Corporate social responsibility and performance in the workplace: a meta-analysis

Area of Science:

• Business and Management
• Organizational Psychology

Background:

• Organizations face pressure to engage in corporate social responsibility (CSR).
• Uncertainty regarding CSR's impact on organizational performance hinders investment.
• A clear understanding of the CSR-performance link is crucial for strategic decision-making.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify the effect size of the relationship between CSR and organizational performance.
• To synthesize findings from multiple studies on CSR and performance outcomes.
• To provide empirical evidence supporting CSR investment.

Main Methods:

• A meta-analysis of 17 peer-reviewed articles was conducted.
• Effect sizes were calculated using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software.
• Performance was categorized into in-role, extra-role, affective attitudes, and organizational outputs.

Main Results:

• Corporate social responsibility (CSR) demonstrates a large, positive effect on organizational performance.
• The positive impact of CSR was observed across diverse performance metrics and contexts.
• Findings indicate a robust connection between CSR engagement and enhanced performance outcomes.

Conclusions:

• CSR is a significant driver of organizational performance, contrary to prior uncertainties.
• Organizations should prioritize CSR initiatives to improve various performance indicators.
• Implications extend to career counseling, highlighting the value of CSR in organizational settings.