Analysis of the relationships between corporate social responsibility and corporate sustainability: empirical study of co-operativism in Ecuador

ABSTRACT

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) and corporate sustainability have been subject to wide academic debate in recent times. However, publications that connect both constructs in most parts are clearly theoretical. The aim of this work is to analyse the possible relationship between corporate social responsibility and corporate sustainability in Ecuadorian co-operatives. These approaches lead to focusing this study on the perceptions of internal and external stakeholders. For this, a sample of 2,042 individuals from these social economy institutions was used. Various covariance-based structural equation modelling (CB-SEM) examples were developed in order to determine the effect of the dimensions of the CSR within the dimensions of corporate sustainability. The main findings of this research allowed for the determination that there is a positive and statistically significant correlation between the dimensions of these constructs. In any case, within the relationships of the four CSR dimensions identified (economic, legal, ethical and philanthropic), the greatest link among them with the social dimension of corporate sustainability is highlighted. This model explains 30.2% of the variance of this dimension. Specifically, its link with the economic dimension (γ = 0.27, p < 0.001) and the legal dimension (γ = 0.11, p < 0,001) of CSR stands out.

KEYWORDS:

• Corporate Social Responsibility
• Corporate Sustainability
• Socially-responsible management
• Co-operatives
• Ecuador

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.