Research on the effects of corporate social responsibility (CSR) often neglects gender diversity as an outcome, while the literature on gender diversity as a predictor of CSR tends to focus on female representation at the top-managerial level. To address this gap, this analysis examines how responsible businesses can reduce the gender gap at work. The methodology is based on a quantitative design and a web-based questionnaire in a sample of 130 Latin American companies. Findings show that while CSR has no direct effect on closing the gender gap in organisations, it positively contributes to the implementation of gender-friendly strategies. Lower or more passive CSR-development levels have a negative impact on both, gender strategies and on the gender gap. While compliance-seeking companies are likely to increase the gender gap, self-protecting strategies such as those focusing on reputation and the social license to operate tend to block efforts to integrate gender issues as a part of the formal internal organisation. Finally, gender strategies such as awareness raising, and training targeting women were found to suppress the poor performance of compliance-seeking companies at reducing the gender gap.
