Sustainable Development Pathway of Corporate Social Responsibility and Economic Efficiency

Dear Colleagues,

In recent times, there has been increasing integration of socioeconomic, environmental, and other aspects of human existence. This is because large institutions and multinational establishments are extensively persuaded by societal groups, governments and non-governmental agents to engage in activities that impact society in a responsible manner.

Considering the complexity associated with societal needs, the discourse of individual, collective, and corporate responsiveness remains an important contemporary subject because of its relevance to all human aspects including environment, socioeconomic status, health, and others. Thus, it suffices to reason that ‘Corporate Social Responsibility and Economic Efficiency’ is a necessary pathway to attaining Sustainable Development’.

Specifically, McWilliams and Siegel (2001) opined that Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) refers to actions that supposedly propel the elements of social good, such as compliance with environmental or social regulations far beyond short-term interests. On the other hand, while confirming that efficiency and sustainability are not mutually exclusive aspects of the economy, Bishop (1993) inferred that an economy can be as sustainable as it is efficient but that its efficiency is not a guarantee for its sustainability. Thus, CSR and economic efficiency are formidable pathways to sustainable development, as captured in the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) (UNDP, 2020). These aspects of integration through social responsibilities in human behaviour, corporate practices, cultural and societal norms (Cop et al., 2020a&b), and many more, are vital to sustainable development.

Therefore, with the launch of this Special Issue, ‘Sustainable Development pathway of Corporate Social Responsibility and Economic Efficiency’, we aim to provide a collection of scientific contributions from authors on the subject of economic productivity, individual and corporate responsiveness, and other human activities in the framework of sustainable development. It is expected that manuscripts should address individual, societal, corporate, and economic activities in the areas of development, health, waste management, land, environmental quality, and innovation.

Dr. Uju Violet Alola
Dr. Andrew Adewale Alola
Dr. Maria V. Podshivalova
Guest Editors

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