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This study examines how environmental, social, and governance malpractices manifest as selective disclosure and weak assurance, enabling greenwashing across corporations in sub–Saharan Africa, and delineates governance and policy levers to curb these behaviors. Following integrative review standards, the study screens Scopus and Web of Science outputs and synthesizes 22 peer-reviewed studies published between 2014 and 2024 using a transparent PRISMA-informed pipeline and thematic coding to ensure replicability and analytic depth. The evidence shows that greenwashing is driven by regulatory gaps, voluntary compliance regimes, and narrative heavy self-reporting, while quality of integrated reporting is unevenly translated into real performance, signalling persistent decoupling between disclosure and outcomes; the preponderance of studies identifies governance weaknesses and selective disclosures as recurrent enablers across sectors including certification schemes and the built environment, corroborating the dominance of symbolic over substantive implementation in many African settings. The review argues for stronger ESG legislation, independent third-party auditing, and digital monitoring tools to restore investor confidence, protect public trust, and align corporate behaviour with the Sustainable Development Goals in sub-Saharan Africa

Organisations all over the world are increasingly adopting Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) as a strategic not only for improving their brand image but also making a meaningful contribution to the welfare of society. This trend includes incorporating socially responsible aspects into marketing strategies, resulting in goods and services that benefit the community at large. Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) play an important role in this framework, as they contribute significantly to both social and economic growth. Using a quantitative methodology, this study examines the experiences of a manufacturing organisation in the eThekwini District Municipality of KwaZulu-Natal that has included CSR into its marketing strategies. The analysis employs the Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) method, with data evaluated using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). This study collects and analyses pre- and post-CSR implementation quarterly data on sales performance and customer retention. The empirical findings offer a multifaceted picture of the impact of CSR on marketing performance. Contrary to assertions, that there appears to be a substantial relationship between customer retention rates and marketing performance following CSR implementation. Interestingly, the study discovers an inverse association between sales volumes and marketing performance, implying that a rise in sales does not always result in improved marketing results for the organisation in question. This unexpected consequence shows the intricate interplay between CSR programmes and marketing outcomes, providing useful insights for businesses, particularly those in the South African manufacturing sector, attempting to negotiate the complexities of CSR-driven marketing strategies. This study contributes to a better understanding of how CSR efforts can be strategically integrated with marketing goals to promote both social well-being and business success.

Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs) are regarded as a vital business sector in the South African economy. They elevate employment, reduce poverty, and increase the overall economic growth of any country.  It is essential that SMEs should develop and grow.  In ensuring their survival and growth, SMEs must be flexible and agile in every growth stage.  Thus, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is one of the strategic tools for business survival and growth.  CSR is when organisations act responsibly and ethically towards society, the environment and other stakeholders, to maximise positive impact not just for profit. It is expected that the implementation of CSR can enhance the performance of SMEs.  Consequently, the study assesses CSR practices applied by SMEs in the eThekwini Metropolitan Area. The study was quantitative in nature.  It targeted 120 SME owners in the automotive manufacturing sector of the eThekwini Metropolitan Area.  Data collected from 110 SME owners was analysed using version 27 of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS).  The results established that business performance increases when SME organisations support community, particularly when there is employee involvement in such support activities.  Hence, the original value of this study is in its approach in uncovering the perceptions and involvement of SMEs operating in the automotive manufacturing sector in the eThekwini Metropolitan Area in KwaZulu-Natal (in South Africa) on their CSR practices. 

Despite small and medium enterprises (SMEs) being the backbone of any economy, their performance is not satisfactory. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is frequently utilised to improve business sustainability and meet stakeholder responsibilities. However, literature focuses on CSR practices in larger corporations, neglecting the practice in SMEs. On the other hand, CSR research usually overlooks internal stakeholders such as employees. In order to bridge this gap, the researcher investigated internal stakeholders’ perceptions of CSR in a South African medium-sized organization located in the eThekwini municipal area, as this perspective is critical in developing a comprehensive CSR strategy. Data for this research was gathered through interviews and focus group discussions with managers and employees of the selected organization. Thematic content analysis was the primary method utilised for analysing the collected data, which was aided by NVivo 12 software for complete data processing and organization. The findings revealed that employees view CSR as a viable practice that encourages dedication and motivation to improve work performance. CSR implementation within the organization is seen as an effective motivational tool, resulting in greater output, increased staff dedication, decreased absenteeism, and increased employee turnover. The researcher argues that CSR can increase employee performance and emphasizes the necessity for SME managers to incorporate social, environmental and employee-related CSR projects into their business strategy to improve overall performance.