Journal of Historical Research, Law and Policy 3115-7505 1 Serial Number 2 2023 04 01 The Role of Corporate Actors in Shaping Human Rights Outcomes: A Qualitative CSR Review The Role of Corporate Actors in Shaping Human Rights Outcomes: A Qualitative CSR Review 27 35 EN Journal Article 2023 02 11 <p>This study aims to explore how corporate actors understand, implement, and influence human rights outcomes through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) practices within the organizational and regulatory context of Tehran, Iran. Using a qualitative design, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 14 CSR professionals, legal advisors, and civil society experts based in Tehran. Participants were selected through purposive sampling, and interviews continued until theoretical saturation was reached. All interviews were transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis in NVivo software. The analysis followed a three-stage coding process: open coding, axial coding, and selective coding. Three main themes emerged from the analysis. First, strategic integration of human rights in CSR was facilitated by formal policy commitments, risk management systems, stakeholder engagement, and code of conduct enforcement. Second, corporate culture and ethical responsibility were shaped by leadership tone, employee awareness, and internal communication, though challenges such as resistance and cultural misalignment were also reported. Third, external pressures—including regulatory expectations, NGO influence, consumer and investor scrutiny, and global supply chain standards—played a critical role in shaping corporate human rights behavior. Participants emphasized that crisis events often triggered meaningful reforms, suggesting a reactive dimension to human rights implementation. The findings underscore that human rights engagement in the corporate sector is a multifaceted process shaped by internal structures, organizational culture, and external accountability mechanisms. In the Iranian context, despite regulatory and cultural constraints, companies are adopting a range of strategic and ethical practices to fulfill human rights obligations. The study contributes to global CSR literature by providing context-specific insights from a non-Western setting and offers practical implications for business leaders, policymakers, and stakeholders working to advance corporate human rights performance.</p> https://www.jhrlp.com/index.php/jhrlp/article/download/10/10