IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/endesu/v24y2022i6d10.1007_s10668-021-01798-y.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The impact of COVID-19 on business perspectives of sustainable development and corporate social responsibility in China

Author

Listed:
  • Dongyong Zhang

    (Henan Agricultural University)

  • Shuhui Lu

    (Henan Agricultural University)

  • Stephen Morse

    (University of Surrey)

  • Lingyi Liu

    (Henan Agricultural University)

Abstract

The new coronavirus (COVID-19) has generated an unprecedented degree of social and economic impact on the planet, but few researchers have explored the repercussion of COVID-19 for sustainable development (SD) and corporate social responsibility (CSR), especially from the perspective of Chinese businesses. This paper is the first to outline the priority changes of both SD and CSR over the period of COVID-19 incidence in China. An online questionnaire survey of 1161 owners and managers of Chinese companies was conducted, and respondents were asked to score the priorities of their company over the pre, during and post COVID-19 periods. The research was carried out at the end of the first COVID-19 wave in China but during the period of lockdown in some parts of the country. It was found that there was a priority change regarding three dimensions of sustainable development and 13 aspects of CSR. While the social dimension of SD was prioritized during and post COVID-19, the environmental dimension was the only one deemed to be less important and less prioritized over the longer term after the pandemic. The top three short-term CSR priorities were having in place a workplace health and safety plan, engaging in philanthropic activities and protecting biodiversity, and the top three longer-term CSR priorities were job creation, protecting biodiversity and having in place a workplace health and safety plan. Environmental protection and using clean energy were not reported as a CSR priority. The paper concludes that China’s recovery mode cannot be called ‘green’ and suggests ways this could be changed.

Suggested Citation

  • Dongyong Zhang & Shuhui Lu & Stephen Morse & Lingyi Liu, 2022. "The impact of COVID-19 on business perspectives of sustainable development and corporate social responsibility in China," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 24(6), pages 8521-8544, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:endesu:v:24:y:2022:i:6:d:10.1007_s10668-021-01798-y
    DOI: 10.1007/s10668-021-01798-y
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10668-021-01798-y
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10668-021-01798-y?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Gan, Weiyu & Xu, Xixiong, 2019. "Does anti-corruption campaign promote corporate R&D investment? Evidence from China," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 292-296.
    2. Peng Zhou & Xing-Lou Yang & Xian-Guang Wang & Ben Hu & Lei Zhang & Wei Zhang & Hao-Rui Si & Yan Zhu & Bei Li & Chao-Lin Huang & Hui-Dong Chen & Jing Chen & Yun Luo & Hua Guo & Ren-Di Jiang & Mei-Qin L, 2020. "Addendum: A pneumonia outbreak associated with a new coronavirus of probable bat origin," Nature, Nature, vol. 588(7836), pages 6-6, December.
    3. Washika Haak-Saheem, 2020. "Talent management in Covid-19 crisis: how Dubai manages and sustains its global talent pool," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 19(3), pages 298-301, July.
    4. Honey-Roses, Jordi & Anguelovski, Isabelle & Bohigas, Josep & Chireh, Vincent Kuuteryiri Mr. & Daher, Carolyn & Konijnendijk, Cecil & Litt, Jill & Mawani, Vrushti & McCall, Mike & Orellana, Arturo, 2020. "The Impact of COVID-19 on Public Space: A Review of the Emerging Questions," OSF Preprints rf7xa, Center for Open Science.
    5. Carroll, Archie B., 1991. "The pyramid of corporate social responsibility: Toward the moral management of organizational stakeholders," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 34(4), pages 39-48.
    6. Hongzhi Gao & Monica Ren, 2020. "Overreliance on China and dynamic balancing in the shift of global value chains in response to global pandemic COVID-19: an Australian and New Zealand perspective," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 19(3), pages 306-310, July.
    7. Jesús Manuel Palma-Ruiz & Julen Castillo-Apraiz & Raúl Gómez-Martínez, 2020. "Socially Responsible Investing as a Competitive Strategy for Trading Companies in Times of Upheaval Amid COVID-19: Evidence from Spain," IJFS, MDPI, vol. 8(3), pages 1-13, July.
    8. Yipeng Liu & Jong Min Lee & Celia Lee, 2020. "The challenges and opportunities of a global health crisis: the management and business implications of COVID-19 from an Asian perspective," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 19(3), pages 277-297, July.
    9. He, Hongwei & Harris, Lloyd, 2020. "The impact of Covid-19 pandemic on corporate social responsibility and marketing philosophy," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 116(C), pages 176-182.
    10. Peng Zhou & Xing-Lou Yang & Xian-Guang Wang & Ben Hu & Lei Zhang & Wei Zhang & Hao-Rui Si & Yan Zhu & Bei Li & Chao-Lin Huang & Hui-Dong Chen & Jing Chen & Yun Luo & Hua Guo & Ren-Di Jiang & Mei-Qin L, 2020. "A pneumonia outbreak associated with a new coronavirus of probable bat origin," Nature, Nature, vol. 579(7798), pages 270-273, March.
    11. Corinne Le Quéré & Robert B. Jackson & Matthew W. Jones & Adam J. P. Smith & Sam Abernethy & Robbie M. Andrew & Anthony J. De-Gol & David R. Willis & Yuli Shan & Josep G. Canadell & Pierre Friedlingst, 2020. "Temporary reduction in daily global CO2 emissions during the COVID-19 forced confinement," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 10(7), pages 647-653, July.
    12. Dongyong Zhang & Mengge Hao & Stephen Morse, 2020. "Is Environmental Sustainability Taking a Backseat in China after COVID-19? The Perspective of Business Managers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(24), pages 1-24, December.
    13. Kun Li & Nasrin R. Khalili & Weiquan Cheng, 2019. "Corporate Social Responsibility Practices in China: Trends, Context, and Impact on Company Performance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-19, January.
    14. Toru Yoshikawa & Gavin Chua, 2020. "COVID-19 and Japanese shareholder activism: brief respite for Japan’s self-healing concrete," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 19(3), pages 302-305, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Yipeng Liu & Fabian Jintae Froese, 2020. "Crisis management, global challenges, and sustainable development from an Asian perspective," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 19(3), pages 271-276, July.
    2. Yipeng Liu & Fabian Jintae Froese, 0. "Crisis management, global challenges, and sustainable development from an Asian perspective," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 0, pages 1-6.
    3. Margarida Rodrigues & Mário Franco & Nuno Sousa & Rui Silva, 2021. "Reviewing COVID-19 Literature on Business Management: What It Portends for Future Research?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-21, May.
    4. Jun-Yu Si & Yuan-Mei Chen & Ye-Hui Sun & Meng-Xue Gu & Mei-Ling Huang & Lu-Lu Shi & Xiao Yu & Xiao Yang & Qing Xiong & Cheng-Bao Ma & Peng Liu & Zheng-Li Shi & Huan Yan, 2024. "Sarbecovirus RBD indels and specific residues dictating multi-species ACE2 adaptiveness," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-15, December.
    5. Imen Khanchel & Naima Lassoued & Rym Gargoury, 2023. "CSR and firm value: is CSR valuable during the COVID 19 crisis in the French market?," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 27(2), pages 575-601, June.
    6. Shahadat Uddin & Arif Khan & Haohui Lu & Fangyu Zhou & Shakir Karim, 2022. "Suburban Road Networks to Explore COVID-19 Vulnerability and Severity," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(4), pages 1-9, February.
    7. Kirsten R.C. Hensgens & Inge H.T. van Rensen & Anita W. Lekx & Frits H.M. van Osch & Lieve H.H. Knarren & Caroline E. Wyers & Joop P. van den Bergh & Dennis G. Barten, 2021. "Sort and Sieve: Pre-Triage Screening of Patients with Suspected COVID-19 in the Emergency Department," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(17), pages 1-11, September.
    8. Quan-Hoang Vuong & Tam-Tri Le & Viet-Phuong La & Huyen Thanh Thanh Nguyen & Manh-Toan Ho & Quy Khuc & Minh-Hoang Nguyen, 2022. "Covid-19 vaccines production and societal immunization under the serendipity-mindsponge-3D knowledge management theory and conceptual framework," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 9(1), pages 1-12, December.
    9. Hengrui Liu & Sho Iketani & Arie Zask & Nisha Khanizeman & Eva Bednarova & Farhad Forouhar & Brandon Fowler & Seo Jung Hong & Hiroshi Mohri & Manoj S. Nair & Yaoxing Huang & Nicholas E. S. Tay & Sumin, 2022. "Development of optimized drug-like small molecule inhibitors of the SARS-CoV-2 3CL protease for treatment of COVID-19," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-16, December.
    10. Maria Johann, 2022. "CSR Strategy in Tourism during the COVID-19 Pandemic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-12, March.
    11. Graziella Orrù & Ciro Conversano & Eleonora Malloggi & Francesca Francesconi & Rebecca Ciacchini & Angelo Gemignani, 2020. "Neurological Complications of COVID-19 and Possible Neuroinvasion Pathways: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(18), pages 1-18, September.
    12. Gleidson Sobreira Leite & Adriano Bessa Albuquerque & Plácido Rogerio Pinheiro, 2021. "Applications of Technological Solutions in Primary Ways of Preventing Transmission of Respiratory Infectious Diseases—A Systematic Literature Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(20), pages 1-50, October.
    13. Britton Boras & Rhys M. Jones & Brandon J. Anson & Dan Arenson & Lisa Aschenbrenner & Malina A. Bakowski & Nathan Beutler & Joseph Binder & Emily Chen & Heather Eng & Holly Hammond & Jennifer Hammond , 2021. "Preclinical characterization of an intravenous coronavirus 3CL protease inhibitor for the potential treatment of COVID19," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-17, December.
    14. David Daniel Peña-Miranda & Jesús Arteaga-Ortiz & José Ramón-Cardona, 2019. "Determinants of CSR Application in the Hotel Industry of the Colombian Caribbean," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(18), pages 1-19, September.
    15. Susanne Kessler & Bradly Burke & Geoffroy Andrieux & Jan Schinköthe & Lea Hamberger & Johannes Kacza & Shijun Zhan & Clara Reasoner & Taru S. Dutt & Maria Kaukab Osman & Marcela Henao-Tamayo & Julian , 2024. "Deciphering bat influenza H18N11 infection dynamics in male Jamaican fruit bats on a single-cell level," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-18, December.
    16. Yongzhu Xiong & Yunpeng Wang & Feng Chen & Mingyong Zhu, 2020. "Spatial Statistics and Influencing Factors of the COVID-19 Epidemic at Both Prefecture and County Levels in Hubei Province, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-26, May.
    17. Eugene Song & Jae-Eun Lee & Seola Kwon, 2021. "Effect of Public Empathy with Infection-Control Guidelines on Infection-Prevention Attitudes and Behaviors: Based on the Case of COVID-19," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(24), pages 1-18, December.
    18. Fabiana Fiasca & Mauro Minelli & Dominga Maio & Martina Minelli & Ilaria Vergallo & Stefano Necozione & Antonella Mattei, 2020. "Associations between COVID-19 Incidence Rates and the Exposure to PM2.5 and NO 2 : A Nationwide Observational Study in Italy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(24), pages 1-10, December.
    19. Małgorzata Dudzińska & Marta Gwiaździńska-Goraj & Aleksandra Jezierska-Thöle, 2022. "Social Factors as Major Determinants of Rural Development Variation for Predicting Epidemic Vulnerability: A Lesson for the Future," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-24, October.
    20. James, Nick & Menzies, Max, 2023. "Collective infectivity of the pandemic over time and association with vaccine coverage and economic development," Chaos, Solitons & Fractals, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:endesu:v:24:y:2022:i:6:d:10.1007_s10668-021-01798-y. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.