CSR Narratives by Global Fashion Brands in Social Media after Rana Plaza Collapse in Bangladesh

• In Event: Communicating With Power: Stakeholders and Corporations

Abstract

After the tragic collapse of Rana Plaza in Bangladesh in 2013, many global fashion brands that outsourced to Bangladesh’s garment factories performed corporate social responsibilities in order to help the victims and local communities as well as to restore their images as they were arguably directly responsible for the disaster. This paper employed a narrative analysis approach to interpret CSR videos of the global fashion brands in this case. Narrative structures and character formations were deconstructed to identify the negotiation of values among different stakeholders portrayed in CSR narratives. Our interpretations suggest that social media serve as a communication platform for CSR narratives to reach their maximum dramatic effect from constructing the heroes and framing the dilemmas that the Bangladeshi victims faced. In particular, the wrongdoers transformed as protagonists through third-party endorsements and viewers experienced the stories while engaging in a theatre through digital platforms.

Authors

• Suwichit Chaidaroon, University of Westminster

• Angela Mak, Hong Kong Baptist U

• Rizwan Sharif, University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh