Coporate branding and corporate social responsibility: Toward a multi-stakeholder interpretive perspective

•The sensemaking perspective of CSR in corporate branding is theorized.•Corporate brands are seen as shaped by multi-stakeholder interpretive processes.•Networked meaning construction is seen to cross blurred organizational boundaries.•An integrative framework on CSR identity and reputation creation cycles is built.•The growing centrality of CSR to corporate marketing and brands is substantiated.