Exploring Corporate Social Responsibility under the Background of Sustainable Development Goals: A Proposal to Corporate Volunteering

María Isabel Saz-Gil,José Paulo Cosenza,Anabel Zardoya-Alegría,Ana I. Gil-Lacruz

doi:10.3390/su12124811

María Isabel Saz-Gil, José Paulo Cosenza + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/su12124811

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Abstract

The research into corporate volunteering (CV) has been prolific, although few studies have focused their approach on senior and retired workers under the framework of the corporate social responsibility (CSR). The social participation of retirees in CV activities contributes to the businesses’ socially responsible performance and can be intimately connected with the global commitment pursued by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by the year 2030. This article aims to explore the key issues that might have influence the effective implementation of CV programs to integrate retired and pre-retired workers, promoting a participatory and healthy aging. Based on the interface of internal and external corporate social responsibility, we discuss how CV can achieve social legitimacy, influencing the health and well-being of workers beyond the employment relationship. The main contribution of this article to the state of art is to extend the literature on CSR and CV by elaborating a theoretical model that integrates both perspectives with the focus on the SDGs. The results suggest that SDGs represent an opportunity and a frame of reference for CSR strategies. Companies engaged in senior CV activities could enhance their corporate and social images within the strategic action of social responsibility, indisputably improving people’s health and well-being.

Highlights

In the year 2015, the United Nations published a plan called the “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” [1]
Despite the relevance of volunteer activities carried out by active workers (I-corporate social responsibility (CSR) approach), we focus on senior volunteerism (E-CSR approach) to promote social responsibility for its intrinsic value with a sustainable behavior of companies to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
We developed a model that provides a theoretical and conceptual framework based on a comprehensive vision on the relationship between corporate volunteering and its implications in the internal corporate social responsibility (I-CSR), emphasizing its role on health and well-being (SDG 3), and its external corporate social responsibility (E-CSR) demands, suggesting building a network of partnerships with external social agents (SDG 17)

Summary

Introduction

In the year 2015, the United Nations published a plan called the “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” [1]. 17 SDGs were established (see [3,4]) They potentially aim to offer a new way to advance development policy and practice, with an emphasis on a broad range of global goals and targets for the world by 2030 [5]. In these global goals, we highlight the SDGs 3 and 17, whose purpose, respectively, is to guarantee a healthy life through well-being at all ages (SDG 3—health and well-being), and revitalize the global cooperation among the stakeholders for the sustainable development of the world (SDG 17—partnerships). We believe that businesses and civil society actors are able to align with the new SDG agenda by working on the aforementioned goals

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