Educating for Change and Collaboration: Sharing University Students’ Stakeholder Expectations About Improving the Impact of Retailing Companies’ Sustainable and Socially Responsible Practices

To study international university students’ views and expectations regarding companies’ CSR and sustainability activities, a collaborative learning project involving 166 international students was organised at the Faculty of Economics of the University of Coimbra, Portugal, during academic year 2022–2023. The students worked in international groups and explored the CSR practices of 17 retailing companies of their choice by reviewing websites, CSR reports, and other available data. Based on their field work, students discussed the CSR practices that they found meaningful and important, reflected on their stakeholder expectations, and proposed development ideas to increase the range and impact of the case companies’ CSR and sustainability practices. Through qualitative content and thematic analysis, we categorised students’ views and ideas, as manifested in their project reports (n = 36), in line with the Triple-Bottom-Line (TBL) dimensions and the six core subjects of ISO 26000 Clause 6, focusing on successful CSR in the context of organisational governance. As our results, we provide insight into which kinds of CSR solutions by retailing companies the international students found meaningful and impactful in view of adopting more sustainable lifestyles. In our discussion, we explore the role that university students can play in inducing sustainable changes in the global retail industry. By sharing students’ stakeholder expectations and future-oriented development ideas, we seek to highlight the potential of their insights and contribution as current and future consumers, employees, managers, entrepreneurs, and decision-makers. Universities can act as strategic and purpose-driven partners to retailing companies by educating and empowering students for impactful change and constructive stakeholder collaboration. Our results can help companies develop their stakeholder interaction and improve the transparency and impact of their CSR and sustainability practices.