Do CSR Practices Drive Environmental and Social Performance? An Empirical Assessment

Abstract

This paper examines corporate social responsibility contribution to better environmental and social performance of higher education institutions in Islamabad, Pakistan. Although CSR commitment is generally acknowledged to be a key tactical contributor to sustainability, this study focuses on the essential mediating role of CSR participation in becoming translation medium of managerial dedication into practical organizational performance. Moreover, quantitative approach was utilized via structured questionnaire with 324 faculty members and administrative staff in five universities. However, seven hypotheses were examined by using CFA and SEM. The results indicate that CSR commitment itself has a significant impact on CSR participation and direct environmental and social performance. The CSR activity has a strong effect on mediating the correlation among CSR commitment and performance which contributes to CSR activity concerning the appearance of ethical intentions into practical outcomes. The study has theoretical contribution as it incorporates CSR participation as an essential mediating factor in the CSR-performance relationship and provides practical implications both to managers and policymakers interested in enhancing sustainability effects by taking part in CSR participation. The findings indicate that companies should not just be symbolically committed but internally promote intra-active participation in CSR projects to gain real Social Environmental Impact.