The results in this paper should help connect theoretical concepts with CSR practices in the current business world. This paper will present the findings of a survey sent to businesses in the UK, the Netherlands, and Germany. The empirical data indicate some interesting tendencies. CSR as perceived within the business community is strongly related to environmental management and has a longer history than might have been expected. External factors, such as legal requirements, general external pressure (NGOs, globalization), and media coverage and campaigning have triggered changes in the business world in favor of CSR, but when CSR policies and schemes are initially under discussion, internal forces, such as the board of directors and the middle management, take over and lead the process. Furthermore, the results of the questionnaire show that external forces, such as government, NGOs, and communities, are not relevant with respect to driving CSR development forward.