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The study examines how environmental sustainability reporting influences the performance of listed construction firms in Zimbabwe. The study responds to a notable research gap in developing economies, particularly within the construction sector, where limited qualitative evidence exists on how managers perceive the relationship between environmental corporate sustainability practices and organisational performance. While prior studies have largely focused on quantitative approaches in developed contexts, this paper adopts a qualitative perspective to generate context-specific insights. Guided by the interpretivist philosophy and informed by Signalling Theory and Legitimacy Theory, the study employed a qualitative research design using purposive sampling. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews, and document analysis of sustainability reports from selected firms listed on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange. The data were analysed through thematic and content analysis to identify recurring patterns and perceptions. The findings indicate that environmental sustainability reporting is generally perceived to enhance firm performance through improved corporate reputation, stronger stakeholder confidence, regulatory compliance, operational efficiency, waste reduction, and better resource management. Key environmental practices identified include environmental management systems, recycling and reuse initiatives, pollution control measures, land rehabilitation, and water conservation strategies. However, the study also found that firms face constraints such as resource limitations, economic instability, and uneven regulatory enforcement, which may hinder the full benefits of environmental sustainability initiatives. The paper concludes that the environmental dimension of corporate sustainability reporting can contribute positively to organisational performance when supported by effective implementation and strategic commitment. It recommends that listed firms strengthen environmental governance systems, integrate sustainability into core business strategy, invest in cleaner technologies, and improve disclosure quality. Policymakers are encouraged to enhance regulatory support and industry guidance for sustainability reporting. Future research may extend this inquiry to other sectors, compare listed and non-listed firms, and explore longitudinal changes in sustainability reporting practices across emerging markets.

This study examines the impact of environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices on corporate financial performance in Zimbabwe's mining sector using a case study of Zimplats Holdings Limited. The main aim was to determine whether and to what extent ESG practices contribute to financial outcomes at the firm level. The objective of the study was to examine the overall ESG and financial performance relationship, to analyse the effects of individual ESG dimensions on financial performance, and to assess the moderating role of firm-specific factors on ESG practices. Informed by the stakeholder theory, the resource-based view, and legitimacy theory, a quantitative approach was adopted, using secondary data extracted from Zimplats' Integrated Annual Reports (2023–2025) through a structured data extraction template aligned with GRI standards. Key findings reveal a positive but lagged ESG and financial performance relationship. Governance emerged as the most stable and financially material ESG pillar, while environmental and social investments showed transitional efficiency deterioration before expected long-term gains. Firm-specific factors such as asset expansion, capital structure, production volume, and multinational ownership, significantly moderated the timing and magnitude of financial returns, compressing short-term profitability indicators such as return on assets (ROA) and return on equity (ROE). The study contributes firm-level empirical evidence on unlisted Zimbabwean mining firms, extending ESG theory to emerging market contexts. Recommendations include targeting governance enhancements for immediate financial returns, allowing longer investment horizons for environmental and social initiatives, and maintaining conservative capital structures to sustain ESG investment during earnings volatility.

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

This study explored the relationship between consumerism, corporate social responsibility (CSR), and ethical performance in Zimbabwe through a survey analysis. The research explored the differences in consumerism between developed and less developed countries and identified various influence consumerism, including economic situation, level of consumer education and awareness, and cultural considerations. The concept of consumerism was familiar to Zimbabwean consumers, but they lacked a comprehensive understanding of how it could be used to hold businesses accountable. Consumerism is in its infancy in Zimbabwe, and citizens lack awareness of their rights and obligations. This research relied on the understanding and perceptions of consumers to examine the relationship between consumerism, CSR, and ethical performance in Zimbabwe, as well as the effects of consumer activism on corporate behaviour. The data for this exploratory study was collected and analysed using qualitative methodologies from a representative sample of 200 Zimbabwean consumers chosen at random. The collected questionnaires were carefully analysed and structured to identify themes and key differences, providing a holistic understanding of the study. The findings indicated that consumers in Zimbabwe prioritise price, brand, quality, and country of origin over CSR and the ethical performance of organisations. This suggests that businesses in Zimbabwe have little incentive to prioritise CSR and ethical behaviour unless it aligns with the demands of consumers. The research highlighted the need for more education and awareness-raising efforts around CSR and ethical business practices in Zimbabwe. Overall, the study underscored the importance of consumerism and its impact on corporate social responsibility and ethical performance in Zimbabwe.  

The study sought to investigate the factors influencing environmental reporting in developing countries. This has been necessited by the inconsistances and non compliant to regulations and laws of environmental reporting among the developing countries. Through examining the factors that influence environmental reporting the study hope to establish context based solutions to the challenge of environmental reporting. The study used a quantitative research method and factor analysis to establish the factors influencing environmental reporting. It was discovered that there are seven key factors influencing environmental reporting among Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries. These factors are: regulatory drivers, risk management drivers, market drivers, management influence drivers, strategic communication drivers, value creation drivers and legitimacy drivers. The study also revealed that there are several sub-factors that influencing environmental reporting under each key factor identified. The study concluded that environmental reporting influenced by the seven key factors. The study recommends that SADC sought for in-depth understanding of factors influencing environmental reporting. This is because understanding of the factors affecting environmental reporting is essential for the formulation and reporting that that satisfies stakeholders' requirements.

The current research investigates the effect of Corporate Social Investment (CSI) on the Human Development Index in South Africa. A quantitative longitudinal study conducted over 10 years reviewed the relationship between CSI and HDI in South Africa. The survey results confirmed a negative statistical relationship between CSI and HDI in South Africa. With a 1% increase in CSI, leading to a marginal decrease in human development. An implication of the study is that CSI spending is not reaching the citizens of South Africa, possibly due to systemic corruption in South Africa. The results of the study thus have significant policy implications for the implementation and administration of CSI projects in South Africa.

Socially Responsible Investing (SRI) is an investment strategy developed to minimize the negative socio-economic and environmental impacts of each financial investment. Inconsistent results are presented during the analysis of the absolute risk-adjusted returns of SRI funds in comparison to conventional funds, and this negatively impacts investor awareness on adopting SRI funds as a viable substitute to conventional funds during economic crises. This research paper aims to improve SRI in South Africa by increasing the awareness of investors on viable investment substitutes, considering the amendments made to regulation 28 of the Pension Fund Act of 1956. These regulatory changes have made provisions to include principles of SRI into South African retirement fund investments and will increase the demand for SRI products in South Africa. The research objective is to provide empirical evidence on the absolute risk-adjusted performance of SRI funds relative to the performance of a matched set of conventional funds, before and during an economic crisis. The results are obtained by comparing the Sharpe ratio and Coefficient of Variation (CV) of each SRI fund to each matched conventional fund. The comparative analysis using the Sharpe ratio reveals that more sampled SRI funds (60%) outperform the sampled matched conventional funds (40%) before the COVID-19 pandemic. More Sample SRI funds (70%) outperform the sampled matched conventional funds (30%) during the COVID-19 pandemic. On an absolute RA basis, using the CV to compare SRI fund performance to conventional fund performance, the sampled SRI funds (50%) and the sampled matched conventional funds (50%) equally outperform one another before the COVID-19 pandemic however, more sampled SRI funds (60%) outperform the sampled matched conventional funds (40%) during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results indicate that SRI funds can match and outperform conventional funds both before and during an economic crisis period and should be considered as a viable investment substitute.

This study examines Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and brand loyalty within South African consumer marketplaces. This study investigates the relationship between CSR activities and customer behaviour, focussing on the influence of CSR on trust, satisfaction, and loyalty. The socio-economic and historical context of South Africa influences consumer attitudes towards corporate social responsibility, distinguishing it from other global markets. This study advocates for ongoing impact evaluations and stakeholder engagement to enhance the effectiveness of corporate social responsibility initiatives in both business and governmental contexts.

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. 

This study investigated the relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It examined the extent to which SMEs can engage in CSR to achieve larger sizes. A purposive study selected three large corporates that started as SMEs and grew to become large corporates through CSR. Interviews with managers leading CSR in these corporates revealed that CSR can be a key driver of growth, leading to larger sizes. The study concludes that CSR can be effectively used by SMEs to enhance their growth, potentially even to multinational enterprise levels. Recommendations include training employees in CSR knowledge, integrating CSR into business operations, prioritizing CSR initiatives, exposing management to CSR, and incorporating CSR into the mission for strategic status.

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.

This study aims to determine the impact of leverage, profitability, and size on firm value with CSR disclosure as a moderating variable. The research population is Consumer Goods Industry-Cosmetics and Household Sub-Sector companies listed on the IDX for 2015-2021. Sampling was conducted by purposive sampling with specific criteria, and then the data were analyzed using Moderated Regression Analysis (MRA). It is clearly seen from the data analysis that leverage, profitability and firm size did not affect firm value. Therefore, CSR disclosure cannot moderate the relationship between profitability, firm size, and firm value but weakens the relationship between leverage and firm value. Thus, CSR disclosure can moderate the relationship between leverage and firm value.

This paper examines CSR approaches and practices of local firms in Ethiopia, where the state is still a key player in business life. Moreover, it assesses at which stage Ethiopian CSR is. This mixed-method study includes quantitative analysis through SPSS and qualitative content analysis. A revised CSR practices scale has been conducted on owners/managers and employees of 100 local companies in Ethiopia. Besides, the companies' official websites have been thoroughly reviewed using five variables to understand their CSR approaches and practices better. The findings reveal that Ethiopian companies practice CSR though it is at the stage of fragmented CSR and the priorities differ from the global trend. Most respondent companies generally have excellent legal practices and CSR practices toward employees and customers. However, philanthropy, social sustainability, and management of CSR are remarkably at a mediocre level. Content analysis shows similarity with the results of quantitative study, to the exclusion of philanthropy. Notably, the hierarchy derived from our research varies also with Visser's CSR model.