" served as the inspiration for the notion that made the
Swedish company H&M, the largest worldwide fast-fashion company, successful (cited in
Giertz-Må rtenson, 2012: 110). An open-minded concept with the best of intentions, but as
it gained momentum; it became much more commercially focused. (Giertz-Må rtenson,
2012).

LOOK FORWARD TOWARDS A TRANSPERANT CSR

According to Dickson et al. for a fashion company to be considered responsible, motivation

needs to be driven by a philosophy which balances ethics and profit and considers social
responsibility every day. (2009; Rinaldi and Testa, 2015). Fashion businesses must also
address the demands of all relevant parties. For instance, a worker-centric approach helps
to forge genuine partnerships with suppliers, and it must also incorporate a consumer-
centric approach to strike a balance on problems like transparency and traceability.
Because quick fashion companies frequently function by separating the manufacturing
process from the design and marketing operations, which leads to awful practises, more
expanded corporate social responsibility should urge fashion companies to add CSR
statements. Additionally, some contend that the current economic model for fashion is
almost the antithesis of sustainable, with a significant amount of environmental harm being
caused by the use of resources like water, energy, and oil.

Contrarily, there is no question that the fashion industry is adapting to the changing
consumer demand. However, the future of CSR will be determined and predicted by the
communication's legitimacy. Additionally, it is crucial that "one no longer views people as
simple customers with insatiable cravings for material products, but as human beings
striving to lead, healthy lives" in order to effectively communicate and market
environmental advances and increase stakeholder credibility. The path to a more credible
CSR will involve striking a balance between financial gain and societal and environmental
considerations, as well as effective consumer communication that doesn't mislead the
public.

TO EDUCATE MORE

According to our survey and testing we see that the age groups of 18-28 are well aware of
the concept of CSR. This includes maximum students. So it is very important for the
educational institutions to impart the know about corporate social responsibility by makin
it a mandatory subject.
TRENDS AND FUTURE SCOPES
 Due to the elimination of import quotas for all WTO members in 2005, there has
been an increase in competitive pressure on the European apparel & textile
industry. International trade relations, industrial organization and structure, new
and developing technology, human resources, and enforcing international norms
and conventions are five main elements that are anticipated to have a significant
impact on the sector during the next ten years.
 The main threats to the European textile markets are coming from China, India,
Pakistan, and the future Vietnam. Bangladesh is the main supplier of T-shirts to the
EU as it is permitted free entry for clothing. Its designation as a "least developed
nation" is the cause of this. These nations are incredibly competitive because they
offer every service imaginable, including textile manufacture, cutting, stitching, and
packing. As a result, the calls for renegotiating import limits are becoming more and
more vocal in Europe. The elimination of quotas would result in significant job
losses throughout the EU as businesses either close or move to less expensive areas
of production if the European Commission does not step in to protect domestic
manufacturers.
 Some of the world's poorest nations would face tremendous economic suffering as a
result of Chinese import subsidies and competitive pressure on their textile
businesses in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, two emerging nations. The EC would be
forced to create a fair policy that would support some relocation to China and India
but would nevertheless acknowledge the value of closeness to local markets in
order to protect domestic companies and fight wage dumping. By establishing these
prerequisites, a large portion of the industry would stay in Europe.
 It is anticipated that businesses will favor part-time employees, fixed-term
contracts, and temporary employment arrangements as a result of the push for
greater flexibility in human resources. Trends toward flexibility may also boost
resources available to the unorganized sector, which includes home and sweatshop
labour.
  The two ways that industries might respond to rising global competitiveness are
either by further reducing salaries and degrading working conditions or by stepping
up their efforts to provide high-quality or high-design content.

CONCLUSION
Corporate Social Responsibility is still struggling to make its place ethically in every
industry. It has been very important aspect to make a company ethically, legally, socially
and sustainably developed. Fast fashion brands, whose base is unsustainable, are trying to
make their brand CSR driven to make it little less unsustainable. The drivers behind CSR
implementation in the fast fashion sector diverge somewhat from the standard
classification of drivers. According to published works, the fast fashion industry's CSR
initiatives are only motivated by stakeholder needs. One distinguishing feature of CSR in
the fast fashion business is the stakeholder-driven motivation for implementation. It
demonstrates the pressures placed on the fast fashion sector to engage in CSR initiatives
and how, in the absence of these pressures, nothing would have changed. Additionally, it
shows that CSR initiatives in the fast fashion sector are only concerned with how they can
convince the general public and key stakeholders that they are doing good.

As a concept, corporate social responsibility is being studied from a variety of angles in the
garment and textile sector. The concerns that primarily derive from the ISO 26000
standard are examined most frequently in relation to working conditions and human
rights, particularly in the garment and textile industries of developing nations. In CSR
analysis, environmental protection concerns are also a key topic. It is possible to draw the
conclusion that responsibility shifts between two opposing orientations—economic
responsibility on the one hand, and ethical and philanthropic responsibility on the other—
on the basis of the analysis of the CSR concept from the perspective of the apparel and
textile sector. The garment and textile industry faces a variety of problems that necessitate
blending different ethical philosophies. Offering their clients high-quality items helps both
large corporations and small and medium-sized businesses make money while enhancing
their own reputation.

In conclusion, the history of corporate social responsibility and its connection to the
fashion industry have shown that its complexity and application are understood. Despite
the fact that CSR is viewed differently depending on the situation, it is fundamentally
driven by businesses' obligation to consider more than just "maximizing profit" and take
into account their impact on the environment and the communities in which they operate.
Understanding why CSR is a crucial application for this particular industry can be gained by
looking at the institutional framework of the fashion industry over history and the change
in how it functions. As a result, fashion manufacturers have increased output to keep up
with demand from overconsumption. As the green market has expanded, so has green
advertising, prompting some to accuse CSR of just serving as a PR tool or engaging in
"green washing" in order to continue demonstrating to consumers its commitment to
greener practices. However, it leaves out crucial details about how the firm affects the
society and ecosystems in which it operates. As a result, the debate over whether CSR has
succeeded can be considered as a valid indicator because the performance has not
benefitted communities or environments—in fact, it has had the opposite effect. However,
the support from the European Commission and other governments, which in turn forgets
the significance of CSR and instead bases its implementation on survival, may be related to
the answer.

Finally, CSR is and should be a road for the fashion business, not a dead end. This is because
the fashion sector is one that is made and sold by people for other people, and as a result,
its value has an impact on many people throughout the world, both positively and
adversely. Although it must be carried out for its primary goal and with responsibility if it is
to be successful
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