This paper analyzes the theoretical and empirical relationship between corporate social responsibility and social capital. The focus is on a specific kind of nonprofit organizations: the social cooperatives. With respect to the previous studies on the relationship between participation in nonprofit organizations and social capital creation, this contribution reveals a main reason of interest.
We point out the operational characteristics of nonprofit organizations and show the importance of some managerial decisions in fostering the creation of social capital intended as cooperative social network, generalized trust and relational skills.
The analysis shows a positive effect of the adoption of CSR good practices on the social capital of cooperatives’ members.