How and why businesses integrate ethics as part of their communication strategy?

Acknowledgements

I would like to address a special thank you to my supervisor, Mr Riccardo De Vita, whom has helped me with my research by shared with me his knowledge. It was a pleasure to have a supervisor who provided me with good advices and feedback.
In addition I would like to thank you the entire library staff for their support. A big thanks you also to my friends and family for their support and faith in me. You are my motivations.

Abstract

The notion of ethics applies and intervenes at every level of the "network" of a company, which produces or manipulates goods or services: since the upstream (supply, relations with the investors) until the approval distribution, (relations with the consumers) but also the management inside the company itself.
The current trends as for the application of ethical principles (communication, work on the brand image but also the concrete realizations) show that companies mainly perceived the interest that exists to take into account ethical values. But the alternation of success and failures proves that the real stakes in an ethical approach are badly understood, or that certain companies divert this notion in their profit.
The reason is that, there is no definition and lack of clear criteria to identify an ethical behaviour. The role of manager when adopting an ethical communication is then really important.

CONTENTS

Introduction Over the last few years, the interest in business ethics has grown significantly. Most companies are focus on their main goal, which is being profitable, however, many also try to adopt a good conduct that will have an effect on all shareholders. Nearly all corporations have now a code of ethics. As the demand towards the topic is rising, companies have to adopt themselves and have to incorporate CSR into their strategies.
Recent researches have shown that there is a positive link