CSR communication vs. protest movement campaign in Chile: A case study of the HidroAysén megaproject debate

This paper is a case study of CSR communications versus protest movement campaign in hydroelectric megaproject development in Chilean Patagonia. It surveys a case in which a company initially sought invisibility for its megaproject, which protest made visible. It then examines how the company’s subsequent CSR campaign generated backlash or a “boomerang effect”. Because many energy and mining megaprojects are currently planned – and protested – in Chile, research that offers insights into CSR communication in such conflicts is needed.