Corporate legitimacy relies on alignment with societal norms, values, and stakeholder expectations. When companies face scandals, their legitimacy is threatened, necessitating strategic responses to restore trust. This study examines how corporate discourse enacts legitimation strategies to repair pragmatic, moral, and cognitive legitimacy. Using Volkswagen’s 2015 Dieselgate scandal as a case study, a critical discourse analysis (CDA) was conducted on the company’s public communications, including texts from its newsroom and investor relations sections. Findings reveal that Volkswagen employed multiple legitimation strategies. To restore pragmatic legitimacy, the company reassured customers and shareholders through recall campaigns, dividend proposals, and capital increases. A monitoring strategy, symbolized by the Sustainability Council, was also emphasized to prevent future misconduct. Moral legitimacy was addressed through leadership changes, internal investigations, and public apologies, reinforcing integrity and trust. Cognitive legitimacy was rebuilt by framing Volkswagen’s core qualities as consistent with its past and future corporate identity, thus maintaining continuity in its narrative. This study highlights the role of discourse in repairing legitimacy, demonstrating how corporate communication can shape stakeholder perceptions. The findings have implications for external corporate reporting, suggesting that strategic messaging can influence public trust even in the absence of immediate corrective actions. Additionally, by applying CDA, the study illustrates how textual representations of social events, discourse features, and legitimation strategies collectively impact audience perceptions. These insights contribute to the broader understanding of legitimacy restoration and offer guidance for corporate communication in times of crisis, particularly in high-profile scandals.
