Constructing CSR Communication Through The Discourse Of Caring And Solidarity

Abstract

This study investigates how non-profit organizations in Iskandar Malaysia construct Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) communication through the discourse of caring and solidarity during the COVID-19 crisis. Focusing on the Social Hero Foundation (SHF) and its partner NGOs, the research employs Fairclough’s three-dimensional Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) text, discursive practice, and social practice integrated with Mele and Garriga’s CSR typology (ethical and integrative orientations). Six Facebook posts published between March and December 2020 were purposively selected for in-depth analysis. Findings reveal that inclusive pronouns, emotive language, and numerical substantiation are strategically deployed to frame beneficiaries as active partners, foster collective agency, and legitimise urgent action. The study offers a replicable CDA-based analytical model for NGO crisis communication and enriches CSR theory by demonstrating the operationalisation of ethical and integrative CSR within digital discourse.