Business lawyers are expected to reflect on the impact of business decisions on society. They are involved in defining a company’s social responsibility and assessing its legal implications on, for example, contract law and tort law. This book helps to prepare law students and young business lawyers for this role. They are invited to take stock of the relevant concepts, roles, perspectives, issues and ongoing developments in corporate social responsibility (CSR). They will learn that perspective matters.

CSR for young business lawyers offers a continental-European perspective on civil law, with examples from the Netherlands and other countries, and case material derived from the practices of multinational corporations. The contributors to the book represent various areas of legal and business science. Part I of the book offers a crash course in CSR. Part II is an introduction to the role and perspective of stakeholders, attorneys, policymakers, and public interest lawyers. Part III covers contemporary issues such as direct parent company liability, corruption and bribery, tax avoidance, integrity in the financial sector, labour, and child labour. Each chapter is followed by a related case study. We hope that the book will inform, intrigue and inspire the reader.