Embodying CSR Through Aligned Communication - A Case Study From a Small Sustainable Danish Bank

Following the onset of the financial crisis in 2008, allegedly sparked by the misuse of subprime mortgages in the financial sector, it seemed quite tempting for a number of businesses in the financial sector – as well as other sectors – to resort to using CSR communication as a lever to improve a somewhat tarnished image and reputation clinging to the entire sector – regardless of whether the particular business was in fact to blame for contributing to the crisis. Amidst this tendency to use and sometimes misuse CSR communication, a few businesses stood out as they chose not to use this lever – one of them is the small Danish bank Merkur, which is the focus of this case study. As a sustainable bank lending money to business customers, which are committed to focus on sustainability, Merkur actively and deliberately chooses not to communicate CSR in the more conventional way through text and talk. However, it seems evident that this small bank is committed to CSR. So how does the bank communicate CSR – or in this particular case rather enact CSR through careful alignment? And may this case in any way be inspirational to other businesses in the sector and in other sectors?