Perceived firm ethicality and brand loyalty: the mediating role of corporate social responsibility and perceived green marketing

Abstract

Purpose This study aims to establish the link between business ethics and brand loyalty and to investigate the mediating role of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) such as green marketing. Design/methodology/approach Using the purposive sampling technique, data were obtained from 622 middle-income city dwellers who shop at leading retail malls. Data were analyzed with partial least square–structural equation model. Findings The study found a positive and significant relationship between business ethics, CSR, green marketing and business loyalty. Both CSR and green marketing mediate between perceived firm ethicality and brand loyalty. Research limitations/implications This research was done based on general knowledge of business ethics, CSR and green marketing from the consumers’ perspective. Future studies can avoid this limitation. Practical implications By ensuring ethical codes, CSR and green marketing, firms can contribute to promoting the SDGs, and at the same time, achieving customer loyalty. Brand loyalty is further enhanced if customers see a firm to be practicing CSR. Social implications The SDGs of sustainable production patterns, climate change and its impacts, and sustainably using water resources must become the focus of companies as they ultimately yield loyalty. Policymakers and society can design a policy to facilitate adoption of better ethical behavior and green marketing by firms as a way of promoting SDGs. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to test the mediation effect of green marketing and CSR on how ethical behavior leads to brand loyalty. It is also one of the few papers to examine how SDGs can be promoted by businesses as stakeholders.

Revisit intentions: Novel social responsibility of mall for strengthening mall reputation and perceived trust during fear-arousal of Covid-19 pandemic in India

“…Previous studies established a positive significant relation between CSR, business ethics, green marketing, and business loyalty (Amoako et al, 2021). A CSR complied brand is more likely to be preferred by customers as compared to non-CSR complied brands (Srinaruewan et al, 2015).…”

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a Framework for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

“…Research That Supports the Outcome Financial Performance and Profitability [79,[86][87][88][89][90] Image and Identification [91][92][93][94][95][96][97] Reputation, Credibility and Recognition [49,52,88,98] Brand [52,91,94,95,97,[99][100][101][102][103] Social and Public Trust [80,94,[104][105][106] Customer Satisfaction [107][108][109][110][111][112][113][114] Customer Loyalty [96,102,103,109,[113][114][115][116][117][118]…”

Green Marketing Practices Related to Key Variables of Consumer Purchasing Behavior

“…By ensuring authentic GM practices, companies contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) proposed by the United Nations [36], especially goal 3 (promote good health and well-being) and goal 12 (sustainable consumption and production patterns), and at the same time, achieve customer brand loyalty [37]. The SDGs seek to focus efforts among countries to make the world a peaceful place free from critical social ills and to promote sustainability.…”