Measuring perceived social sustainability of brands – A scale development

Abstract

Consumer perceptions regarding a brand’s commitment to social sustainability is a crucial differentiator and contributes to brand equity. Despite the acknowledged importance, presently no measurement scale is available for measuring consumer Perceived Social Sustainability of Brands (PSSB). This study, therefore, attempts to develop and validate the PSSB scale. Results from two empirical studies were used to establish the psychometric properties of the PSSB scale. Findings reveal PSSB comprises of six underlying dimensions namely: supporting education, supporting community, supporting innovative growth, supporting poverty elimination, supporting healthy living, and supporting sustainable water management. Based on the empirical studies a final refined scale with 26 measurement items was developed after testing for reliability and validity. We also tested the predictive validity of the scale, which show that PSSB is a valid predictor of outcomes such as brand trust and brand image. PSSB scale is developed around SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) to help managers measure, understand, and accordingly mainstream the brand’s social sustainability perceptions among their target consumers and potential markets.