From Compliance to Commitment: Re-imagining CSR for Sustainable Development

Concerning the influence of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on teacher wellbeing within the higher education sector in China, this study is a synthesis of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDGs) for a broader understanding of the concept. By using structural equation modeling, this study investigates how CSR initiatives influence teachers by mediating the roles of educational institute culture and teacher admiration, with affective commitment as the moderator. The findings show that CSR endeavors provide direct payoff for teachers’ mental health and indirect payoff through a positive educational institution culture and teacher admiration. The role of affective commitment as a moderator is confirmed in the CSR–teacher admiration–wellbeing pathway. This research, therefore, shows that educational institutions have great potential to strategically align CSR with the UN-SDGs, not only for the benefit of teachers but also for the other sustainable development goals. This study therefore emphasizes the doubled role of educational institutes to make the lives of their staff better and to contribute to the global agenda of sustainable development by well-executed CSR initiatives.

Environmental degradation, social unrest, and uneven development in Nigeria’s Niger Delta have intensified calls for innovative, sustainability-driven strategies that reconcile economic activity with environmental responsibility. Hence, this study aims to critically examine how environmental marketing functions as a strategic instrument for advancing sustainable development in Nigeria’s Niger Delta region. Adopting a qualitative content analysis approach, the research analyzed 50 purposively selected documents published between 2013 and 2024, including peer-reviewed articles, corporate sustainability reports, and government policy papers. Findings revealed that Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) emerged as the dominant environmental marketing theme, cited in 85% of reviewed materials, followed by eco-friendly product promotion (72%), environmental certifications (60%), and stakeholder engagement (55%). These findings demonstrate a growing awareness of sustainability underscore the limited translation of policy into practice. The study further mapped environmental marketing initiatives against the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), identifying the strongest alignments with SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) and SDG 13 (Climate Action), while SDG 15 (Life on Land) received less emphasis, exposing a gap in biodiversity-centered marketing strategies. Analytical interpretation, grounded in Kotler’s Societal Marketing Concept and Peattie’s Sustainable Marketing Model, suggests that environmental marketing in the Niger Delta often remains surface-level—driven more by branding imperatives than by genuine ecological accountability. Key challenges identified include weak regulatory enforcement, minimal community participation, and insufficient transparency in environmental data reporting. It concludes that environmental marketing must transition from symbolic CSR to a participatory, evidence-based practice grounded in transparency, localized green innovation, and community engagement. While, It recommends stronger policy enforcement, inclusive stakeholder collaboration, and integration of environmental education into corporate and governmental sustainability programs.

The special issue on Managing Artificial Intelligence for Accelerating the Implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, positioning it within the urgent global context of advancing the 2030 Agenda. The special issue is closely aligned with the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by examining how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can act as a catalyst for comprehensive, sustainable, and data-driven development across critical areas such as poverty reduction, healthcare, education, climate action, and sustainable cities. In the current scenario, which is marked by rapid digital transformation, increasing global inequalities, and escalating environmental challenges, AI presents both unprecedented opportunities and complex ethical considerations. This issue addresses these dynamics by emphasising responsible AI governance, equitable access, and the integration of technological innovation with human-centred development principles. A distinctive feature of this special issue lies in the diversity of its contributions, bringing together interdisciplinary research, policy analyses, and applied case studies from academics, practitioners, and policymakers across different regions and sectors. The collection reflects a balance between theoretical insights and real-world applications, including contributions from both conference presentations and open-call submissions. The uniqueness of this issue is further demonstrated through its comprehensive thematic coverage-spanning governance, business transformation, and environmental sustainability while maintaining a strong focus on actionable outcomes and global collaboration. By bridging gaps between research, policy, and practice, this special issue offers timely and relevant insights for accelerating SDG implementation in an increasingly complex and interconnected world. Keywords: Artificial Intelligence; Sustainable Development Goals; Digital Transformation; Technological Innovation; Human-Centred Development; Ethical Considerations. Citation: Ahmed, A. and Naim, A. (2026): Managing Artificial Intelligence for Accelerating the Implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. World Journal of Science, Technology and Sustainable Development (WJSTSD), Vol. 21, Nos. 1/2/3, pp. 1-10. WASD: London, United Kingdom.

PurposeBusiness firms operate in society not only for market gains but also for generating positive social externalities. Civil society organisations (CSO) have helped society to develop across various spheres of influence. The concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) ushered in an era wherein both business economic objectives as well as socio-environmental responsibilities of firms were prioritized simultaneously. The path of firms and CSOs intersected through CSR. In this work, the authors develop a typology on firm–CSO collaboration regarding CSR initiatives.Design/methodology/approachThe authors through a twin approach of systematic literature review (SLR) with qualitative study developed a categorization of collaborations between a firm and a CSO in the context of CSR engagements. Apart from the SLR, the authors undertook two focus group discussions (FGD) with CSR experts (engaged in firm–CSO collaboration). This was done with a semi-structured discussion agenda frame. The data were content analysed for thematic aspects. Thus, both SLR as well as FGD outputs were considered for the study results.FindingsThe authors found six elements in firm–CSO collaboration and seven archetypes of collaboration. The six elements were CSR action elements (CSRAE) consisting of CSR agenda (CSRA), CSR resources (CSRR), CSR capabilities (CSRC), CSR Pprocess (CSRP), CSR monitoring (CSRM) and CSR stakeholder engagement (CSRSE). The seven typologies were CSO as auditor , outsourcing of CSR , CSO-driven CSR, joint CSR, support to CSO for CSR ,guided support to CSO and coordinated CSR.Research limitations/implicationsDoty and Glick, (1994) had undertaken a seminal work on theory building based upon the unique method of application of typologies. Doty and Glick, (1994) elucidated how application of typologies could through a typology study enhance the scope and level for understanding and modelling in a contextual domain involving theory. This study was a step in this direction in the context of firm–CSO collaboration in the context of CSR initiatives.Practical implicationsThis study would help managers from both CSOs and business firms to comprehend in which sphere they were required to collaborate like in resource /capabilities deployment or in designing CSR agendas or CSR process or CSR monitoring or in stakeholder engagement during CSR management. This typology would enable managers to comprehend what would be the most suitable form of collaboration between a firm and a CSO for a specific CSR engagement.Originality/valueThis is one of the first studies that theorizes regarding firm–CSO collaboration in the context of CSR initiatives both in terms of the collaboration building block elements as well as typology presented.

Human habitat, human society and science today stands in the midst of a deep crevice of scientific ingenuity and deep scientific regeneration. Medical science and the science of psychiatry in the similar vein stands tall and affirmative as man and mankind traverses the weary path of United Nations and World Sustainable Development Goals. The science of psychology and psychiatry needs to be truly re- envisioned and revamped with the passage of global engineering history and time. The author is suffering from schizophrenia since November,1993. From October, 2012 he was diagnosed with glaucoma in his right eye. The author in this article deeply elucidates with scientific profundity and insight the course of his years of illness and slow recovery. Today he is beset with one health issue over another. Provision of advanced healthcare is one of the pillars of World Sustainable Development Goals. A deep introspection and a comprehensive review on the science of schizophrenia are the utmost needs of the hour. The author deeply reviews the veritable needs and necessities of advanced healthcare in the diagnosis of the treatment of schizophrenia. Surely and remarkably a newer epoch in the field of neuropsychiatry will emerge if scientists, researchers and policy makers across the globe takes concerted efforts in dealing with the proper application of United Nations and World Sustainable Development Goals. Advanced healthcare is the need of the hour. The author deeply stresses the needs of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in the futuristic pathway of science and technology.

Responsible Business: A Guide to Corporate Social Responsibility for Sustainable Entrepreneurs

The World Health Organization recognizes that physical activity (PA) during childhood is crucial for healthy development, aligning well with the achievement of several United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This study aimed to explore the associations between 10 key indicators of PA for children and adolescents assessed in the Global Matrix 4.0 project, and the UN SDGs. Data from 57 countries/jurisdictions of the Global Matrix 4.0 project were used. The UN SDG indicators were sourced from the SDG Transformation Center, which publishes each country's performance on each of the 17 SDGs. Given the robust evidence supporting plausible links between PA and SDGs 3 (good health and well-being), 9 (industry, innovation, and infrastructure), 11 (sustainable cities and communities), 13 (climate action), and 16 (peace, justice, and strong institutions), these SDGs were investigated. Countries/jurisdictions with good and moderate performance in achieving SDG 3, SDG 9, SDG 11, and SDG 16 had higher grades than countries/jurisdictions with fair performance in achieving these SDGs for the following indicators: Organized Sports and PA, Community and Environment, and Government Investments and Strategies. However, countries/jurisdictions with good performance in achieving SDG 13 had lower grades than countries/jurisdictions with fair performance in achieving SDG 13 for the following indicators: Organized Sports and PA, Community and Environment, and Government Investments and Strategies. Organized Sports and PA, Community and Environment, and Government Investments and Strategies were the indicators that demonstrated differences between countries/jurisdictions with good and poor performance in achieving the SDGs.

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has received increasing attention in recent decades. The concept of social responsibility is being applied in universities. Because universities have goals that differ significantly from corporations, the notion of university social responsibility (USR) has emerged in the academic field. The Ministry of Education in Taiwan has regularly implemented USR practice plans since 2018 (Executive Yuan, Taiwan, ROC, 2019). The core values of these plans are "local coalition" and "talent cultivation". Moreover, these plans encourage universities to use the power of professional knowledge and creation to minimize the gap between learning and application for students and to integrate local resources and hands-on strategies to better collaborate with universities around the world and expand participation in international academic activities. Sustainable development (SD) is a core objective of both CSR and USR. The United Nations has advocated for sustainable development since 1987 and formalized the five-component paradigm (people, partnership, peace, planet, and prosperity, 5Ps) in 2015. UN Agenda 2030 addresses 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs), 169 targets, and 3,155 actions, encouraging all national governments to establish national SD action plans (United Nations, 2015). Based on the review of the literature and conceptual frameworks related to USR and SD (Bokhari, 2017), we integrate practice experiences and propose three suggestions for universities: 1) diversities universities could create a campus-wide climate of and comprehensive practice for social responsibility using their professional knowledge; 2) the social, economy, and environment are included in universities SD. The curriculum development of universities links to social practice activities to achieve the goals of talent cultivation to meet social needs; 3) The university projects include specific actions and timeline. The impacts and achievements of USR and SD may be appraised by internal and external experts. Fooyin University is a school of science and technology related to "Big Health". Based on the above theoretical frameworks, the outcome evaluation model of the Center for USR, the Ministry of Education, and the UN's SDGs, we implemented the "Time Wheel Sustainable Model of Social Responsibility at Fooyin University" (Figure 1) and began cooperating with private and government organizations. The model is an intervention and evaluation guideline for the time-dynamic wheel, with the target goal of cultivating health promotion and sustainable development talent. The outcomes and impacts of the model comprise four domains and sixteen indicators. Stakeholders of this model are students/alumni, teaching faculties and administration staff, communities, and the public. USR curriculum designs involve the School of Nursing, School of Medical and Health Sciences, School of Environment and Life Sciences, and College of Humanities and Management. In 2020, 718 faculties and 2,012 students participated in USR projects. In 2021, the participation numbers were 679 faculties and 2,303 students. The Fooyin USR is now firmly rooted in thirty communities. Starting in 2022, The Fooyin USR has collaborated with local private companies (CSR) and local youths and communities (regional revitalization, RR) to launch the 3 R formula framework of the USR. The goal of the 3 R action plan is to use artificial intelligence technology to provide innovative, community-based care. The USR operations of university sustainable development around Taiwan are achieving wonderful results, with even better achievements expected. This special column presents case studies of innovative community care and sustainable development within the context of university social responsibility at four universities, including Fooyin University, Siaogang Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, National Cheng Kung University, and Taipei Medical University. Since 2020, nations around the world have fought off COVID-19. The strategies of national prevention have evolved to better respond to disasters and to live with the virus. Therefore, in the post-pandemic period, universities around Taiwan have been implementing sustainable development practices. These universities are making strong efforts to develop innovative care for communities through academic exchange and publishing in order to accomplish social responsibility.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is getting more and more attention from both business and society researchers and corporate managers. Over a period of time, CSR as a concept have become a much broader and richer theoretical concept. In recent years, some streams in theoretical CSR like the concept of Strategic CSR and comparative CSR is gaining both significance and relevance. The focus of this article is on the concept of Strategic CSR. The article develops a scale to measure Strategic CSR constructs. The strategic CSR constructs are on the dimensions of CSR activities, characteristics and benefits. The scale was developed based upon structured questionnaire survey conducted on large Indian organisations. Scale development statistical techniques were used for the development of the scale. This scale would help both managers and CSR researchers in future to better comprehend and manage aspects related to Strategic CSR.

This article calls for the need for integration of physical literacy into Physical Education (PE) curricula in Africa to support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly good health and well-being (SDG 3), quality education (SDG 4), and climate action (SDG 13). Traditional PE often emphasizes competitive sports and physical benchmarks, overlooking inclusive, ecological, and lifelong development. Physical literacy defined by motivation, confidence, competence, and knowledge for lifelong physical activity offers a transformative approach to align PE with sustainability goals. The proposed framework promotes active lifestyles, inclusive teaching practices, and environmental stewardship through curriculum redesign, teacher training, outdoor learning, community engagement, and multidimensional assessments. Despite challenges such as limited resources, lack of teacher preparedness, and definitional ambiguity, opportunities exist through technology, cultural relevance, and alignment with global Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) goals. By embedding physical literacy, PE can become a vehicle for nurturing health-conscious, environmentally aware, and socially responsible individuals. This article reimagines PE as a critical tool for addressing modern health, education, and environmental challenges, advocating for systemic reforms that position physical literacy at the core of sustainable development strategies. The urgency of this transformation underscores the need for equity, inclusivity, and intersectoral collaboration in educational practice.

At the beginning of the 21st century overwhelming majority [if not all] of companies and organizations in post-soviet countries including Azerbaijan were not fully aware of the essence of corporate social responsibility (CSR) - one of the most important factors required for the sustainable development and successfulness of modern business activity. However, for several years, the question of social responsibility of businesses became crucial in this geography and the concept of CSR has been increasingly moved to the forefront. The main purpose of this research work is to study the current state of CSR practice in modern Azerbaijan with a particular focus on the CSR activity of small and medium-sized enterprises. In this study, we tried to shed light on the current CSR practice of SMEs in Azerbaijan against the backdrop of their constantly growing importance for the country by highlighting the way SMEs use CSR strategy and policy and the shortcomings in this field. The article also highlights government support for sustainable development, the way government can influence and encourage businesses to become more socially responsible.The benefits of CSR and its close interrelation with long-term success and sustainability are also among the issues discussed in this research paper.

Within the context of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), this article explores the complex interaction between natural resource exploitation and corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities in mineral mining economy such as Zimbabwe. The growing need for natural resources and the related worries about social justice and environmental degradation highlight how important it is for businesses to use ethical resource extraction methods. The investigation conducted in Zimbabwe aims to examine the state of CSR endeavors in the natural resources domain, evaluate their congruence with the SDGs, and pinpoint prospective avenues for enhancement. Methodologically, interviews with important industry stakeholders, case studies of well-known companies, and an extensive literature analysis are used to collect both qualitative and quantitative data. The results present a range of CSR approaches in the natural resources industry, showing both commendable projects and areas that need improvement. The article emphasizes the necessity for businesses to incorporate the SDGs into their CSR plans, given the favorable effects these goals may have on community development, environmental preservation, and economic viability.

The study examined the effects of ethical leadership on social responsibility with a specific focus on how ethical leadership influences the promotion, implementation, and organizational commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR) within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The objectives of the study were to examine the influence of ethical leadership on the promotion and implementation of CSR initiatives in organizations and to assess the extent to which ethical leadership enhances organizational commitment to social responsibility practices. The study adopted the Stakeholder Theory as its theoretical framework, emphasizing the central role of ethical leadership in aligning organizational goals with societal expectations. A descriptive survey design was employed, and data were collected from 80 respondents across selected ECOWAS institutions through structured questionnaires. The data were analyzed using Pearson correlation, which revealed a strong and significant relationship between ethical leadership and CSR implementation (r = 0.941, p < 0.05), as well as between ethical leadership and organizational commitment to social responsibility (r = 0.928, p < 0.05). These findings indicate that ethical leadership substantially promotes CSR practices and strengthens organizational dedication to social responsibility objectives. The study concludes that ethical leadership is a vital driver of effective CSR initiatives and sustainable organizational practices within ECOWAS. It recommends leadership development programs emphasizing ethics, institutionalization of CSR policies, stakeholder engagement, and periodic evaluation of CSR activities. The research contributes to theory by reaffirming the relevance of Stakeholder Theory in understanding ethical governance, to empirical knowledge by providing evidence from the West African context, and to practice by offering actionable strategies for improving ethical and socially responsible leadership in regional organizations.

Open Innovation (OI) allows companies to develop innovative solutions more effectively, with lower costs and risks. The economic benefits of OI have been thoroughly investigated in prior research. More recent literature suggests that OI can help companies also improve their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) performance. Contributions on how open innovation can help companies improve their CSR performance, however, are fragmented and lack strong theoretical foundations. In this study, we perform a systematic literature review to synthesize the main findings and provide a theoretical framework to explain how companies can simultaneously improve OI and CSR through the management of relationships with stakeholders. The framework is then used to investigate how OI projects favour the achievement of CSR objectives, by referencing the 17 United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Results show that the stakeholders' theory can be used to explain the connection between OI and CSR performance. We also find that companies can collaborate with different stakeholders' categories to achieve a variety of CSR goals. We suggest that companies adopt a long‐term perspective and explicitly include sustainability objectives in their open innovation strategy to enhance their position as reliable partners and elicit favourable responses from the environment. Results also allow us to provide some suggestions for future research. First, we point out that literature currently lacks conceptual studies to help formalize the connection between OI and CSR. Secondly, we observe that the influence of some stakeholders' categories, such as governments and research organizations, on companies' OI and CSR efforts remains under‐investigated.

As concepts of corporate social responsibility (CSR) continue to evolve, the predicament facing CSR managers when attempting to balance the differing interests of various stakeholders remains a persistent management challenge. A review of the extensive literature in this field reveals that the conceptualisation of corporate approaches to responsible stakeholder management remains underdeveloped. In particular, CSR practices within the specific context of the pharmaceutical industry, a sector which particularly dramatically depicts the stakeholder management dilemmas faced by business managers, has been under-researched. To address this gap, this paper utilises qualitative, exploratory data, obtained via multiple research methods, to investigate the CSR practices of major pharmaceutical companies in the UK and Germany. The data are employed to critically re-examine and revise a previously published explanatory framework which identifies the management steps involved in CSR stakeholder engagement. The resulting revised explanatory framework is the main contribution of this paper. By abstracting those factors which influence CSR practice, it provides an analytical tool which is designed to be of practical use for business decision-makers when managing their stakeholder engagement activities. Given that the research addresses values and ideals and prescribes practical recommendations for practitioners, it is essentially applied and normative in nature. Ultimately, the framework proposes a set of steps for developing CSR strategies which could help CSR professionals to make a ‘mindset transition’ from a narrower ‘traditional’ approach to CSR to a more innovative way of thinking.