Environmental Corporate Social Responsibility Research Articles

Revealing the Strength of CSR Endorsement in an Environmental CSR Advertising Campaign on Instagram: The Role of Interdependent Self-Construal, Regulatory-Focused Messages, and the Number of Followers

The purpose of this research is to study the strength of corporate social responsibility (CSR) endorsement in an environmental CSR advertising campaign on Instagram. A 2 (promotion- vs. prevention-focused messages) × 2 (low vs. high number of followers) between-subjects design was conducted online. Results showed that the indirect effect of interdependent self-construal on CSR endorsement through attitudes toward the environmental CSR advertising campaign on Instagram existed when only promotion-focused messages were presented. However, the moderation of the indirect effect of interdependent self-construal by promotion (prevention)-focused messages did not significantly differ between low and high numbers of followers. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed in more detail.

Corporate Social Responsibility and Financial Performance of Automotive Companies: A Basis for Corporate Social Responsibility Framework

This study determined the relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities and the financial performance of automotive companies in Tuguegarao City, Cagayan, using data from 2020-2022. Descriptive statistics, financial metrics analysis, ANOVA, and Chi-Square Pearson tests were employed. Results showed that while environmental and ethical CSR initiatives were emphasized, economic community development was less prioritized. No significant differences were found in CSR activities based on firm profiles, and there was no significant link between CSR activities and financial performance. The study recommends a more balanced CSR approach, with greater emphasis on local economic development and partnerships with community and educational institutions. Due to limitations in sample size and data variety, future research should involve a broader participant base.

Compromise or Struggle: Extreme Temperatures and Environmental Corporate Social Responsibility in China

This article uses China's A-share listed companies from 2008 to 2020 as a sample to examine the impact of extreme temperatures on environmental corporate social responsibility (ECSR). The results show that extreme temperatures can significantly enhance companies' performance of ECSR. Extreme temperatures primarily compel companies to engage in ECSR activities by increasing the costs of debt financing, reducing income levels, and intensifying government environmental regulations, thereby mitigating the negative impact of extreme temperature events on corporate production and operation activities. Further research found that in SOEs, companies with high government subsidies, and companies with executives with overseas experience, extreme temperatures have a more significant role in promoting ECSR. This article provides a novel perspective and micro-evidence for studying the external driving factors of ECSR, and provides useful enlightenment for managing climate risks and realizing the green and low-carbon transformation of our country's economy.

Environmental corporate social responsibility and stock price crash risk: The role of environmental performance and ISO 14001

This paper examines the impact of environmental corporate social responsibility (CSR) on stock price crash risk. Using a sample of publicly listed Chinese firms for the period 2010 to 2020, we find that environmental performance negatively affects crash risk. ISO 14001 certification, however, does not exert a significant effect. The negative relationship between environmental performance and crash risk is mediated by the visibility of the firm, and moderated by the certification of ISO 14001, respectively. In addition, the documented relationship is more evident for firms belonging to heavily polluting industries, non-SOEs and firms with greater media coverage and higher market competitive status. Our results remain consistent after controlling for endogeneity concerns and a batch of robustness tests. This study provides new insights into the CSR literature by highlighting the risk-mitigating role of environmental CSR in firms’ future stock price crashes.

Environmental taxes when firms care about Environmental Corporate Social Responsibility

This paper studies the incentive by governments to implement emissions taxes when firms are environmentally friendly. We find that the decision of governments on whether to establish a tax or not depends on three factors: the degree of environmental concern of the firms, the R&D knowledge disclosed by them and whether governments cooperate in setting taxes. When countries do not cooperate and firms do not share their knowledge both countries set emissions taxes for low levels of the concern, while neither firm sets taxes if the concern is sufficiently high. If countries cooperate, they want to implement taxes for higher values of the concern. Under full information disclosure, when countries do not cooperate an asymmetric equilibrium arises: only one country implements a tax for intermediate values of the concern. However, when countries cooperate they levy taxes for all the values of concern. Thus, cooperation encourages governments to implement environmental policies.

CSR investments and innovation – aligning and creating shared value

This research aims to advance the field of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and innovation by exploring how CSR investments can drive product and service innovations, creating value for both the firm and its broader stakeholders. Specifically, it examines the relationship between CSR initiatives and their influence on CSR investments, as well as the resulting impact on innovation in products or services that contribute to shared value creation. The proposed framework is tested across three firm sizes—small, medium, and large—using a sample of 410 businesses within the Australian economy. The analysis was conducted using AMOS version 28, which established appropriate measurement indicators and revealed significant direct and indirect effects for the full sample. Additionally, the multi-group analysis explored nuanced relationships based on firm size.By investigating a relatively unexplored Australian context, the paper makes significant contributions by addressing the limited research on internal (employee) CSR, external (environmental) CSR, and ethical (governance) responsibility, examining their impacts on CSR investments. Furthermore, it explores how CSR investments influence innovation to create shared value and highlights the moderating effects of different firm sizes on the relationships between the antecedents, CSR investments, and innovation. The paper concludes by discussing the theoretical and practical implications of the findings, as well as outlining directions for future research and acknowledging limitations.

Navigating remote work: the role of corporate social responsibility in boosting employee engagement

PurposeThis paper investigates the relationship between teleworkers' perceptions of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and employee engagement (EE) in remote work.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative research approach was used, involving a questionnaire distributed via convenience sampling. Data from 205 valid responses from teleworking employees in Spain were analysed using structural equation modelling to test the hypothesis regarding the association between CSR and EE.FindingsThe study found that CSR’s social and environmental dimensions positively impact EE among teleworkers. However, the economic dimension of CSR only partially influences EE in a telework setting.Practical implicationsThe findings suggest organisations can enhance EE during telework periods by focusing on social and environmental CSR initiatives. This approach can mitigate the reduced EE associated with remote work, improving organisational performance, productivity, satisfaction and employee well-being.Originality/valueThis study provides empirical evidence on the positive effects of CSR’s social and environmental dimensions on EE in a telework context, offering valuable insights for organisations navigating the post-pandemic landscape. Also, specific CSR strategies can establish a competitive advantage by fostering a motivated and engaged remote workforce.

A Relationship Assessment Between Environmental Practices, Corporate Value, and CSR in Sustainability Context

AbstractThis study examines the influence of environmental performance disclosure within corporate social responsibility on company value. It assesses the impact of green intellectual capital (human, structural, and relational), green innovation (product and process), carbon emission disclosure, and eco-efficiency on Price Book Value (PBV). The sample includes 11 companies from the Sri Kehati Index 2018-2022, which apply Sustainable Responsible Investment (SRI) and ESG principles. Using multiple regression analysis, the findings reveal that green intellectual capital disclosure does not significantly affect company value. However, green innovation positively impacts PBV, suggesting its importance in enhancing corporate valuation. In contrast, carbon emission disclosure and eco-efficiency are found to negatively influence PBV. These results highlight the critical role of green innovation in driving company value while suggesting that certain environmental disclosures may lower valuations. The study provides valuable insights into how environmental practices affect corporate value within the framework of corporate social responsibility and sustainability. Keywords:Green Intellectual Capital, Green Innovation, Carbon Emissions Disclosure, Eco-Efficiency, Company Value

Digitalisation and sustainability: their role in corporate social responsibility through innovation

PurposeDespite the evident link between digitalisation and sustainability, many organisations have these two strategies operating on a parallel basis and not in a coordinated manner. Hence the objective of this work, which consists of proposing a model to analyse the connection existing between both strategies within the business environment, additionally relating them to innovation and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).Design/methodology/approachWith that aim, the results of a survey answered by 98 managers of Spanish enterprises are examined using the PLS software, especially suited for the study of structural equations like the one put forward in this paper.FindingsThe conclusions drawn suggest that the most innovative firms are indeed the ones that invest to a greater extent in digitalisation and sustainability. It was also possible for us to verify that digitalisation exerts a positive influence on sustainability and that both the latter and digitalisation directly relate to CSR strategies. However, innovation as such does not constitute a requirement for CSR; instead, these Social Responsibility actions will take place when innovations rely on digitalisation and sustainability strategies.Originality/valueUntil now, most studies have addressed digitalisation and sustainability independently, with contradictory theoretical approaches in the literature about these two topics and a paucity of empirical results about the link between digitalisation and sustainability. The present study clarifies the relationships between sustainability and digitalisation, also relating them to innovation and CSR in the business environment.

Social order or social justice? The relationship of political ideology with consumer preferences for Corporate Social Responsibility

Despite the recognized importance of political ideology in shaping consumer behavior across various contexts, it remains unclear whether conservatives and liberals exhibit different preferences when it comes to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Using survey data from 598 respondents in the United States, our findings indicate a positive correlation between conservatism and consumer preference for customer, supplier, and shareholder CSR domains. Conversely, conservatism correlates negatively with consumer preference for environmental and societal CSR domains. These relationships are mediated by social order and social justice. Conservatism also has a negative indirect relationship with consumer preference for employee's CSR domain through social order. Overall, our study contributes to the marketing literature by demonstrating that political ideology is related to divergent preferences for CSR, with group-related moral motives serving as mediators in these relationships.

Retraction Note: Assessing the performance of sustainable entrepreneurship and environmental corporate social responsibility: revisited environmental nexus from business firms.

Retraction Note: Assessing the performance of sustainable entrepreneurship and environmental corporate social responsibility: revisited environmental nexus from business firms.

Sectoral Impact of Corporate Social Responsibility on Social Dialogue in Cote d’Ivoire: Empirical Evidence from Agro-industrial Companies

The aim of this article is to study the effect of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) on social dialogue through their dimensions. The methodology is based on structural equations to highlight these links using data from a sample of 812 workers in agro-industrial firms in Côte d'Ivoire. In particular, the results reveal that environmental, social and cultural CSR dimensions have a significant impact on all dimensions of social dialogue reorganized by cultural negotiation. In the background, the contribution to the protection of mountains, rivers and sacred forests, to the celebration of religious events, both happy and unhappy, and to the resolution of certain conflicts, requires the mobilization of traditional negotiation tools: Inter-ethnic alliances, birthright, traditional chiefs and the palaver tree technique to resolve certain organizational conflicts. The result is a contribution to the protection of beliefs and collectivism, the pillars of organizational durability in Africa.

Can Corporate Environmental Social Responsibility and Financial Performance Achieve a Win-win Situation in China? -From the Perspective of Executive Social Capital

ABSTRACT Based on the new market corporate social responsibility theory, enterprises try their best to achieve a win-win situation between environmental social responsibility and corporate financial performance. This paper quantifies corporate environmental social responsibility from the perspective of enterprise front-end governance, back-end governance and employee green behavior, based on the data of Chinese A-share listed companies from 2010 to 2022. Return on assets is used to measure the corporate financial performance. Then, from the perspective of executive social capital, this paper explores the threshold effect of environmental social responsibility on financial performance and draws the following conclusions: (1) In the short term, corporate environmental social responsibility exerts a negative effect on financial performance by augmenting R&D investment. In the long term, corporate environmental social responsibility has a positive effect on financial performance by enhancing reputation or reducing financing costs; (2) Specifically, compared with employee green behavior, front-end and back-end governance have a notably substantial adverse effect on corporate financial performance; (3) When executive social capital crosses a specific threshold, the negative impact of corporate environmental social responsibility commitment on financial performance becomes insignificant. Consequently, this study suggests that bolstering executive social capital is essential for concurrently advancing corporate environmental social responsibility and financial performance.

CSR as a framework for sustainability in SMEs: The relationship between company size, industrial sector, and triple bottom line activities

Theoretical backgroundCorporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a very topical issue for companies around the world. In the European context, CSR is especially significant due to legislative demands for its reporting. CSR can positively impact organisations in terms of competitiveness, employer branding, and financial performance. The theoretical background of this study is based on the CSR pillars, which are social, economic, and environmental CSR activities. PurposeThe research aimed to investigate the awareness of CSR among Czech companies and to report the frequency of CSR activities. The purpose of the investigation was to analyse the relationship between the characteristics of companies and the realisation of CSR activities. Research methodologyA quantitative study among 1703 Czech companies focused on their knowledge of CSR, its implementation in corporate strategy, and the realisation of individual CSR activities. Analysis of variance and logistic regression were used with predictors: company size, industry in which it operates, and differences in time between data collection rounds. Main resultsThe results showed the effect of company size and industry sector on both the knowledge of CSR issues and the number of activities realized in the individual CSR pillars. The results further describe in detail the relationship between company characteristics and specific CSR activities. Originality/valueCSR practices in Czech SMEs have not been adequately covered in existing studies. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the frequency of implementation of CSR activities among Czech companies. Research limitationsThe present study provides a large sample of companies selected proportionally to their representation in the Czech Republic, which resulted in an imbalance in the individual characteristics of the companies in the sample. The study is also limited by three main independent variables and cannot provide extensive insight into all influences. Practical implicationsThe results can be used by companies to benefit from comparing themselves with other market participants or with the average situation in the monitored markers. They are also useful for further comparison between countries and for analysing the development of CSR activities over time.© 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of the College of Management, National Cheng Kung University. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

Price-related consequences of corporate social (ir)responsibility

While corporate social responsibility (CSR) and corporate social irresponsibility (CSI) have, respectively, positive and negative effects on consumers’ brand responses, their price-related consequences are often overlooked in extant literature. Drawing on attribution theory and negativity bias, we examine the impact of brands’ (ir)responsible behavior on consumers’ multiple price perceptions by applying Van Westendorp’s ‘pricing footprint’. In four experimental studies we show that consumers’ lower price perceptions following CSI are robust and the magnitude of CSI’s impact is greater than that of CSR in the higher price categories (expensive, too expensive). The positive effects of CSR are contingent on the specific CSR domain and the public/private consumption status of the product. Social (versus environmental) CSR generates higher price perceptions, and the magnitude of its impact outperforms that of CSI in the lower price categories (too cheap, cheap). The positive effects of environmental CSR are limited, particularly for privately consumed products.

Endogenous choice of environmental corporate social responsibility in a mixed duopoly

AbstractThis paper constructs green managerial delegation contracts in a mixed duopoly wherein either or both public and private firms may adopt environmental corporate social responsibility (ECSR). We demonstrate that the public (private) firm owner positively (negatively) adopts ECSR incentives under Cournot, whereas the incentives are reversed under Bertrand. We also examine an endogenous ECSR choice game and discover that unilateral ECSR adopted by a public firm appears under Cournot, whereas bilateral ECSR where both firms adopt ECSR incentives appears under Bertrand. Our findings show that coordination of competition mode may be harmful to society if both marginal damage and product substitutability are sufficiently high.

Psychological need satisfaction, frustration, and unfulfillment profiles in the workplace: Their nature, predictors, and outcomes

Abstract Based on self-determination theory, this research relied on person-centered analyses to show how the distinct components of psychological need states combine to produce distinct profiles. We also explored contemporarily antecedents (perceptions of the organization’s environmental corporate social responsibility and negative moral emotions related to the organization’s environmental (ir)responsibility) and organizational outcomes (affective organizational commitment, turnover intentions, and cyberslacking). Questionnaire surveys were completed by 525 French employees. Four profiles characterized by configurations of psychological need states were identified and showed well-differentiated patterns. Negative moral emotions predicted membership in the most detrimental need states profiles while corporate social responsibility perceptions did not. As expected, we found opposite patterns of associations between profile membership and affective organizational commitment and turnover intentions, while the highest levels of cyberslacking were found in the most positive need states profiles. The results add to person-centered research and emphasize the importance of psychological experiences in the workplace and organizational outcomes.

Impact of transparent economy on high-tech enterprises in the modern business environment of China

High-quality information support for modern high-tech enterprises in any country is of undeniable relevance. An open, accessible, and fair, transparent economy creates an atmosphere of trust in which people easily perceive transparency, fairness, and efficiency of economic management. The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of a transparent economy on the investment environment, innovation, competitive advantage, government regulation, and the formation of corporate social responsibility in the modern business environment on the example of high-tech enterprises in China. This study uses a multiple linear regression model to analyze the impact of a transparent economy on high-tech enterprises. The research sources included the CSMAR database, China’s stock market and accounting research, China’s economic and financial research database, CRSP, COMPUSTAT, and others, and financial statements of selected high-tech companies. Sustainable development, R&D and innovation, investor relations, social responsibility, and market competitiveness are identified as key aspects of the relationship between a transparent economy and high-tech enterprises. The study confirmed a positive correlation between a transparent economy and the efficiency of resource allocation of high-tech enterprises, the innovation capabilities of high-tech enterprises, the market competitiveness of high-tech enterprises, and the efficiency of state supervision of high-tech enterprises.

Environmental Protection Tax and Green Investment on Green Innovation: Digitalization, ESG, CSR as Mediation

This study aims to identify variables that influence environmental tax protection, digitalization, ESG, CSR and green investment variables on green innovation. The research conducted is quantitative and the data obtained is secondary data. Data were obtained from companies that publish their financial statements and annual reports. The unit of analysis used in this study is manufacturing companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange. Managerial implications for company management with operational efficiency and long-term sustainability of the company. Companies can develop new products that are more environmentally friendly, more energy efficient production processes, or new technologies to recycle waste. Management can consider strengthening and expanding CSR practices including environmental commitments as an integral part of their business strategy. Stakeholders need to see transparency in communication about green investment and green innovation so that they can improve financial performance and company value.

Reinvigorating radioactive wastewater to the ocean: Investigate the effect of board diversity on environmental corporate social responsibility in the context of Japan

The discharge of radioactive wastewater into the eastern ocean from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, a decision that comes from the Japanese government and TEPCO (Tokyo Electric Power Company), has subjected Japanese firms to reputational damage risks and increasing environmental legitimacy pressure from multiple stakeholders in environmental corporate social performance (ECSR) than ever. In the present research endeavor, we draw upon the existing body of scholarly literature pertaining to gender-diverse board and business ethics as a critical element of steering ocean and coastal environmental management. This undertaking aims to provide original insights into the factors influencing board gender diversity (BGD) and its subsequent impact on ECSR within the specific context of Japan. Grounded in the theoretical framework of legitimacy theory, we put forth a conceptual model designed to elucidate the relationship between BGD and ECSR. Additionally, this study delves into the moderating influence of financial constraints between BGD and ECSR. To empirically examine our conceptual framework, we collected data from two primary sources: Toyo Keizai Inc. and Nikkei Inc. The findings of our investigation reveal a statistically significant positive relationship between BGD and ECSR performance. Furthermore, our results indicate that financial constraints serve to intensify the association between BGD and engagement in ECSR initiatives. Finally, we corroborate the robustness of our findings through various extensions of our analytical models.