Examining the relationship between corporate social responsibility, corporate reputation and brand equity in Indian banking industry

Abstract

This study is an attempt to explain the relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR), corporate reputation, and brand equity in India's banking sector. The study uses Carroll's Pyramid of CSR and the 'triple bottom line concept' as the theoretical bases for proposing a conceptual model. The data pertaining to 482 saving bank customers were analysed using structural equation modelling for this study. The integrated effect of CSR and corporate reputation on brand equity has been examined using the analyses of both the direct and indirect model paths. The findings show that corporate reputation partially mediates the relationship between CSR and brand equity, and that there exists a direct relationship between CSR and brand equity. This research has significant implications for CSR managers seeking to gain a competitive advantage in the industry by focusing upon the CSR activities that help an organisation build a positive corporate reputation, leading to a high level of brand equity.

Impact of Corporate Social Responsibility on Firm Reputation and Financial Performance: The Moderating Role of Servant Leadership

“…Similarly, the second hypothesis, which posited that CSR impacts firm reputation, was also supported by the study's findings. This result is consistent with previous studies (Gulzar et al, 2018;Melero-Polo & López-Pérez, 2017;Forcadell & Aracil, 2017;Yan et al, 2022;Brammer and Pavelin, 2016;Gardberg et al, 2019;Khan et al, 2020a;Aggarwal & Saxena, 2023;Zhao et al, 2021;Cabrera-Luján et al, 2023) and underscores the significance of CSR in shaping a company's reputation. These findings are also aligned with stakeholder theory.…”

“…Forcadell and Aracil (2017) argue that socially responsible business practices contribute to firm reputation. Moreover, several studies have demonstrated a positive association between CSR and firm reputation (Yan et al, 2022;Brammer and Pavelin, 2016;Gardberg et al, 2019;Khan et al, 2020a;Aggarwal & Saxena, 2023;Zhao et al, 2021;Cabrera-Luján et al, 2023). Further, Stakeholder theory guides organizations to prioritize the interests of diverse stakeholders, fostering ethical and responsible actions that enhance corporate reputation through positive relationships and aligned decisionmaking.…”

Corporate social responsibility and the relationship to stakeholders in large agricultural holdings in the Czech Republic

“…We plan to ask also local people in the future research in several case studies. The next challenge for the future research for us is to focus on the impact of the socially responsible behaviour of agricultural holdings on their reputation, because a high level of CSR can help build the good name of the company (Aggarwal and Saxena 2023). This shall lead to the bet-…”

Exploring the Affiliation of Corporate Social Responsibility, Innovation Performance, and CEO Gender Diversity: Evidence from the U.S.

“…Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) refers to how a company interacts with society. It encompasses a company's values and how they align with the expectations of the community in which the company operates (Aggarwal and Saxena 2022). McGuinness et al (2017) averred that the objective of CSR is to ensure that companies operate in a manner that is profitable and socially responsible.…”