Abstract Purpose This paper aims to reinforce the arguments for applying the social support concept in social marketing. Design/methodology/approach This paper aims to conceptually outline the potential positive contribution of social support for social marketing practice as a tool to induce behavior change. Findings This paper focuses on the philosophical principle of social exchange, highlights the consumer-centered perspective of social marketing, which implies the natural evaluation of the social networks of influence and support and presents social support as a mechanism to induce long-term behavior change. Research limitations/implications No empirical (qualitative or quantitative) investigations were used to test the application of the concept in practical interventions. Practical implications This paper provides significant insights for intervention developers that can be used to program and theoretically justify future social marketing interventions applying the social support concept. Social implications Empirical research concluded for a positive relation between social support and human health and well-being. Thus, increasing the use of the concept in social marketing can serve to attain these social goals. Originality/value The concept of social support has gained considerable interest in the areas of behavioral medicine and health psychology. Despite such interest, it is still not clear how it can be approached in social marketing as there is a lack of conceptual literature discussing social support from a social marketing perspective, the number of social marketing interventions operationalizing the concept is limited and, till date, no research has focused in comprehensively establishing a theoretical rationale to operationalize the concept in social marketing.

El relato integrado promete un nuevo enfoque al reporte corporativo basado en el pensamiento integrado, una visión a largo plazo, una perspectiva ampliada de la creación de valor y una mejor articulación entre la estrategia y los modelos de negocio, así como una mayor integración de la responsabilidad social y sostenibilidad en el negocio. A pesar del potencial del relato integrado para alterar de forma significativa la forma en que la responsabilidad social es actualmente reportada, los investigadores en el área del marketing especializados en ética y responsabilidad social parecen ajenos a la discusión que ocurre en la academia sobre relato integrado. En este artículo evaluamos si los relatos integrados conceptualizados por el International Integrated Reporting Council pueden considerarse una fuente de información relevante para operacionalizar el modelo de responsabilidad social corporativa desarrollado por Maignan, Ferrell y Ferrell. Concluimos que los relatos integrados presentan importantes limitaciones, relacionadas sobre todo con el hecho de que se centran exclusivamente en las necesidades de información de los inversores y no requieren a las empresas el reporte del impacto total de sus actividades sobre otras partes interesadas en la empresa. Este estudio contribuye a esta edición especial dedicada al tema de la comunicación estratégica por el encuadramiento que hace de la contribución potencial del relato integrado para la comunicación estratégica de la responsabilidad social corporativa.

O relato integrado promete uma nova abordagem ao reporte corporativo baseada em pensamento integrado, uma visão de longo prazo, uma perspetiva alargada da criação de valor e uma melhor articulação entre a estratégia e os modelos de negócio, bem como uma maior integração da responsabilidade social e sustentabilidade no negócio. Apesar do potencial do relato integrado para alterar de forma significativa a forma como a responsabilidade social é presentemente reportada, os investigadores na área do marketing especializados em ética e responsabilidade social parecem alheados da discussão que ocorre na academia sobre relatório integrado. Neste artigo avaliamos se o relatório integrado conceptualizado pelo International Integrated Reporting Council pode ser considerado uma fonte de informação relevante para operacionalizar o modelo de responsabilidade social corporativa desenvolvido por Maignan, Ferrell and Ferrell. Concluímos que os relatórios integrados apresentam importantes limitações, relacionadas sobretudo com o fato de serem exclusivamente focados nas necessidades de informação dos investidores e não requererem às empresas o reporte do impato total das suas actividades sobre outras partes interessadas na empresa. Este estudo contribui para esta edição especial dedicada ao tema da comunicação estratégica pelo enquadramento que faz do contributo potencial do relato integrado para a comunicação estratégica da responsabilidade social corporativa.

Integrated reporting brings the promise of a new approach to corporate reporting based on integrated thinking, long-term focus, a broader view of value creation and a better articulation of organizations’ strategy and business models and further integration of corporate social responsibility and sustainability in business. Despite the potential of integrated reporting to drastically change the way corporate social responsibility is currently reported, marketing scholars focusing on ethics and social responsibility seem to be alienated from the discussion occurring in academia about integrated reporting. In this article we evaluate if integrated reports, as conceptualized by the International Integrated Reporting Council, may be used as a relevant source of information to operationalize Maignan, Ferrell and Ferrell’s stakeholder model of corporate social responsibility. We conclude that integrated reports present some important limitations, mostly related with being exclusively focused on the information needs of investors and not requiring companies to report on the full impact of their activities on other stakeholders. This study contributes to this special issue dedicated to the topic of strategic communication by framing the potential contribution of integrated reporting to strategic communication of corporate social responsibility.