eISSN: 3087-4084 editor@aimjournals.com
All Journals
Submit your article

International Journal of Management and Business Development

Open Access Peer Review International
Open Access

Integration of Corporate PR Strategies into the Promotion of Social and Charitable Projects: Models, Risks, and Impact Assessment

DOI https://doi.org/10.55640/ijmbd-v03i09-02
PDF
Liubov Krasnoslobodtseva 1 ,
4 Strategic PR Consultant and Independent Researcher Germany, Berlin

Abstract

In the context of intensifying competition for financial, informational, and human resources, the nonprofit sector faces the need to move from fragmented tactical fundraising actions toward integrated communication architectures comparable, in strategic sophistication, to corporate PR practices. The present study aims to analyze and systematize strategic PR models formed in the business environment in order to identify possibilities for their application to increasing effectiveness and long-term sustainability of social projects.

The empirical and analytical basis of the work is built on a qualitative analysis methodology and combines a systematic review of scholarly literature within Scopus/WoS corpora, a comparative content analysis of strategic documents of NGOs (WWF) and corporations (AT&T), as well as case studies that include partnership initiatives in the sports sphere and environmental communication campaigns. This methodological composition ensures comparability of approaches across different organizational types and makes it possible to identify not only declarative elements of strategies, but also the logics of their practical implementation.

The findings indicate that strengthening PR effectiveness in NGOs is associated primarily with adopting the “organizational listening” paradigm, which presupposes institutionalization of feedback and systematic work with stakeholder expectations, as well as with applying the “single narrative” framework in configurations of cooperation with business, where semantic consistency of messages sustains trust and reduces the risk of fragmentation of reputational capital. In addition, “co-governance” models are examined, manifesting in sports projects through distribution of responsibility and coordination of decisions among partners, along with a four-phase stakeholder engagement model in environmental campaigns, where a sequential participation dynamic functions as a mechanism for enhancing communication legitimacy and durability of effects.

In conclusion, the argument is substantiated that mechanical transfer of corporate PR models—without deep strategic adaptation to the mission-driven nature of NGOs and without an expanded risk-management system—may lead to mission erosion and the undermining of trust among key audiences. The presented provisions retain applied significance for the research agenda in media and communication studies, as well as for PR practitioners and nonprofit managers oriented toward increasing strategic returns and public value of social initiatives.

Keywords

Strategic PR, Nonprofit organizations (NGOs), Corporate social responsibility (CSR), Social projects, Promotion, Communication strategies, Organizational listening, Single narrative, Social impact assessment, Greenwashing

References

Bonin, M., Pecher, C., & Pankoke, A. (2025). Between authenticity and automation: Nonprofit organizations navigating AI-driven communication. SSOAR. Retrieved from: https://www.ssoar.info/ssoar/bitstream/handle/document/102801/ssoar-2025-bonin_et_al-Between_Authenticity_and_Automation_Nonprofit-Organizations.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y (date accessed: October 4, 2025).
Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose (CECP). (2024). Giving in Numbers 2024. Retrieved from: https://cecp.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Giving-in-Numbers-2024.pdf?redirect=no (date accessed: October 9, 2025).
Gonçalves, G., & Oliveira, E. (2022). Introducing nonprofit communication. In G. Gonçalves & E. Oliveira (Eds.), The Routledge handbook of nonprofit communication (pp. 22–33). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003170563-1
Müller, N., Tavares, P., & Simão, J. (2024). How should we interpret silence in qualitative communication studies? Social Sciences, 13(6), 310. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13060310
Macnamara, J., & Gregory, A. (2018). Expanding evaluation to progress strategic communication: Beyond message tracking to open listening. International Journal of Strategic Communication, 12(4), 469–486. https://doi.org/10.1080/1553118X.2018.1450255
Macnamara, J. (2024). Jim Macnamara’s MEL manual for public communication: Measurement, evaluation, & learning. University of Technology Sydney. Retrieved from: https://www.uts.edu.au/globalassets/sites/default/files/2024-12/Jim-Macnamaras-MEL-Manual.pdf (date accessed: October 14, 2025).
Ajayi, O. A., & Mmutle, T. (2021). Corporate reputation through strategic communication of corporate social responsibility. Corporate Communications: An International Journal, 26(5), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1108/CCIJ-02-2020-0047
Office for Nuclear Regulation. (2020). Stakeholder engagement strategy 2020–25. Retrieved from: https://www.onr.org.uk/publications/corporate-publications/stakeholder-engagement-strategy-2020-25.pdf (date accessed: October 20, 2025).
Fallah Shayan, N., Mohabbati-Kalejahi, N., Alavi, S., & Zahed, M. A. (2022). Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a framework for corporate social responsibility (CSR). Sustainability, 14(3), 1222. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14031222
Vilo, J. (2023, March 24). Rector’s programme. University of Tartu. Retrieved from: https://www.ut.ee/en/media/14956/download (date accessed: October 25, 2025).
Sarabi, S. E., Hanania, S., Menger, J., & Matthews, B. (2020). Bringing cities to life, bringing life into cities: Business models, finance and governance for nature-based solutions (Deliverable 10). Connecting Nature. Retrieved from: https://connectingnature.oppla.eu/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Connecting-Nature-D10.1-Bringing-Cities-to-Life-Bringing-Life-into-Cities-Business-models-finance-and-governance-for-NBS.pdf (date accessed: November 1, 2025).
Judijanto, L. (2025). The importance of a single narrative communication in addressing the global negative campaign against palm oil products. Journal of Environmental & Earth Sciences, 7(10), 69–87. https://doi.org/10.30564/jees.v7i10.11841
Mu, H., & Lee, Y. (2023). Greenwashing in corporate social responsibility: A dual-faceted analysis of its impact on employee trust and identification. Sustainability, 15(22), 15693. https://doi.org/10.3390/su152215693
Abiddin, N. Z., Ibrahim, I., & Abdul Aziz, S. A. (2022). Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and their part towards sustainable community development. Sustainability, 14(8), 4386. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14084386
McKinsey & Company. (2024, September). A pivot for Germany. Retrieved from: http://www.mckinsey.com/de/~/media/mckinsey/locations/europe%20and%20middle%20east/deutschland/news/presse/2024/2024-09-30%20wachstumswende%20deutschland/mckinsey_a%20pivot%20for%20germany_september%202024.pdf (date accessed: November 15, 2025).
Laudes Foundation. (2023). Independent evaluation of C&A Foundation programme and… (Vol. 2: Programme case studies). Retrieved from: https://www.laudesfoundation.org/media/lomdk1my/ca-foundation-oee-volume-2-programme-case-studies-final.pdf (date accessed: December 5, 2025).
Quadriga University of Applied Sciences. (2023). The future of PR/Comms and their social impact. Retrieved from: https://www.quadriga-hochschule.com/app/uploads/2023/09/QHS_Future-of-PR-Comms-and-their-social-impact_EN.pdf (date accessed: December 20, 2025).
Dike, H. W. (2025). Public relations strategies and reputation management: Mastering stakeholder engagement and community building. International Journal of Latest Technology in Engineering Management & Applied Science, 14(3), 52–60. https://doi.org/10.51583/IJLTEMAS.2025.14030008

Most read articles by the same author(s)

<< < 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 > >> 

Similar Articles

1-10 of 66

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.