Laurence Vigneau
Programme
PhD in CSR
In September 2010, I concluded my MA at the ICCSR, which included a research placement at Enterprise Rent-A-Car, where I studied their internal communications about CSR. Before joining the MA programme, I completed an undergraduate degree in Communication Studies from the University of Montreal in Canada and also studied Journalism at the University of Neuchâtel, in Switzerland. Upon graduating I worked for two years as an associate National Public Relations (Canada’s largest Public Relations firm). I was working in the corporate social responsibility practice group where I learnt a lot about CSR and had the chance to get hands-on experience in this field. I was involved in a number of projects ranging from research and analysis of CSR issues, principles and certifications; writing CSR reports; and engaging stakeholders through audits.
Having acquired academic and work experience in CSR, I realize more and more how passionate I am about this area of business and I am now eager to start a PhD that will combine both CSR and communication perspectives. I decided to join the PhD programme at the ICCSR because I really enjoyed my MA experience and felt that the ICCSR would be an excellent place to focus my research on CSR communication. What particularly attracted me about the centre were its multidisciplinary and international approaches as well as its reputation. For the next three years, I will focus my research on the construction of meaning around the notion of CSR in corporate communication. The objective of my research is to examine how a corporation’s CSR identity is constructed through its CSR strategy and deployed through processes of internal/external communication. The research will evaluate the sensemaking processes used in CSR strategy and communications.