Why do employees respond differently to corporate social responsibility? A study of substantive and symbolic corporate social responsibility

Abstract Corporate social responsibility (CSR) plays an increasingly significant role in business and can impact organizational performance sustainability. However, the degree to which stakeholders see organization as legitimate may depend on perceived authenticity of CSR processes practices. As internal stakeholders, employees have a strong influence outcomes. CSR, turn, has been found positively several employee To examine mechanisms this relationship, study questioned when how enhances employees' perceptions results affective commitment. Drawing time‐lagged sample 317 full‐time Australia, we that substantive is associated with commitment mediated by meaningfulness through work strengthened embeddedness, while symbolic not. Through assessing controlling for endogeneity threats analysis, provides more accurate empirical insights into importance authenticity, offers theoretical contributions field, presents practical implications organizations enhancing their planning practice.