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Advancing the Social Dimensions of Sustainability Frameworks and Indicators for...
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Advancing the Social Dimensions of Sustainability Frameworks and Indicators for Resilient Organizations and Communities

A special issue of Social Sciences (ISSN 2076-0760).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 December 2026 | Viewed by 957

Editors

Dr. Gabriele Giorgi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Human Science, European University of Rome, 00163 Rome, Italy
Interests: feedback and change in business strategies; emotional intelligence; stress; workplace bullying; PTSD
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Stefano Ruggieri

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy
Interests: leadership in organizations and in virtual teams; prosocial behavior; entrepreneurship; social networking sites
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Rubinia Celeste Bonfanti

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy
Interests: trust dynamics; social comparison; social media; entrepreneurship
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

As organizations face growing pressure to respond to complex environmental, economic, and social challenges, the need to better integrate the social dimension of sustainability into organizational systems and strategies is of paramount importance. This Special Issue seeks to address this gap by showcasing research at the intersection of organizational psychology and social sustainability, particularly focusing on how psychosocial indicators, frameworks, and practices can support the resilience and transformation of organizations and communities.

Drawing on sustainability science and organizational behavior, we invite contributions that examine how factors such as employee well-being, inclusion, psychological safety, ethical leadership, organizational justice, participatory governance, and a culture of sustainability can be operationalized within sustainability frameworks and assessment tools. As work environments continue to evolve rapidly, we encourage the submission of research that explores the impact of technological change, hybrid work models, technostress, and artificial intelligence (AI) on the social fabric of organizations. How can technology-enabled workplaces remain human-centered, psychologically safe, and socially sustainable?

Additionally, we are keen to explore how gamification strategies and related tools can enhance engagement, motivation, and collaboration within organizations and communities, fostering a more inclusive and sustainable social environment. Furthermore, the potential for gamified approaches to support behavioral change, reinforce organizational values, and promote a culture of sustainability creates exciting new opportunities to integrate social sustainability into everyday organizational practices.

By adopting a psychologically grounded perspective, in this Special Issue, we seek to expand the discourse on social indicators by incorporating emerging workplace challenges and digital transitions.

You may choose our Joint Special Issue in Sustainability.

Dr. Gabriele Giorgi
Dr. Stefano Ruggieri
Dr. Rubinia Celeste Bonfanti
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Social Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • social sustainability
  • organizational resilience
  • psychological safety
  • employee well-being
  • technostress
  • hybrid work
  • gamification
  • artificial intelligence in organizations
  • ethical leadership

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

27 pages, 1959 KB  
Article
Do Social Grants Reduce Household Food Insecurity in South Africa: Moderated Mediation Analysis of Income Pathway
by Aemro Tazeze Terefe and Steven Henry Dunga
Soc. Sci. 2026, 15(7), 482; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci15070482 - 15 Jul 2026
Viewed by 466
Abstract
South Africa has implemented an extensive social grant system to improve the wellbeing of vulnerable households. However, evidence remains limited regarding the pathways through which social grants are associated with household food insecurity and whether these relationships vary across geographical contexts of South [...] Read more.
South Africa has implemented an extensive social grant system to improve the wellbeing of vulnerable households. However, evidence remains limited regarding the pathways through which social grants are associated with household food insecurity and whether these relationships vary across geographical contexts of South Africa. Understanding these mechanisms is essential for designing more effective and spatially targeted social protection policies. This study examined the relationship between social grant receipt and household food insecurity, hypothesizing that household income serves as the principal pathway linking social grants to food insecurity. This study used nationally representative data from the 2024 General Household Survey. A latent food insecurity index was constructed using a two-parameter logistic Item Response Theory model, and a moderated-mediation structural equation model was employed to decompose the association between social grant receipt and food insecurity into direct and indirect components while accounting for geographic heterogeneity. The results indicate that social grants are strongly targeted toward households with higher levels of food insecurity and lower incomes, confirming that grant recipients are among the most vulnerable households in South Africa. Household income was negatively associated with food insecurity and mediated 55.4% of the total association between social grant receipt and household food insecurity. This underscores income as the main transmission pathway. High geographic heterogeneity was observed. The indirect income-mediated association was strongest in commercial farming areas, followed by urban and rural areas administered by local leaders. The direct association was significant in urban and rural areas administered by local leaders. These results show that the effectiveness of income transfers depends on the household’s demographic and socioeconomic conditions. The findings suggest that although social grants play an important role in reducing household vulnerability, cash support alone is insufficient to address household food insecurity among disadvantaged households in South Africa. Therefore, strengthening income support provided through social grants should be complemented by location-specific interventions that expand employment opportunities, improve market access, promote productive asset accumulation, and strengthen local food systems, particularly in rural areas where constraints continue to limit household food security. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancing the Social Dimensions of Sustainability Frameworks and Indicators for Resilient Organizations and Communities)
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