Carroll's CSR Pyramid
Updated 2026-08-09
INTRODUCTION
English translation pending.
CORE DEFINITION
Carroll's CSR Pyramid was proposed by Archie Carroll in 1991 as a four-layer model of corporate social responsibility. From the base upward the four responsibilities are economic, being profitable and creating value for shareholders; legal, obeying the laws and regulations; ethical, doing what is right and avoiding harm; and philanthropic, giving back to society and being a good corporate citizen. The logic is to survive first through profit, then comply, then do right, then give back, with each layer built on the one below. Societal expectation of a firm is layered and cumulative, not a set of either-or choices.
SCAFFOLDING EFFECT
Reduce cognitive load
- Order the four layers: secure the economic and legal basics before pursuing charity. - Treat them as cumulative: remember that each higher layer rests on the one beneath. - Watch for inversion: never let philanthropy mask weak compliance or poor ethics.
Anchor fast decisions
Carroll's four-layer pyramid of economic, legal, ethical and philanthropic responsibility rests on the logic of surviving first through profit, then complying with law, then doing right, then giving back, with upper layers resting on lower ones. Societal expectations are layered and cumulative, never a simple either-or.
MINIMUM ACTION
In progress 0/1Practice this model in one real situation:
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Source support: Explicit
- en.wikipedia.orghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporate_social_responsibilityverified
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