Corporate Citizenship Research Articles

The Focus and Evolution of Corporate Social Responsibility in the United Arab Emirates

Through in-depth interviews with public- and private-sector decision-makers, this qualitative study investigated modern corporate social responsibility (CSR) and its future path in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Quality education, health and well-being, environment, community development, circular economy, alignment with national priorities, consumer protection and public-private partnerships were discovered as core CSR priorities. Participants identified economic diversification, rebranding, increased environmental stability, strengthened corporate citizenship, improved regulation, and widespread differentiation as future focuses in the evolution of CSR in the UAE. The current and future emphasis of CSR is propelled by the UAE’s sustainable development objectives and human capital strategy. Transparent regulations, robust environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards, and innovative strategies can distinguish responsible companies apart in the UAE. Nevertheless, it is expected that CSR will be further integrated into key business activities, aligning with evolving national economic visions, collaboration between sectors, and orientation towards a long-term impact on society. In deed the reputations of companies are enhanced through rigorous adherence to ESG standards, transparency regulations, and innovative approaches. Hence, there has been a strategic shift towards environmental sustainability, stakeholder capitalism, and robust regulation, shaping a highly competitive, impact-focused CSR environment in the UAE, consistent with economic diversification plans.

Sustainable Management Strategies in Multinational Corporations: Balancing Profitability and Social Responsibility

Sustainable management strategies are increasingly critical for multinational corporations (MNCs) aiming to achieve long-term profitability while fulfilling social and environmental responsibilities. MNCs balance financial objectives with sustainability initiatives, addressing the complexities of integrating economic, social, and environmental considerations into corporate strategies. theoretical frameworks and empirical studies to elucidate the challenges and opportunities associated with sustainable management practices in MNCs. It investigates how successful organizations align business goals with sustainable development goals (SDGs), implement ethical practices across global operations, and engage stakeholders in fostering responsible corporate citizenship. Case studies and comparative analyses illustrate best practices and innovative approaches adopted by MNCs to mitigate environmental impacts, promote social equity, and enhance corporate reputation. The study emphasizes the role of leadership commitment, stakeholder engagement, and transparent reporting in driving sustainable business practices and achieving competitive advantage in global markets.

Do Generative Artificial Intelligence Company Strategies of ‘Moving Fast and Breaking Things’ in Civil Society Cancel Their Social Licence to Operate? A Nurse’s Evaluation of Chatbot Impacts

A rapid expansion of the computer technology industry, particularly in the field of artificial intelligence, has ignited a global concern that warrants our immediate action. As nurses, our professional values frameworks compel us to protect public health and address national and global health issues. When industry activities adversely affect the social wellbeing of civil society and social institutions, it is important to evaluate them against their industry’s ‘social license to operate, which is a measure of public trust, credibility, and the legitimacy of their industrial and corporate citizenship status. The central question is, do computer technology companies continue to have a social license to operate in civil society? Nurses are encouraged to evaluate the computer technology industry’s recent ‘generative artificial intelligence’ chatbot activities against its tacit undertaking to be good corporate citizens in return for social acceptance of their operations and behaviour. An evidence-based overview of chatbot impacts on societies, environmental sustainability and human rights provide a basis for evaluation. Basic computer technology terminology and relevant concepts are explained. This article is a direct call to action for clinical nurses and those involved in research, education, management, and policy. We have a duty to critically assess the claims made by chatbot technology vendors in both practice and social contexts. If these vendors integrate chatbot technologies with existing machine learning used in nursing and healthcare technologies it could result in detrimental effects beyond user control. By influencing decisions on technology adoption, we can ensure the implementation of safeguards, protect patient safety and social well-being, and uphold the integrity of nursing values. A closing discussion of impacts of computer industry trust deficits on healthcare and research reflects the author’s concerns and conclusions about the central question. Readers may draw other conclusions and perhaps use the issues and evidence presented here to stimulate further investigations.

Corporate social initiatives and wealth creation for firms-an empirical examination

Purpose This study aims to examine whether social initiatives adopted by firms lead to improved financial performance. The authors analyse the impact of different elements of social initiatives on wealth creation for firms in terms of operating and market performance. Design/methodology/approach The study is based on the social initiative scores of over 4,500 firms collected from Thomson Reuters' ESG database. The study uses two-stage least squares (2SLS) to analyse the relationship between social initiatives and firm performance. Findings Profitable, mature, capital intensive and firms with high sales growth rate tend to invest more in social initiatives. Firms with high agency costs invest in social initiatives for workforce efficiency, maintaining human rights and product responsibility. The study documents evidence that social investments are value creating mechanism for firms which leads to improved financial performance in terms of operating and stock market performance. Firms with high dividend intensity invest in social initiatives for workforce welfare and human rights initiatives. Investment in employee well-being and community initiatives results in intangible benefits such as improved stock market valuation. Practical implications The research model has not considered the impact of intervening variables to understand the relationship between corporate social performance and corporate financial performance. Social implications Firms ought to recognize that social investment is beneficial in terms of value creation of firms as stock market perceive such investments favourably. Firms must focus more on community development initiatives and workforce initiatives for the value creation of firms compared to investments directed towards human rights initiatives and product responsibility initiatives. Originality/value This study focusses exclusively on the social dimension of the CSR activities. The authors examine the impact of social welfare scores on firm performance by analysing the valuation effects on scores representing workforce, human rights, community and product responsibility. Moreover, the paper also examines the impact of a new dimension of product responsibility on firm performance. They also focus on both aspects of financial performance in terms of operating performance (proxied by ROE) and the joint impact of both operating and market performance (proxied by Tobin’s Q). This paper contributes to the research on the linkage of social performance to financial performance by observing that firms with high agency cost characteristics tend to invest in social initiatives for work force efficiency, maintaining human rights and product responsibility.

Corporate Citizenship and Wealth Maximisation: A Re-evaluation of Stakeholder Theory Using Evidence from Listed Industrial Goods Firms in Nigeria

Based on stakeholder theory, the study examined the extent to which firm involvement in corporate citizenship influences the wealth maximisation of listed industrial goods firms in Nigeria. While corporate citizenship was measured using corporate donations, the proxy for wealth maximisation was market value of the firms. Ex-post facto research design was used on a population of thirteen listed industrial goods firms in Nigeria, from which a sample size of nine was purposively selected. Secondary data were gleaned from the firms’ annual reports from 2013 to 2023 (11 year interval). Panel Cross-section Heteroskedasticity LR Test was conducted while White cross-section standard errors and covariance was applied to correct the heteroskedasticity anomaly. In addition, Residual Cross-Section Dependence Test was carried out of which Cross-section Seemingly Unrelated Regression was used to address the issue of cross-sectional dependence. Therefore, the hypothesis were tested using estimates from Panel Estimated Generalised Least Squares, which revealed that involvement in corporate citizenship significantly and positively influences wealth maximisation among listed industrial goods firms in Nigeria (β = 32.79912; p-value = 0.000). In conclusion, firms that engage in meaningful corporate citizenship are likely to build stronger relationships and this, in turn, contributes to increased sustainable wealth creation. We recommend that senior management of listed industrial goods firms in Nigeria should prioritise and formalise their corporate citizenship initiatives as integral parts of their corporate strategies in order to ensure that the community development efforts they make are not ad hoc but embedded in the firm's strategic planning and operations.

Multinational Corporations and Their Corporate Citizenships: Exploring Their Effects on Corporate Performance Under Different Legal Traditions

ABSTRACTIn this paper, we focus on the conceptualization of corporate citizenship and examine the effects of its tangible manifestation, in the form of corporate philanthropy, on company performance recognizing the importance of the institutional contexts where companies are embedded. Based on a sample of 752 multinational companies that have joined the UN Global Compact, we explore the derived benefits, using as a moderator the legal environment where companies operate. The results of the random‐effect regression analysis show the existence of a positive relationship between corporate citizenship and corporate market valuation over the study period (2016–2022). Findings on corporate citizenship are consistent with previous studies, and the role of the legal tradition emerges as a salient avenue for future investigation. Companies that highly leverage the philanthropic dimension of corporate citizenship and are primarily embedded in a common‐law tradition benefit more than those operating in a civil‐law system.

Corporate Citizenship: From Corporate Social Responsibilities to Corporate Constitutional Rights

Corporate Citizenship: From Corporate Social Responsibilities to Corporate Constitutional Rights

Stakeholder satisfaction with corporate conflict engagement actions: Exploring the effects of goodwill, trust, and value alignment

In the last decade, businesses have played an increasingly significant role in promoting stability, democracy, and human rights, particularly concerning the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which emphasize peace, justice, and strong institutions. Consequently, there has been a greater focus on corporate social responsibility and corporate citizenship. Research has explored business motivations and actions in conflict mitigation. Nevertheless, less attention has been given to the impact of conflict engagement actions on stakeholders’ perceptions and behavioral intentions. This study aims to fill this gap by testing the effects of types of corporate conflict engagement actions (CCEAs) on stakeholders’ satisfaction with business choices and overall corporate goodwill. This study employs an experimental design in which respondents are exposed to CCEAs in scenarios related to the Russia–Ukraine conflict. The findings of this study are particularly relevant to business firms and their quest for whether to engage in regions undergoing conflict. The results illuminate the key factors of CCEAs that shape stakeholder satisfaction and corporate goodwill perceptions in today’s complex geopolitical landscape.

The Use of DEA for ESG Activities and DEI Initiatives Considered as “Pillar of Sustainability” for Economic Growth Assessment in Western Balkans

Data envelopment analysis (DEA), which is frequently used in efficiency analysis, has also been applied to the measurement of entrepreneurial efficiency for the attainment of desired values of macroeconomic indicators (such as the objectives of sustainable economic growth). For this application, DEA takes into account the economic, environmental, and social impact of entrepreneurship as the three dimensions of sustainability. This paper aimed to investigate the potential for a scalable (in diversity, equity, and inclusion dimensions) DEA application in sustainable entrepreneurship performance (SEP) assessment through three channels (assessing SEP without ESG activities; ESG→SEP; ESG (DEI)→SEP) and present an empirical study related to economic growth assessment and its environmental, social, and governance (ESG), and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) determinants across selected Western Balkans (WB) and European Union (EU) companies, based on the use of the proposed scalable DEA. It highlights how crucial a scalable nonparametric approach to macroeconomic efficiency analysis is and provides a more comprehensive perspective to the researchers on this issue. This study used a non-oriented DEA model with variable return-to-scale in a group of 60 WB and 60 EU companies, all of which adopted ICT/Blockchain (BC) technologies (the 11 ESG metrics). The annual corporate data was collected for seven years from 2017 until 2023. We projected the selected data to three country particularities (mass acceptance, adoption, and implementation of ICT/BC; mass labor force return from overseas; and ethnic, cultural, and religious particularities) and performed statistical analysis. Our findings estimate the influence of these three particularities on economic growth potential. In all countries’ cases, we found a statistically sound (significant, positive) correlation between ESG and SEP’s economic growth quality performance. Particularly, when corporate social and DEI initiatives mediate (channel III), SEP’s economic growth gains the best performance (+18%) in countries with ethnic, cultural, and religious particularities (BiH, NM), a +17% in countries enjoying massive labor force return from overseas (AL) and performs well in quality (particularly in the innovation and integrity) SEP performance success dimensions (all WB and EU countries). The proposed scalable DEA shows clearly, by performing an empirical analysis, which modern business (adopting ICT/BC) is the most effective in achieving sustainability projected to country particularities, helping corporate management to improve economic growth efficiency.

How language power, white subalternity and compressed modernity frame highly-skilled non-Western migrants in an East-German company: insights from multi-sited ethnography

PurposeThis paper shows the benefits of multi-sited ethnography for global migration studies in management, in particular when cosmopolitan self-initiated expatriates meet a local setting.Design/methodology/approachThe author conducted a multi-sited ethnography to trace how a local East German research organization’s well-intended approach to integration becomes condescending.FindingsHighly skilled non-Western migrant employees who represent English-language cosmopolitanism are framed as negatively “foreign” by corporate discourses and practices. This phenomenon can only be understood if one follows the interconnections of language power, White subalternity and compressed modernity and if one considers the immediate surroundings, the historical context of East German identity and wider migration frames in Germany.Research limitations/implicationsMulti-sited ethnography, if power-sensitive and historically-aware, is suitable for understanding the multi-level phenomenon of global migration and identifying limiting framing-effects on management and organizations. Researcher standpoint is both its strength and its limitation.Practical implicationsManagers and companies can “imagine otherwise” and move beyond the unquestioned dominant frames limiting their problem analyses and, consequently, their strategies and actions.Social implicationsManagers and companies are enabled to move beyond individual- and corporate-level approaches to managing migration at work and can thus take up full social responsibility in the sense of good corporate citizenship on a global level. Global mobility researchers can work towards an inclusive migration theory.Originality/valueMulti-sited ethnography, in particular, one that is power-sensitive and historically aware, is an approach not yet applied to migration in the context of management and organization. By means of an example, this paper illustrates the value of this approach and enables researchers to understand its main principles. Compressed modernity and White subalternity are introduced as novel concepts structuring migration, and language power emerges as relevant far beyond the scope of the multinational corporation.

Aditya Birla Group's Contribution to Corporate Social Responsibility

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) refers to the business practices that involve initiatives benefiting society. Companies adopt various CSR strategies to positively impact the public, economy, or environment. In today's socially conscious market, businesses that prioritize CSR often attract more employees and customers. Objective of the Project The project aims to provide a comprehensive study of CSR, fulfilling the requirements of the fourth semester for degree completion. Understanding Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) CSR is a self-regulating business model that helps companies remain accountable to their stakeholders and the public. Also known as corporate citizenship, CSR ensures that companies are conscious of their societal impact across economic, social, and environmental dimensions. CSR initiatives can include philanthropic efforts, volunteer programs, and sustainable business practices. Why Implement CSR? Many companies integrate CSR into their brand image, believing it makes them more appealing to consumers who value ethical behavior. CSR activities also serve as a crucial aspect of corporate public relations. Additionally, some founders engage in CSR driven by personal beliefs. Impact of CSR The movement toward CSR has influenced multiple domains. Many companies now focus on environmental sustainability, ethical labor practices, and local community support. While CSR programs are more common among large corporations, small businesses also participate in these initiatives through localized efforts such as donations and event sponsorships. CSR at Aditya Birla Group The Aditya Birla Group's CSR initiatives aim to enhance the social and economic development of the communities they operate in. The Group reaches out to 9 million people annually in 7,000 villages through the Aditya Birla Centre for Community Initiatives and Rural Development.

“Creating shared value”: Time for a normative extension?

AbstractPorter and Kramer's “creating shared value” (CSV) proposal has achieved significant penetration into both the academic and corporate communities. Building on other critiques of CSV, this paper assesses whether the CSV framework, notwithstanding its popularity, currently possesses an appropriate and adequate theoretical foundation to represent an overarching normative framework for the entire business and society field. The analysis does so by comparing CSV with a series of other dominant business and society approaches including corporate social responsibility, business ethics, stakeholder management, sustainability, and corporate citizenship. The analysis finds that while CSV does address the fundamental business and society normative requirement that business activities should contribute to sustainable net societal value, it currently fails to adequately incorporate the equally important notions of (i) appropriately balancing stakeholder interests with those of the corporation's shareholders, as well as (ii) demonstrating sufficient accountability (i.e., taking responsibility) by properly reporting on and addressing any negative impacts resulting from the firm's activities. The paper concludes with a revised and expanded restatement of the CSV concept, which attempts to take into account and address its current theoretical limitations in order to enhance its appeal as an overarching business and society normative paradigm.

An examination of corporate citizenship on customer loyalty in the banking industry: a PLS-SEM analysis

PurposeThis research aims to address the need for a more in-depth empirical investigation of exploring the link between the adoption of corporate citizenship (CC) practices and different aspects of customer behavior in a developing country. Also, it develops a research framework and assesses the mediating role of brand image, brand love, brand reputation and brand trust between customer perceptions of CC and customer loyalty.Design/methodology/approachWorking with a sample of 290 private bank customers in Iran, partial least square-based structural equation modeling is used to test the conceptual model.FindingsThe findings reveal significant and positive relationships between CC, brand image, love and reputation. Indirectly and in the relationship between CC and customer loyalty, there are significant relationships through the serial roles of image-reputation, image-love and image-trust. Most importantly, the findings add value to the current knowledge by exploring the mediating effect of brand image, love, reputation and trust between CC and customer loyalty. Finally, this study has resulted in an updated prediction model of private banking customer loyalty.Originality/valueThis study makes a unique theoretical contribution to the literature by evaluating and comparing the mediating role of image, love, reputation and brand trust between CC and customer loyalty using the hierarchy of effects model.

Pengaruh Motivasi, Kepuasan Kerja Dan Komitmen Organisasional Terhadap Organizational Citizenship Behavior Di PT Sentosa Prima Utama

To improve results or exhibit exemplary organizational citizenship behavior while at work, PT Sentosa Prima Utama naturally expects that every employee would be engaged, satisfied in his job, and dedicated to the success of the business. The study's goal is to ascertain whether factors like intrinsic drive, job contentment, and loyalty to the company have any bearing on the level of corporate citizenship practiced by PT Sentosa Prima Utama's employees. The population is the number of security officers at PT Sentosa Prima Utama 342, and the sample size 184 is determined using the slovin formula method, primary data obtained through questionnaires, interviews, and observations, secondary data obtained through journal articles; data related to research problems. Data may be gathered from a variety of different places, including surveys, interviews, and observations conducted by researchers, and papers published in scholarly journals. The study's findings suggested that elements including motivation, job happiness, and organizational commitment can have both a partial and simultaneous impact on PT Sentosa Prima Utama employees' demonstrations of corporate citizenship.

The Influence of Spiritual Awareness and Anxiety on Job Satisfaction through Motivation as a Mediating Variable

It has long been known that workers' mental health greatly influences job satisfaction, and it is a key factor in organizational performance and health. This research aims to determine the magnitude of the influence of spiritual awareness and anxiety on job satisfaction mediated by motivation at PT X, an automotive dealer in Cilegon, Banten. 49 respondents from the sales, administration, and maintenance workshop were given questionnaires to complete during the research project. Hypothesis testing is used in this kind of explanatory study to explain the link between the variables. Subsequently, SEM statistical techniques and PLS analysis with SmartPLS 4 software were employed to examine the gathered questionnaire data. The analysis's findings demonstrated that job satisfaction was directly and significantly impacted by motivation, anxiety, and spiritual awareness variables, job satisfaction was indirectly impacted but insignificantly by anxiety and spiritual awareness, and motivation was directly and significantly affected by spiritual awareness but insignificantly affected by anxiety. According to this research, to improve employee performance and job happiness, businesses should place a higher priority on corporate citizenship behavior.

Sustainability reporting in corporations: A comparative review of practices in the USA and Europe

As global awareness of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues intensifies, corporations are increasingly recognizing the importance of sustainability reporting in demonstrating their commitment to responsible business practices. This Review provides a comparative review of sustainability reporting practices in corporations, focusing on the distinctions between the USA and Europe. The USA and Europe, as major economic regions, exhibit distinct approaches to sustainability reporting, reflecting diverse regulatory frameworks, cultural considerations, and stakeholder expectations. This review delves into the key elements characterizing sustainability reporting in both regions, highlighting the convergences and divergences that shape corporate disclosure practices. In the USA, sustainability reporting is predominantly driven by voluntary initiatives and market forces. Companies often engage in ESG reporting to meet the expectations of investors, consumers, and other stakeholders who increasingly prioritize sustainable business practices. The absence of a standardized regulatory framework has led to a heterogeneous landscape of reporting methodologies, with some corporations adhering to global standards like the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) or adopting industry-specific frameworks. In contrast, Europe has witnessed a more structured and regulatory-driven approach to sustainability reporting. The European Union (EU) has been at the forefront of shaping sustainable finance policies, introducing frameworks such as the Non-Financial Reporting Directive (NFRD) that mandate certain companies to disclose non-financial information. European corporations, therefore, navigate a more standardized reporting landscape, aligning with established frameworks like the EU Taxonomy Regulation and the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) recommendations. This comparative analysis explores the motivations behind sustainability reporting, the disclosure frameworks commonly employed, and the impact of regional regulatory contexts on corporate practices. By shedding light on the unique dynamics in the USA and Europe, this review contributes to a nuanced understanding of how corporations navigate the evolving landscape of sustainability reporting, ultimately fostering transparency, accountability, and responsible corporate citizenship.

Corporate Borrowings: A Conceptual Perspective

In the dynamic landscape of global business and finance, corporate borrowings play a crucial role in addressing firms' capital needs, promoting economic growth, and facilitate expansion (Levine, 2003) amidst ever-changing global business and financial scene. Corporate borrowings are essential in forming the financial frameworks of companies in all sectors of the economy. The borrowings, as a source of capital, are considered by the corporate due to limitation of equity capital such as higher risk association from the investors’ perspective and high cost of capital from the company perspective. Borrowings include debt securities, loans, and other credit instruments. Corporations strategically decide whether to leverage borrowed capital in order to maximise their capital structure (Rocca et al., 2011), manage risk (Eunju & Jang SooCheong, 2005), and take advantage of growth prospects (Zhang & Wu, 2017). It is because of the fact that borrowings hold an ambivalent status of acceptance among the corporate. In one hand, borrowings bring benefits to a firm in the form of tax shield effect and less costly capital thereby enhancing shareholders value. On the contrary, it brings many costs to a firm like bankruptcy cost, financial distress etc. So, when making financial decisions, managers carefully examine the option of corporate borrowings as a critical source of funding.
 The recent emphasis on environmental sustainability by the Govt. and corporate, has led emphasis on the raising capital through green bond by the corporate that contribute positively to the climate or environment. Further, the concept of ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) performance of the corporate has now dragged the attention of the investor as a measure of good corporate citizenship and thereby enabling the corporate to raise less costly capital through borrowings.
 In a time of economic uncertainties, technological advancements, and evolving paradigms in financial markets, it is critical to comprehend the corporate borrowings. Hence, this paper aims to give a thorough overview of corporate borrowings by exploring the various facets that characterise this important component of contemporary financial ecosystems.
 Further, this paper navigates across the potential benefits and theories which affect corporate financing decisions. On this investigation of corporate borrowings, we aim to provide valuable insights for scholars, policy makers, and industries. The remainder of this paper deals with importance, theories, cost, benefits, and determinants of corporate borrowings and last section provides the conclusion.

The Role of Gender in Evaluating Athletes’ Endorsements of Corporate Social Advocacy Initiatives

When considering that athletes are becoming more vocal about their beliefs related to social justice initiatives, the role of an athlete’s gender could have an impact on how sports fans view that athlete. When deciding to support or oppose a corporate social advocacy initiative, it can be argued that an individual’s perception of an athlete’s or team’s stance towards social justice can be influenced by elements of one’s social identity. Therefore, the current study expands on this idea by exploring how gender affects the perception of the credibility of an athlete as an endorser of CSA initiatives, considering both the gender of the participant and the gender of the athlete. Using both NBA and WNBA athletes, this experiment manipulates a league CSA initiative and players’ endorsements of the initiative to determine if (a) the participant’s reported gender and (b) the athlete’s gender will impact the perception of the athlete’s credibility. Results provided evidence that gender plays a significant role in that evaluation, such that the NBA player was perceived as more credible regardless of respondent gender, and while female respondents recorded no difference, male participants perceived the NBA player as more credible than his WNBA counterpart.

Measuring corporate citizenship and public image: evidence from scale development and validation

PurposeThis study aims to measure the absolute impact of corporate citizenship actions on the operable elements of the public image by developing an adequate and parsimonious instrument.Design/methodology/approachBoth qualitative and quantitative approaches are used, where initially a literature review is systematized, then related statements are created, examined and confirmed. Altogether, 296 responses have been tested at discrete points, allowing for a temporal split-up of observations, where the first 148 forms have been used for exploratory factor analysis and the remaining 148 for confirmatory factor analysis.FindingsThe results of exploratory factor analysis revealed that the proposed instrument contains 13 items under three components: corporate citizenship and public affiliation; corporate citizenship and public allegiance; and corporate citizenship and public accomplishment. Subsequently, confirmatory factor analysis findings attest to the completeness, robustness and fitness of the same.Research limitations/implicationsThis experiment would serve as an inducement that would bridge the theoretical and empirical gap between corporate citizenship and public image by imparting an extensive perspective.Originality/valuePerhaps on account of the lack of an inclusive instrument, the holistic view of corporate citizenship has secured quite less empirical attention so far, particularly from the perception of that group of stakeholders who manifest wholeness. This study, thus by making a ground-breaking methodological endeavor with the conceptually established construct of public image, would abet in shaping a new class of “wholistic”, i.e. whole and holistic corporations.

Blueprints to Benefits: Towards an Index to Measure the Impact of Sustainable Product Development on the Firm’s Bottom Line

This study pioneers the development of the Sustainable Product Impact (SPI) Index, a novel framework designed to bridge the gap in existing sustainability assessment methodologies by focusing specifically on the influence of sustainable product development on a firm’s financial outcomes. For the first time, this research draws on the core principles of economics, marketing, and environmental sciences research fields to provide a comprehensive tool that enables businesses to quantify the multifaceted impacts of their sustainability initiatives within a corporate context. The SPI Index is an innovative metric that evaluates various factors, including financial and market performance, operational efficiency, brand perception, regulatory benefits, and long-term strategic advantages. This holistic approach allows for a more nuanced understanding of how sustainable practices influence a company’s bottom line and overall market position. Key findings of this research reveal that integrating sustainable product development into business strategies enhances environmental stewardship and impacts financial performance. The SPI Index has demonstrated its capacity to provide detailed insights into the specific areas of sustainability that most strongly affect profitability, thereby guiding businesses in their strategic planning and decision-making processes. In terms of originality and value, this study contributes to the existing body of knowledge by offering a unique and practical tool for businesses. The SPI Index stands out in its ability to translate sustainability efforts into quantifiable financial metrics, promoting a more integrated and balanced approach to corporate sustainability and profitability. Hence, this research plays a crucial role in guiding companies toward responsible corporate citizenship while focusing on economic viability in the modern business landscape.