ABSTRACT
Civic leaders are concerned with the quality of life of local residents. Attempts to improve quality of life have typically involved the provision of amenities and services, but increasingly other activities traditionally viewed as opportunities for economic and tourism development are now seen as occasions to engage local communities through community development while simultaneously engaging the corporate community. Part of the appeal of festivals and large-scale sporting and cultural events such as the Olympic Games is in enhancing community engagement through volunteering and participation in the festival atmosphere. While this agenda is still secondary to the larger economic imperative tied to the hosting of the events, it is nonetheless a means of focusing some of the efforts and resources associated with the events on enhancing communities and community development (Misener and Mason, 2010). As part of this agenda, the notion of corporate social responsibility (CSR) has emerged as a means to focus attention on the need to ensure sustainable and responsible practices in communities associated with events. While the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has not officially adopted any policy specifically related to social responsibility, it encourages host cities to engage in socially responsible practices. According to the IOC Olympic Charter, its role is “to encourage and support a responsible concern for environmental issues, to promote sustainable development in sport and to require that the Olympic Games are held accordingly” (IOC, 2011: 14).
