This paper examines the recent shift in the trajectory of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and considers the political role that companies should assume within society. Rather than adding a new layer to how private firms may address the insufficiencies of public authorities, the paper initiates a conversation on how firms can approach serving a political role as a counterweight to the public authorities. Specifically, it argues for overriding the legalist assumption that companies should adhere to the law and proposes integrating corporate disobedience into the CSR discourse. The paper does not endorse a specific moral stance but draws from theories of political obligation to identify the conditions for corporate disobedience.
