This study explores the role of management education in transforming students' understandings of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) by improving CSR teaching in business schools. Sustainability challenges require future leaders to be equipped with a thorough understanding of CSR, yet the concept remains ambiguous and contested. This research examines how students’ pre-existing social representations of CSR shape their learning, and how professors’ conceptions and teaching methods influence students’ understanding. The study was conducted at a leading European business school where CSR is a mandatory course for all students. Data were collected from 11 courses, interviews with 6 professors, their pedagogical materials, and questionnaires completed by 1153 students over two academic years. Using prototypical and thematic analysis, the study identified key tensions in students' CSR definitions, including the voluntary vs. obligatory nature of CSR, its link to profit, and varying views on CSR’s relationship with business. After the course, students’ CSR conceptions broadened, incorporating more dimensions and less conflicting views. Professors’ personal conceptions and teaching methods, such as experiential learning vs. applied tools, shaped students' CSR understanding. The study highlights the importance of addressing students' pre-existing representations and suggests that transparent, reflective teaching practices can foster a more comprehensive understanding of essentially contested concepts like CSR. The implications of this research extend to business schools, which play a pivotal role in cultivating responsible management education and shaping future leaders committed to CSR.
