Brand awareness and corporate social responsibility : the case of Eimskip USA

Abstract

The positive impact of Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives on company performance has been reported by many academics already. However, a number of studies regarding its impact on a company´s level of brand awareness is still limited.The purpose of this study was to examine whether the CSR activities undertaken by the Icelandic shipping company, Eimskip, operating in Portland, Maine, has any correlation with the company’s level of brand awareness among people living in the Greater Portland area. In order to fulfill the goal of the study, both qualitative and quantitative approaches were used. Although empirical results of the survey conductedamong the residents of the study area do not show significant associations between the variables, other interesting insights were revealed in the study that could be used as a direction for future investigation. This is especially the case for international companiessuch as Eimskip, who are planning to integrate with and have a positive impact on small communities around the world.