The Impact of Digital Marketing on Sustainable Consumption and Environmental Product Management in China: A Business Model and Legal Perspective

Adopting sustainable consumption behaviors is imperative for achieving better sustainable production and consumption patterns (SDG12). Individuals play a crucial role in this goal as both part of the problem and the solution. Consequently, various actors aim to address the factors influencing individuals' adoption of these behaviors. Among these actors, higher education institutions play a unique role due to their opportunity to guide future generations through Education for Sustainable Consumption (ESC) towards sustainable values, attitudes, competencies, and behaviors. Understanding the drivers and barriers individuals face toward sustainable consumption is crucial for actively pursuing sustainability. However, few efforts have addressed this problem based on the actual experiences of individuals, and even fewer have focused on students as individuals who will hopefully lead organizations with a sustainability mindset. This research aims to fill this gap by linking a pedagogical strategy of active learning to the adoption of sustainable behaviors. Using a qualitative approach, we analyzed the experiences that students reported over three academic semesters in an online forum. The findings reveal that barriers to adopting sustainable behaviors are mostly contextual, while internal factors motivate people to advance toward this type of practice. From this methodological approach, emergent factors provide insights that could guide future policies and strategies to achieve better sustainable consumption patterns.

Sustainable Development Goal 12 (SDG 12) aims at boosting sustainable consumption and production patterns (SCPP) globally, forming a critical component of the 2030 Agenda for SD. Despite progress in corporate sustainability reporting, significant challenges remain, particularly in emerging economies like Vietnam, which is undergoing industrial transformation while striving to address environmental and resource sustainability challenges. Addressing these issues requires urgent action to raise awareness and manage finite natural resources more sustainably. Digitalization (DI) in supply chains has emerged as a key solution for greening product life cycles. Thus, this research delves into the association between DI and SCPP among small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) in emerging economies, emphasizing the mediating roles of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and green supply chain management (GSCM). A quantitative approach was employed in this paper, and data were acquired through a thoughtfully crafted survey questionnaire targeting individuals in senior management and middle management at companies. This earned 429 valid responses from middle managers and senior managers in Vietnam SMEs. Subsequently, SmartPLS version 4.1.0.0 was leveraged to investigate the hypothesized relationships. The outcomes highlight that DI strengthens GSCM, CSR, and SCPP, as well as the bond between CSR and GSCM, which are statistically significant. Furthermore, the findings demonstrate GSCM and CSR serve as intermediary factors linking DI and SCPP within enterprises. Grounded in empirical evidence from Vietnamese SMEs, this study adds valuable insights to the current set of insights on SCPP by presenting an empirically operationalized framework that integrates dynamic capabilities theory and stakeholder theory. Simultaneously, this research supplies new approaches for leaders and managers on how to pursue SCPP as part of green supply chain transformation through digital innovation, along with making a meaningful advancement in the evolution of the academic discourse on the SDGs.

A multidisciplinary computer-based field study among 393 Dutch households examined how people judge the social sustainability (quality-of-life effects) of sustainable household consumption patterns (less energy-use demanding) and associated policy options. The study revealed that about two-thirds of the households had to reduce their direct and indirect energy use within the next five years in order to move towards environmentally sustainable consumption patterns. The least sustainable consumption patterns were found among high-income groups and young couples. Overall, respondents did not believe that their quality of life will be affected as long as the necessary reduction of energy use stays below 30 gigajoules (24% of their total household energy use). Moreover, respondents were willing to accept almost all energy-saving policy measures. However, respondents did appear to be more willing to pay for sustaining their comfort, freedom and pleasure while reducing the environmental impact of their consumption than they were to give up some of their quality of life.

Purpose Recently, authors have determined varieties in the development of corporate social responsibility (CSR) within Europe. This chapter examines similarities and differences in sustainability and related CSR developments in two contrasting European countries, namely Germany (industrialized society) and Croatia (transitional society). It has been argued that sustainable development is an industrial phenomenon common among Western European countries and the USA, often marked as post-industrial societies, and usually not observed in post-socialist and transitional societies which are confronted with an inner need for economic, political, and overall (re)structuring. Concerning differences within Europe, the concept of sustainable development in general and CSR concepts, in particular, have been described in the literature as less advanced in Eastern European countries than in Western European countries. Taking into account socio-cultural influences on the way CSR is understood and practiced, this study discusses this assumption and also addresses the question whether CSR is differently developed and not implicitly less developed. Design/methodology/approach As an illustrative example, a small empirical study was conducted to examine whether consumers in Croatia are actually less prepared for CSR, and, on the other hand, whether they just focus on different dimensions of CSR than consumers in Germany. In more detail, it examined differences in participants’ attitudes, social norms, and perceived level of control with regard to sustainable fashion consumption between German and Croatian consumers. Findings The study’s findings support the assumption of previous studies that consumers’ lack of interest in CSR and knowledge deficits in this regard are likely to be a barrier for CSR development in Croatia. Yet, it also illustrates that the CSR development in Eastern European countries should not automatically be seen as less advanced but in some parts just as different. Findings from the study on differences with regard to the importance of different sustainability dimensions, namely the social and environmental dimension of CSR, support the assumption that the way CSR is understood and practiced differs due to socio-cultural differences. Research limitations/implications As the understanding and development of CSR seem to depend on the socio-cultural context, further research is needed to examine which concepts are present in Croatia concerning sustainability and CSR. Practical implications The findings provide information on the current status of CSR development and sustainable development in two differently governed nations of the EU, namely Germany and Croatia. Resulting practical implications for CSR strategies of companies and interventions to support CSR development and sustainable consumption patterns in both countries are discussed. Originality/value Comparative CSR studies, especially within Europe, are in general rare and in particular, this study is one of a so far very limited number of studies on CSR in Eastern Europe.

SummaryBringing about more sustainable consumption patterns is an important challenge for society and science. In this article the concept of household metabolism is applied to analyzing consumption patterns and to identifying possibilities for the development of sustainable household consumption patterns. Household metabolism is determined in terms of total energy requirements, including both direct and indirect energy requirements, using a hybrid method. This method enables us to evaluate various determinants of the environmental load of consumption consistently at several levels—the national level, the local level, and the household level.The average annual energy requirement of households varies considerably between the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Norway, and Sweden, as well as within these countries. The average expenditure level per household explains a large part of the observed variations. Differences between these countries are also related to the efficiency of the production sectors and to the energy supply system. The consumption categories of food, transport, and recreation show the largest contributions to the environmental load. A comparison of consumer groups with different household characteristics shows remarkable differences in the division of spending over the consumption categories.Thus, analyses of different types of households are important for providing a basis for options to induce decreases of the environmental load of household consumption. At the city level, options for change are provided by an analysis of the city infrastructure, which determines a large part of the direct energy use by households (for transport and heating). At the national level, energy efficiency in production and in electricity generation is an important trigger for decreasing household energy requirements.

Across the literature, two broad behavior strategies toward sustainable food consumption are emphasized across the literature. The first strategy is related to sustainable product choices concerning how the outcome is produced, while the second one keeps a check on sustainable dietary patterns in terms of the composition within product categories. Considering these behavior strategies, while focusing especially on purchasing sustainable organic foods and preferring curtailment behaviors, conversion to this type of intake became a relevant objective among the specialists established for attaining sustainability. Consequently, the aim of this study was to observe the main changes in sustainable consumption patterns concerning these behavior strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic (August 2020), compared to the previous period (November–December 2019), in Iasi County, Romania. This study emphasizes an image of daily consumption that has been changed, at least regarding some specific aspects, due to the pandemic in the investigated Romanian context. First, the tendency to shop more during the working days could be generally observed and completed by the fact that the consumers felt safer in open spaces, like the food markets, compared to close spaces, be they supermarkets or grocery stores. Next, other main results showed that (1) the responsibility of consumers increased with regard to the purchase and waste of fresh vegetables and meat, preferring to buy more often and throw away less during the pandemic; (2) the behavior strategy in terms of organic food seemed to be discouraged in this period; and (3) local food appeared to have increased consumers' support. In addition, the pandemic crisis was shown as a driver in the digitalization of the shopping process. Accordingly, the COVID-19 pandemic seemed to have significant effects on sustainable consumption over the short and (at least) medium run, determining some changes in consumption patterns that could support, to a considerable extent, the effort of attaining a more sustainable path. However, our findings revealed some gaps in terms of societal knowledge about sustainable consumption and, consequently, call for the necessity of educating individuals on what this concept really means and why it is important to be achieved.

PurposeThis study examines the role of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in sustainable supply chain management, specifically targeting the dimensions most valued by practitioners. By identifying and ranking key CSR dimensions—Environmental Management, Social Responsibility, Customer Management and Health, Safety and Risk Management—the research aims to establish a framework that enhances CSR implementation in supply chains.Design/methodology/approachThe study uses a quantitative survey of supply chain management practitioners, analyzed through the Consistency Fuzzy Preference Relations (CFPR). This methodology enables a pairwise comparison to determine the relative importance of CSR dimensions. The sample includes professionals with varying levels of experience and roles in supply chain management, ensuring diverse perspectives on CSR priorities.FindingsResults indicate that Health, Safety and Risk Management is considered the most critical CSR dimension, followed by Customer Management and Social Responsibility, with Environmental Management ranked last. The findings suggest that practitioners prioritize CSR elements that directly impact organizational safety and risk, highlighting a potential gap between broader CSR goals and operational focus areas in supply chains.Research limitations/implicationsThe study offers a scalable CSR assessment model for supply chains, though limited by a sample size focused on practitioners from a single geographic region. Further research could broaden the sample and explore industry-specific CSR priorities.Practical implicationsBy highlighting Health, Safety and Risk Management as the primary CSR focus, this study provides actionable insights for supply chain managers. The findings can guide companies in developing CSR policies that align with practitioner priorities, thus enhancing sustainability efforts and stakeholder trust in supply chain operations.Originality/valueThis research extends existing literature by employing a CFPR approach, which enables a more refined prioritization of CSR dimensions from the perspective of supply chain practitioners. Unlike previous studies that focus on general CSR criteria, this study provides an industry-specific evaluation, offering insights that bridge theoretical CSR frameworks with operational decision-making in sustainable supply chain management.

Ensuring sustainable consumption and production pattern in Africa: Evidence from green energy perspectives

Upskilling is a prevailing trend in the workplace that provides employees with updated and advanced training programs and opportunities to enhance their skills and bridge skill gaps. Sustainable consumption and production patterns and green CSR practices are pervasive in Indian MSMEs to become a greener economy. The consumer demand for sustainable products is visible across the globe, creating opportunities for Indian MSMEs in the international marketplace. In light of this fact, the present research article aims to analyze the current gap in past studies concerning MSMEs by investigating the correlation between sustainability practices, specifically with respect to sustainable consumption and production patterns, green CSR initiatives, and the performance of MSMEs. This study aims to examine various viewpoints on MSMEs' sustainable business practices, which are a) how sustainable consumption impacts the efficiency of MSMEs, b) the influence of sustainable production patterns on MSMEs' performance, and c) the impact on the efficiency of MSMEs' operations as a result of CSR activities.A self-structured questionnaire has been sent to the MSMEs' owners, managers, directors, and administrative officers through email to conduct the research work. In addition, a structural Equation Model (SEM) was used to sample 130 Indian MSMEs. The study's main findings are that the sustainable consumption and production patterns of skill-based CSR practices impact the efficiency of MSMEs in India. It has also been discovered that their sustainable practices are generating global market opportunities. This study has important implications for MSME owners and policymakers because applying sustainable consumption and production patterns and implementing skill-based CSR practices as sustainable strategies will create a greener economy and positively impact the performance of MSMEs.

PurposeThere are different ways of implementing a corporate social responsibility (CSR) system. One interesting way of implementing a CSR system is based on standards such as SA8000 and ISO 26000. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the differences brought by the two standards in European manufacturing in CSR implementation using a survey.Design/methodology/approachEight hypotheses were derived from an analysis of the implementation pattern for a CSR management system revealed from a review of the literature as well as from the actual two investigated standards. A questionnaire based on these hypotheses was administered to the CSR managers of 326 European manufacturing companies. A χ2 and Cramer’s V-tests were used to validate the results. The CSR managers also added comments to their responses. The qualitative results gathered from the respondents’ comments helped the authors’ to better understand the quantitative data.FindingsThe results showed differences in how the standards affect strategies, economic and financial issues, stakeholders involved, environmental management, customer and market issues, supply chain management and CSR key performance indicators. The results indicated that it is not clear how production and technical departments can be involved in and committed to such standards or, in general, to a CSR system.Research limitations/implicationsThe research is based on a sample of European manufacturing managers and limited to the implementation of two specific CSR standards.Practical implicationsThe differences between the standards should be interesting to practitioners who are thinking of implementing a CSR system in a manufacturing context and weighing the pros and cons of each standard.Originality/valueThis research analyses, for the first time, the differences in CSR implementation brought by SA8000 and ISO 26000 in manufacturing and, in particular, in production and technical departments.

Research background: Small and medium-sized enterprises are at the heart of the business environment in every country. At the same time, emphasis is placed on the environmental aspect and, in many cases, corporate social responsibility. In this context, business ethics is also a widely discussed topic. At the same time, financial management is one of the critical areas of business management. These aspects can be influenced by various demographic factors related to the company, as well as by the business owners or managers. Purpose of the article: The objective of this paper is to examine the influence of selected demographic factors on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), financial management, environmental practices, and business ethics in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Methods: The empirical research was carried out as part of a broad-based research that aimed to ascertain the attitudes of small and medium-sized firms. It was conducted in June 2022 in Slovakia and the Czech Republic using the CAWI Research Method. The questionnaire could be completed by the owner or the top manager of the SME. The questionnaire was secured against automatic computer completion. Descriptive statistical analysis was used to analyse the characteristics of the variable, and regression (LRM) and correlation analysis methods were applied to find statistically significant differences in the influence of each independent factor. Findings & Value added: The analysis suggests interesting differences in how demographic factors influence ethics, CSR, environment and financial management in the Czech and Slovak Republics. In general, the impacts of these factors on these areas are very weak. The results showed that firm size influences SMEs' attitudes towards the environment, financial management and CSR in all countries combined. The other independent variables of the sector, such as length of business and age, do not affect attitudes towards ethics, environment, CSR, or financial management. We can generalise that in the conditions of Slovakia and the Czech Republic, among demographic criteria, only firm size plays a significant role in determining the attitudes of SME managers.

The millennial generation plays a crucial role in making consumer decisions and has significant potential to drive the transformation towards more sustainable consumption patterns. This study aims to investigate the extent to which environmental knowledge and sustainable consumption promotion affect the intention and behavior of sustainable consumption among millennials. To test this framework, we conducted a quantitative research approach by administering an online survey to collect data from 155 millennial respondents. We utilized Structural Equation Modeling to test the proposed hypotheses. The findings of this research indicate that the level of environmental knowledge and sustainable consumption promotion have a significant influence on millennials' intention to adopt sustainable consumption behaviors, which in turn impact actual actions in sustainable consumption. The findings of this research provide valuable insights into how elements such as knowledge and promotion can act as drivers or barriers for millennials in adopting more sustainable consumption patterns. The implications of these findings have great potential in shaping the foundation of more effective strategies and campaigns to encourage sustainable consumption behavior among millennials, while also increasing awareness of pressing environmental issues.

This chapter focuses on sustainable development goals 12 (SDG 12) highlighting sustainable consumption in India. SDG 12 ensures sustainable consumption and production pattern. The chapter provides evidence of fuel and material consumption footprint in India and shows the trends of domestic material consumption and assesses SDG 12. This study suggests reducing fuel consumption-related subsidies in urban India and providing clean fuel access to rural India. It is also suggested to adopt the circular economy model for reuse and recycle materials to minimize resource consumption footprint in India.

PurposeThe adoption of digitalization and sustainability is key phenomenon that has changed perception and behaviors of people recently. As there is a rising power of digital communication by social media platforms, there is higher interaction between people globally. In addition, consumers can influence each other to adopt new consumption pattern. At this point, this paper aims to examine the role of green women influencers on promoting sustainable consumption patterns via social media platforms.Design/methodology/approachThis study employed qualitative research method. The study included four top-lists for green/sustainable social media influencers as a sample case. Then, the data were analyzed by descriptive content analysis. To determine the role of green women influencers in sustainable consumption, this study used classification and categorization technique through descriptive content analysis.FindingsThe study indicates that green women are seen as a primary social media influencer because of promoting sustainable consumption patterns in general. Especially, green women have more power to change consumption patterns via digital platforms. Green women social media influencers, who are micro-celebrities, share primary contents such as sustainable fashion, green foods, sustainable travel, sustainable lifestyle, conscious choices, green cosmetics and zero waste life to promote sustainable consumption patterns. Women social media influencers are much more effective than men influencers to transform society's consumption behaviors into sustainable consumption patterns.Research limitations/implicationsThe study provides some qualitative findings based on the selected four top-listed green social media influencers by different social media platforms. Future studies can find out different results based on different sample cases and employ quantitative research methodology.Practical implicationsThe study suggests policymakers to cooperate with green women social media influencers to achieve sub-targets of 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Especially, it is suggested to cooperate with micro-celebrities or Internet celebrities to promote sustainable consumption patterns.Originality/valueThe study proves that women social media influencers have the essential role in promoting green/sustainable consumption patterns via digital platforms. In addition, green women influencers can guide their followers to adopt sustainable consumption patterns.

The millennial generation plays a crucial role in consumer decision-making and has great potential in driving the transformation towards more sustainable consumption patterns. This research investigates how environmental knowledge, environmental influences, and promotion of sustainable consumption affect the intentions and behaviours of sustainable consumption among the millennial generation. To test this framework, this study employed a quantitative research approach by conducting an online survey to collect data from millennial respondents, with a total sample of 155 individuals. This study used Structural Equation Modelling to test the proposed hypotheses. The findings of this study indicate that the level of environmental knowledge, environmental influences, and the effectiveness of promotion of sustainable consumption have a significant impact on consumer's intention to adopt sustainable consumption behaviours, which in turn are related to actual actions in sustainable consumption. The results of this research provide in-depth insights into how elements such as knowledge, social environment, and promotion can act as drivers or barriers for the millennial generation in adopting more sustainable consumption patterns. The implications of these findings have great potential in shaping more effective strategies and campaigns to promote sustainable consumption behaviours among the millennial generation while also increasing awareness of pressing environmental issues.