The need for social equality from emerging patterns in business and costs towards environmental sustainability in a new paradigm shift

Abstract

This investigation is based on a quantitative method and approach from inferential statistics.

This study addresses urgent need for social equality and the desire for a sustainable business environment following emerging realities, climatic changes, and environmental issues based on a framework built on corporate social responsibility (CSR).

The primary data were acquired from respondents via questionnaire administration and interviews from a random poll performed in Rome.

The results of the hypothesis connecting brand image and social responsibility showed a high value of p = 1.000, exceeding the set critical limit of 0.05; thus, companies and organizations that support socially responsible practices are drivers and vanguards for promoting and entrenching social equality, trust, and mutual engagements with the stakeholders and societies from which they draw resources for their activities.

Finally, relevant and novel models have been presented that unravel and unveil the templates and working frame for achieving social equality and sustainability while addressing environmental issues associated with business activities, emphasizing value -based creation, social equality, and sustainable marketing on a precept and foundational framework of social responsibility and corporate identity, or ‘CSR’. This led to key recommendations crucial to the business environment, policymakers, stakeholders, and decision-makers in politics.

Main text heading/introduction

CSR can be complementarily associated and strongly connected with a smart brand strategy.

Consumers are strong proponents or promoters and supporters, passionate and keen advocates for CSR who vote with their wallets, highly inclined or attached and tenaciously or fervently supporting companies that show strong passion and concern for employee welfare, support and are keen on community development programs, human rights course, climate protection and efforts geared towards environmental sustainability.

Creative brand strategist Andrew Miller states and emphasized that positive social purpose tenaciously driven or pursued around core – core transmitted messages are essential, obviously this is associated with core – values when resonated in the hears of the audience and well communicated can be the key or major differentiator¹.

Obviously, a strong brand strategy enables a company to achieve its strategic goals, missions, drive and attract strong audience attention and draw its loyalists or the brand advocators, supporters and evangelists.

• ➢ Armstrong, Gary, & Philip Kotler (2008) reported that socially responsible marketing is in the best interest and benefit of society, in my opinion this observation even goes beyond doing business and gaining profits or accumulating wealth.

• ➢ Human ‘socioeconomic activities and businesses have drastically impacted the environment manifesting to diverse issues of environmental concerns and climate changes; the business and firms need to give back to the society they use and utilize their resources to capture profits, wealth and accumulation rather than being miserly greedy about “wealth accumulation to negligent practices, environmental detriments and social nonchalance”.

• ➢ This paper sought to address climate change issues resulting from business and marketing activities and negligent practices towards mitigating and reducing rising incidences of actions and activism against the state for social and well fare deprivations, while looking in another direction into “social equality costs, and realities in connection”.

• ➢ Thus, pragmatic steps and approaches to be taken and adopted are sought and provided in the present realities.

• ➢ This paper provides an in – depth view and perspectives, providing an extensive presentation and ‘insightful delineation of this crucial subject emphasizing in the extant realities presently seen and encountered in the existing business environment, discussing marketing and social worries or concerns in relation to wealth accumulation, business ultimate goals of capturing profits as the motives of most business firms, managers and investment stakeholders and funding donor sponsor or proprietors, ‘CSR and social responsibility roles craved as climate changes or climatic issues results and mounts from business activities stressing the need to also look beyond the climatic predictions and models rather than giving a complimentary treatment and consideration with salient recommendations made.

• ➢ It emphasized pragmatism.

• ➢ New propositions, hypothesis frames, emerging trends or projections and novel models are carved and presented ending with salient recommendations

It is not easy to establish a unique brand image and brand loyalty; thus, enterprises should implement corporate social responsibility (CSR) and other practical activities to build trust, improve consumer satisfaction and consequently enhance consumer loyalty to their selected or preferred brands (Ahmed et al., 2020; Sürücü et al., 2019).

Studies have highlighted and enumerated so far the positive effects of consumer-perceived brand innovation (Pappu & Quester, 2016), brand participation (Leckie et al., 2016), and brand value (Yeh et al., 2016) on brand loyalty. As unveiled, brand loyalty can be improved and enhanced by “customer satisfaction (Hew et al., 2016), consumer-perceived corporate reputation (Loureiro et al., 2017), and social media marketing” (Ismail, 2017).

A positive impact can be induced on overall corporate image (Li et al., 2017; Lu et al., 2020) through the following elements: “brand image, consumer perception of brand ethics (Ahmed et al., 2020; Iglesias et al., 2019), consistency of advertising and brand promotion (Arbouw et al., 2019), and brand reputation and consumer trust”.

Most of the extant and existing studies drawn from the literature citations have focussed on the brand of the enterprise itself by the impact of consumer perception, product quality and standards on brand loyalty and brand image. Furthermore, it has been shown that the CSR performance of a company could lead to and generate higher stock returns (Lins et al., 2017), and, in turn be favorable for brand reputation (Asmussen & Fosfuri, 2019). Scholars have provided a broad range of definitions of CSR.

According to Kotler and Lee (2004, 2005), CSR can be defined as the assurance or commitment shown towards the community for its well-being and welfare. This objective or motive and purpose may be achieved by adopting flexible business practices by making use of corporate resources. Based on public welfare activities, Kotler and Lee (2004, 2005) divided the approaches or contexts of CSR implementation into specific types. This established structure has been adopted and used by a number of other scholars to explore the influencing mechanisms of CSR on brand loyalty and brand image. As an illustration or demonstration, Howie et al., (2018) found that public welfare-related marketing has an effect on the consumer evaluation of a company. Lu et al., (2020); and Nickerson and Goby (2016) determined that corporate social marketing affects and impacts consumer purchase intentions. Additionally, it has been found and established that the amount of corporate philanthropy changes consumer brand attitudes (Yuan & Tian, 2015).

The core values and strong customer benefits should constitute key aspects of the company built around business’s strategic fit, core values and propositions. This is crucial in this world of strong customer dominance and increasing place and centeredness for strong customer benefits and advocacy rather than just sales focus.

These core values are reflected and conveyed in the CSR and creative brand strategy developed and applied by the company. By doing so, the desired positive ‘social changes’ anticipated and sought in our community and larger world can be achieved.

The current study and investigation will provide a detailed and explicit delineation of the realities currently seen and emerging issues, discussing the essence of doing business responsibly in a sustainable manner, social equality, the passion and concern of businesses, firms and organizations for the people from which they use and utilize their resources for profit realization beyond ‘self –greed, motives and solely incentives for stakeholders but eschewing nonchalance in the context of ‘CSR; the sustainable business environment coupled with abating climatic changes, social worries, concerns or anxieties and environmental issues.

It is a survey based on a random pool performed in Rome by questionnaire administration and physical or one on one interviews from respondents across some industry vertices and public domains.

This investigation is based on a quantitative method and approach from inferential statistics/This study highlights the urgent need for social equality, the desire for a sustainable business environment following emerging realities coupled with climatic changes and environmental issues based on a presented framework built on corporate social responsibility (CSR).

Some previous drafts and article extracts were also presented for insightful illustration and presentation of the subject matter.

As a mainstream target, goal and pursuit, doing business responsibly, socially and in a sustainable manner should be part of the goals of firms, businesses and organizations as ‘Carroll identified in its various stages of discussions as exemplified within the pyramid earlier presented (Carroll, 2008); though put discretionary.

In this note ‘CSR and sustainable business, ethical marketing, norms respect and mutual culture of social intimacy should take some considerable place and space as interests should be considerably shown by organizations.

The essence and significance of social equality being considered and infused into the ‘CSR scheme and structural template or business model of an organization, company or corporation cannot be undermined; as explicitly discussed and illustrated in this discussion, research findings and investigation, even the rising litigation trends, jury and law suit cases can be drastically checked, reduced and avoided in certain instances if organizations and corporations will need to be socially responsible and infuse ‘CSR into their business models, scheme and operational modules or styles. Corporate social responsibility can be described or expressed as a self-regulatory business model and framework that enables a firm to be socially accountable to the organization, stakeholders, and the general public (Farid et al., 2019). With CSR, a company becomes conscious and aware of its impact, influences and roles played on all elements of society, including economic, social, and environmental issues. Being a socially responsible firm can significantly help and impact or shape the image and brand of a company.

If corporations are caring enough, passionate, and concerned about the social wellbeing of the communities in which they operate, utilize and make use of their resources for wealth creation, they will seek relevant stakeholders, mediate, and build an action plan towards merging business plans, motives, and objectives with societal needs, caregiving, and aligning to bring social equality determined by wealth distribution by giving back to the community, society, or neighborhood in which they operate by contributing to community development and infrastructural improvements.

Furthermore, they would be proactive enough and practically sensitive to key issues of environmental concerns and deterioration, such as; pollution, carbon level build – ups, sequestration and greenhouse gas emissions and accumulation, global warming and climate change, among other pressing and urgent issues of severe environmental impacts and consequences. They would be more mindful of how they do business, styles and approach and sought sustainable ways of doing business and pragmatic ways to drive towards sustainability and long -term goals in the interest of society and present and future coming generations.

Social inequality culminates from the massive accumulation of wealth in the custody of a few hands pervades for a long time from the pre – historic times of the eighteenth century to the advent of the twenty – first century until the present era in terms of historical trends, passages and regimes. Marxism and proponents had long revolutionized social equality; Keynesian on the one hand a socialist advocated for the right measures to suppress self – destructive capitalism as pushed for. Creators of wealth and companies using resources from societies in which they operate could be responsible for the environmental impacts in climate change among others from business practices and their economic activities, in seeking profits as a result corporate social responsibility in line with and connection with redressing social inequality is a key theme and direction to seek as proposed and presented in this research.

This investigation is an explicit delineation of the extant and emerging realities of the urgent need for social equality, the desire for a sustainable business environment coupled with climatic changes and environmental issues based on a presented framework built on corporate social responsibility, ‘CSR and random pool done in Rome by questionnaire administration interview from respondents across some industry vertices and public domain as mentioned earlier.

‘Cognizant of present issues associated with the business environment of environmental concerns on how the business could impact the environment, welfare state and social life styles and the need for arriving at social equality and engendering social changes and development, it is crucial, urgent and essential or extremely pertinent and important to look at the twenty-first century perspective of doing business in a sustainable manner and towards achieving a dream twenty-first century greener safer planet.

Some article extracts were also presented for insightful illustration and presentation of the subject matter, while relevant and novel models have been presented that unravel and unveil the templates, and working frame for achieving social equality and sustainability while addressing environmental issues associated with business activities, emphasizing value -based creation, social equality and sustainable marketing on a precept and foundational framework of social responsibility and corporate identity, or ‘CSR’.

It is imperative and pertinent to extrapolate this investigation beyond models and projections from climate change and environmental issues connected and associated with or products of business impacting the environment and taking into account social equality, costs in a new paradigm, ‘CSR orientation and social responsibility in the existing context, realities, and dynamics’.

Finally, relevant models and novel models have been presented and proposed as mentioned earlier in an extensive presentation and ‘insightful delineation of this crucial subject, emphasizing the existing realities existing in the business environment, marketing, and litigation concerns in relation to climate change or climatic issues, and stressing the need to also look beyond the models, but rather giving a complimentary treatment and consideration with salient recommendations made.

Literature: sustainable marketing, corporate social responsibility and environmental sustainability

Following the discussion presentation and based on Bowen’s (1953) book and as a precept or foundational stone, Carroll (1979) identifies the CSR pyramid strata as a viable frame that encompasses and includes four stages of CSR development and can be described as; “economic: wealth creation, legal: lawfulness, ethical: moral inclination, and philanthropic: voluntary self – will or free giving of obligatory duties and roles.”

In addition, Carroll (1979) contentiously argues that “these four categories are neither mutually exclusive nor meant to portray a continuum with economic concerns on one end or edge and social concerns on the other” (p. 499), disjointing or contrasting divergent extremes.

Specifically, economic responsibility represents that companies are supposed to provide goods and services that society needs and sells or dispenses while capturing profits, returns, and gains (Carroll, 1979, p. 500) to meet their stakeholders’, owners',' and shareholders’ expectations and targets.

As suggested by Kotler and Lee (2005), CSR can be described as a commitment to society. As identified and noted; Loosemore and Lim (2018) identified four dimensions of CSR that can be explained with the help of a pyramid: “economic responsibility, legal responsibility, ethical responsibility, and philanthropic responsibility”. Evidently, CSR has a considerable influence and has a positive impact on corporate image and reputation (Lu et al., 2019a, 2019b). Further studies revealed that consumers’ participation in charitable donations through tCSR activities organized by enterprises could help to improve the image of their products and brands (Luo & Lv, 2019).

As identified and stated by Douglas and Emily (2011) the business environment has changed significantly recently and has drastically seen or witnessed drastic and almost innumerable changes. Firms engaged in CSR practices believe that this engagement has proven helpful for increasing revenue over time to achieve long-term profit maximization (Lu et al., 2019a, 2019b). Firms also believe that CSR helps to strengthen their overall image in society among their stakeholders, consumers, investors, etc. Apart from corporate image, CSR also leads to positive influences and shapes the brand loyalty of their consumers. ‘^ As revealed by the study of Iglesias et al., (2018), benevolence-based trust revolves around customer perception as either a firm seriously showing and portraying honesty or concerned and committed about the well-being and welfare of society. Similarly, based on the social trade hypothesis, another famous author, Arikan et al., (2016), indicated that client trust in the direction of the firm image improves the social integration of the client association to build client responsibility toward the brand (Nguyen & Pham, 2018; Kim, 2019; Zhao et al., 2019). The consumer makes an overall assessment, appraisal, and evaluation of the image of the firm, which is often centred on their perception and available or known facts and information about the firm (Joo et al., 2017). In fact, trust is the key driver and forerunner of CR.

To survive, and achieve break through or have a cutting-edge in this dynamic business environment and prevailing or presently ‘on-going dynamics, businesses have been forced to adapt various strategies and be flexible enough, among them being the integration of corporate social responsibility (CSR) into their business models, nodules and schemes. As shown in a study, people are more likely to respond to a brand involved and engaged in or participating in some good causes (Sharma & Jain, 2019). The consumer’s idea about a firm depends on perception, encompassing and consisting of both brand performance and brand equity. Moreover, brand performance is the input of a brand and positively influences the overall performance or output and productivity of the business (Irshad et al., 2017; Loosemore & Lim, 2018).

As a useful tool and strategy for achieving brand loyalty firms must devote significant attention to creating and sustaining customer loyalty by adopting CSR (Almeida & Coelho, 2019). Furthermore, consumer loyalty represents consumers’ desire to use a firm’s brand, product, or services over time (Singh & Saini, 2016). Kotler et al., (2018) described the repeat-buying behavior of consumers, reflecting and depleting a sign of brand loyalty.

Bendell (2005) in his opinion argues, contesting and stressing that, nether a single definite, or and a precise definition of what CSR is does not exists, nor can it be found, as various organizations define this concept in different ways, specifically to their purpose, what they choose to portray or needs and suitability. In fact, a multi – dimensional perspective of ‘CSR was conceived in literatures prominent among; Matten and Moon (2008). ‘^ Scholars have provided a number of different definitions of CSR. According to the perspectives of Kotler and Lee (2004, 2005), CSR can be defined as the assurance of or commitment to the community for its well-being and welfare. This objective may be achieved with the help of flexible business practices for the effective use and utilization of corporate resources.

Focusing on and stressing public welfare activities, Kotler and Lee (2004, 2005) divided the approaches to CSR implementation into specific types. Other scholars have also explored and examined the influencing mechanisms of CSR on brand loyalty and brand image based on this existing and established structure. For example, Howie et al., (2018) found that public welfare-related marketing affects the consumer evaluation or assessment of a company. Lu et al., (2020), and Nickerson and Goby (2016), determined that corporate social marketing affects consumer purchase intentions. The amount, degree, and extent of corporate philanthropy change consumer brand attitudes (Yuan & Tian, 2015).

However, most of these definitions are closely related, intertwined and interconnected or interwoven and coinciding, in the sense that they relate CSR to how organizations manage and optimize their business processes to create a generally positive impact and influence on society. Thus, CSR is universally defined as the ongoing dedication or commitment shown and displayed or exhibited and imbibed by organizations to act in an ethical manner as well as made and directed towards contributions to economic development, and in turn or in the process driven and put towards enhancing and improving the quality of life of their employees, their families, and the local community and society entirely. From this definition, it is evident, and obvious enough that CSR is all about how organizations relate to the external and internal environment they are found or exist, in the course of pursuing their business motives, pursuits and objectives or goals.

As Carroll (2015) noted, “during the 1990s the globalization process and trend increased the operations of multinational corporations which now faced diverse business environments abroad, while some of them are depicted and characterized by weak regulatory frameworks & templates with no adequate background nor preparation and basis to cope with emerging issues and realities”, (p. 89).

This ‘shift significantly meant a lot for these ‘global companies, which brought about new changes, events and meant new opportunities that emerged with a rising global competition and strive for new markets. This shift, and trend is further marked followed by increased reputational risk due to a growth in global visibility, and conflicting pressures, demands, and expectations from the home and the host countries (Carroll, 2015) were evidently observed in the scenes.

Business and social responsibility in the marketing sphere or domain is frequently encountered or often discussed and viewed from the perspective and line of the moral and ethical context or dimension. Some researchers advocating and promoting socially responsible behavior mention, while emphasizing that qualifying marketing actions should not simply meet the minimum ethical business guidelines, regulations and standards but expected as demanded, and should voluntarily exceed or surpass them beyond society’s expectations or anticipations (Grewal and Levy, 2008).

In addition to economic implications and considerations, marketing strategies significantly and strongly impact the prevalent social value system or structure. ‘^ Studies and findings have clearly shown, indicated and revealed that individuals are more attracted or drawn and brought closer to firms that appear more socially responsible (Irshad et al., 2017), thus creating and building or portraying an image that enhances and improves consumer behavior and purchase intentions for the product brand. As stated and pointed out by Lu et al., 2019a, 2019b, the CSR activities of a firm play an integral or core and central part in building and establishing trust among consumers.

Advocates and proponents or supporters of socially responsible marketing practices argue and contest that current marketing system creates false wants, injects constant desire and intense crave for material possession or materialism, and eventually and finally leads to excessive spending and that for no good or justified reason or course of action. Thus, socially responsible marketing draws essentially attention or keen interests and zeal to ‘social costs’ (Armstrong, Gary, & Philip Kotler, 2005, 2008), which are embedded or concealed and cemented in the marketing, selling and consumption of private items and commodities. However, pragmatically and beneficially with no harm incurred it calls for a marketing system that significantly contributes to social and environmental sustainability, while simultaneously doing business profitable manner. Enterprises can adopt marketing activities to improve public welfare and CSR implementation. As the first of six types of public welfare marketing approaches proposed by Kotler, the cause-related promotion strategies of a firm prompt the public to devote their attention to public welfare causes by using the firm’s various material or nonmaterial resources (Jeon & An, 2019; Luo, 2015; Park et al., 2017).

The recent rapid and vast or enormous degradation presently left in the eco-system has drawn and intensely attracted the world’s attention, and intense global efforts have been initiated and called for to minimize the significant negative effects as the present trend of consumerism unfortunately not only creates an artificial psychological value and inclination attached to higher-priced brands but also raises environmental concerns about their pricing, promotion and packaging mechanisms.

Literature, dynamics & theoretical framework

The stakeholders approach has emerged as one of the most notorious paradigms and trends in CSR, prominently discussed, culminating and leading to a debate, argument and contestation or manifestations from the capitalistic Anglosaxon shareholder’s concept, built on the premise that companies should address their interests exclusively to their shareholders. However, stakeholders recognize that companies are also held responsible for their workers and local communities based on the notion of capitalism (Ingley et al., 2011). Since 1984, Freeman confirmed and ascertained that the competitive advantage of a company is based on its reputation and its capacity to attract its stakeholders with quality actions, preserving the efficiency of the organization’s operations and the quality of the products/services, thereby improving their level and extent or state of satisfaction and the creating a sense of belonging, assimilation and acceptance or accommodation.

Hence, the justification and commitment of a company to operate in an economically and environmentally sustainable way by complying with the interests of its stakeholders are established and entrenched through CSR (Nejati et al., 2014). In line with Freeman, Agudo-Valiente et al., (2015) stressed the proactivity of CSR, when stating that it has become a strategic tool that allows companies to satisfy or meet the needs and expectations of stakeholders.

The institutionalist approach shows and indicates that a company tends to behave in an opportunistic manner to obtain better benefits in the short term, except when institutions intervene to mitigate this behavior. Michelon et al., (2013) noted out that CSR under institutionalist guidelines or procedures focuses on profit creation or generation and opportunities for companies to obtain benefits from society; that is, they use corporate investments on social causes as a short-term strategy and mechanism or approach and steps to overcome a negative reputation, thus playing or taking up the role of a sort of tax or licence to undertake and perform profitable and sustainable business.

Several CSR approaches point to the fact that the power of the company in its surroundings is based on the balance established and ensured or created between the responsibility to prevent and correct social issues resulting from the activities carried out and influence of the organization and promoting profit generation in a way and manner that improves its reputation. Thus, on this basis or in this regard, three approaches are emphasized and stressed: the macroeconomic approach from the liberal position, related to the increase in the profits resulting from free, open competition, without any interaction with external individuals and the surroundings; the microeconomic from the social position, which demands responsible organizational behavior; and the intermediate position, which highlights its counter position from an integrated application approach pertaining to the current performance of the companies from the context of responsible practices.

The macroeconomic approach began and emerged between 1969 and 1970, in defence of economist and statistician Friedman, who stated that CSR is geared towards actions and practices that increase economic benefits and gains without intending to take up responsibilities beyond their competence, within a framework of transparent competition. This postulate is supported and established by Adam Smith’s “Invisible Hand,” which states that the interaction of individuals in the market guided by their own interests will be more beneficial, advantageous, effective and efficient than if any other entity or institution wishes or intends to intervene in these dynamics (Ingley et al., 2011). From this mirror or optics, every CSR doctrine or narrative aimed and directed at the service of society is considered subversive, as it distorts the functioning of the market by generating inefficiency in the allocation of available resources; in theory, the neoclassical economic point of view suggests a negative connection and link or bearing between CSR and market fundamentalism (Gingrich, 1995; Walley & Whitehead, 1994).

In contrast, the microeconomic approach portrays or presents CSR as a marketing strategy to achieve corporate success and economic benefits or gains, in addition to gathering and obtaining initiatives that improve social and environmental conditions. A company is socially responsible when it places its emphasis on economic stability linked and connected to its corporate ethics contribute to the overall good and benefits of society. Cheng et al., (2014) state that companies that operate and engage in or participate in CSR activities with efficacy and efficiency are favoured. CSR dissemination has become a long-term, credible, and transparent tool, and as corporate objectives, expand and projects become social components as companies reduce investment and reduce cost loss, stakeholders become more effective. Based on this argument, it can be concluded that commitment and efforts towards responsible initiatives promote better performance and prevent the altruistic bias of activities between businesses and society.

Importantly, the influence of the organization from the late nineteenth century and its participative role in the economic growth of countries in the twentieth century led society to be involved and undertake productive behavior from the economic, social and environmental areas, viewing it as a cell that guarantees organizational capability and collective wellbeing as a new corporate practice known as CSR. The act of responsible management and disposition by the organization or attitude shown in this direction is based on four key principles that enable and allow for shared value in prerace (Arrigo, 2013) based on CSR aspects identified as follows: “economic, ethical, legal and philanthropic responsibility” (Arrigo, 2013; Bai & Chang, 2015; Mahon & Wartick, 2012; Wang & Berens, 2014; Wang & Juslin, 2013).

Corporate actions and productive activities have direct and indirect impacts on the well-being of stakeholders, including shareholders, employees, clients, providers, local communities, the natural environment, the government, and society in general. In fact; the expectations of every group of stakeholders are defined based on needs (Alniacik et al., 2011). In this context, Post, Preston and Sachs (2002) state that stakeholders are defined as “individuals and groups who voluntarily or involuntarily engage and contribute to a business’ capacity and activities directed towards creation and generation of wealth, and eventually who are the business’ potential beneficiaries and/ or risk holders” (p. 8). In essence, their corporate influence is crucial and important, driven and based on exogenous influence. The success and implications or effects of corporate management and organizational image depend on this influence (Noto & Noto, 2018).

The stakeholders consist of those persons, parties or entities that nay be affected by the achievement and outcomes of the organization’s set goals or objectives” in addition to their actions, and influences or roles (Freeman, 1984, p. 25). Again, Bryson (1995), from another angle, states that stakeholders may present an ownership claim placed on an organization to defend their rights and request guarantees in responses to their reality. Stakeholders include and cut across “government, institutions and trade unions, social organizations, sponsors or donors, political institute or parties and the d citizens” (Corrêa & Miranda, 2011). Likewise, Chung, Lin, and Yang (2012) state that these claims emphasize corporate objectives, goals, and expectations towards facing and could be essential in pursuing responsible actions toward the surrounding social and environmental settings or domains.

Although the primary definition of stakeholders put forth by Freeman (1984) has revolutionized and drastically changed the corporate world regarding the effect of stakeholders, the context of this definition, what it represents and denotes has evolved to include providers, environmentalists and other groups that may contribute to or hinder and jeopardize organizational purposes. From this stand point or perspectives, Clarkson (1995) divides stakeholders into primary and secondary categories or classes. Primary stakeholders are indispensable, crucial and extremely important for corporation to develop and achieve its social purpose or motives. They include; shareholders, investors, employees, clients, suppliers, and also the public stakeholders consisting of communities and the government, who provide infrastructure, markets, laws and regulations, thus creating interdependence and coexistence or networks between the corporation and primary stakeholders (Moura-Leite et al., 2014; Colvin et al., 2016).

Secondary stakeholders are those participants or groups who influence, affect, or are influenced by the company but do not conduct direct operations and are not essential for its survival. This wide definition of secondary stakeholders includes communication media and nongovernmental organizations, since they have the capacity and tendency to mobilize public opinion to support or oppose any success or accomplishment made by the company (Moura-Leite et al., 2014).

CSR practices that are purposely addressed to primary stakeholders are prone, liable, or tend to lead to changes in equity. Considering their enourmous possession of power, stakeholders can demand greater financial and social performance, and their demands are likely to receive immediate, urgent, or prompt attention; however, theory and empirical evidence on the connection and relationships between financial performance and CSR are not conclusive (McWilliams & Siegel, 2000; Margolis & Walsh, 2003). Unlike primary stakeholders, secondary stakeholders show little power, less influence, and urgency when exerting pressure and placing legitimate demands on the corporation (Chang et al., 2014).

It is essential to emphasize that stakeholder theory has been presented in the framework and contexts of the organization as corporate management that stems, emanates, or results from dialogic ethics, constituting the basis from which CSR strategies are built (Freeman, 1984). It has also been used to overcome the macroeconomic approach or the neoclassical theory, which identifies the maximization of economic growth of the company and points to the owners as the only actors for that purpose (Agudo-Valiente et al., 2015).

As put forward and stated by the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (2015), the stakeholder concept provides an ample institutional perspective on the accountability reports of the company, which establishes the promotion of an alternative to Milton Friedman’s traditional approach as a fundamental factor, primarily and solely emphasizing the monetary factor, while this theory essentially refers to the need to balance stakeholders’ needs and interests (Ferrero, 2014).

Freeman’s theory emanates from the strategic vocation of management; however, Carroll (1991) argues and contested that it is developed and built or emanates from the legal perspective and the ethical engagements of the organization. Stakeholders are those entities or participants involved in and taking part in the functioning, development, management, and economic success of the company (Harjoto et al., 2015).

Donaldson and Preston (1995) offer more analytical depth, insights and perspectives to our understanding of Carroll’s stakeholders theory by introducing the following four dimensions: (1) a descriptive dimension, depicting or representing managers truly do or actions taken regarding commercial relationships; (2) an instrumental dimension, when defining the results or consequences of specific actions administrators undertake on behalf of their organizations; (3) a regulatory dimension, in response to the ethical question and perspectives that must be considered by managers and organizations; and (4) management in searching for support from professionals in learning how to develop or establish the complex network of relationships or links among the stakeholders (Weber & Gladstone, 2014).

Importantly, and thus as crucial, the stakeholders’ theory is framed and enshrined within corporate logics that allow for their configuration and scope within the ethical, legal, economic, and socially responsible aspects of the organization. Hence, Coetzee and Van Staden (2011) defined CSR from dialogue with all its stakeholders, claiming that the performance evaluation of an organization must include the assessment of social matters by its stakeholders, which constitutes ethical commitment (Arrigo, 2013).

Stakeholder activism and investment incentives

From the perspective, context and opinion of Visser, W. (2008), CSR is engendered and driven by stakeholders’ activism or pressure groups which often address the alleged failure of the market and government policy. The regime and trend of socially responsible investment gives CSR an incentive where funds are screened and transparently scrutinized on ethical, social and environmental criteria, which in effect proactively encourages businesses to inform shareholders or key players of potential risks and issues thereby helping them to better understand their stakeholders, including shareholders, and bringing transparency. According to Hill & Knowltown (2006), surveys have shown that analysts place as much or utmost importance and significance on corporate reputation as they do on financial outputs and delivery or outcomes from financial terms. ‘^ Edward Freeman includes the interests of other agents or participants involved in the shareholder’s model, emphasizing that managers should make efforts to balance interests around an integral or core vision (Ferrero et al., 2014; Sanchis-Palacio & Campos-Climent, 2019). Thus, CSR should represent and portray or depict corporate ethics in inundating and bringing out its relationships with its stakeholders, contributing to the society in which the business is operating (Freeman & Liedtka, 1991). This perspective is reinforced, strengthened and built and developed from Archie Carroll’s model based on ethical responsibility when adapting to stipulated standards and practices that are not legally encoded but rather translate into actions that shareholders expect and demand or call from the organization (Carroll, 2016). In this vein, Wagner-Tsukamoto (2019) suggested the concept of ethical capital through a product or service that facilitates and promotes corporate philanthropy towards stakeholders, which could drive and engender or promote stakeholder activism.

Conclusively, sustainable business and marketing are known to be socially responsible, in addition, they can imbibe ethical values and prevent pollution or minimizes pollution as much possible. Intense efforts to minimize or avoid pollution as much as possible can be considered a way of being socially responsible engendering ‘CSR which is a key component of sustainable marketing practices.

Consumers and customers feel safely protected and see companies doing such as caring and after the well—being of their customers. Thus, a stronger brand loyalty and association based on customer loyalty can be built and strongly enhanced.

This effort culminates in increased or greater gains from sales and turn-over boosts and incentives for stakeholders as well. This is also a strong justification for linking ‘CSR, sustainable marketing and climate to environmental protection issues and engenders a strong zeal to seek or find potential ways and propose pragmatic models of sustainable marketing as subsequently presented to buttress this presentation and conceptual frame.

Furthermore, sustainable marketing within a value-based creation ideology and the integration of organizational culture could be sought, and could impact financial performance in subsequent works and presentations.

Societal marketing

Societal marketing is key and can be considered a core and integral part of sustainable marketing and social responsibility: organizations are called to be socially responsible, and wake up to their corporate social responsibility; this can be extrapolated into social equality, costs and mutual social interactions between firms, organizations and societies, ‘CSR roles and align with the vision for sustainable global goals emanating and crucial in recent times conscious of some devastating environmental issues among; “global warming, ozone layer degradation and depletion, Arctic glacial iceberg melting, perennial flooding”, etc. (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1

Chart showing societal marketing key considerations. Source: http://socio-articlebloggspot.com

Three key considerations of societal marketing

Societal marketing can strongly enhance sustainable marketing, and engender long –term goals, visions and sustainability.

Social contract theory

The best known philosophers such as, Thomas Hobbes, John Locke and Jean Jacques Rousseau fervently talked on social contracts^(1234567)

This theory dates from the classic period of history but it underwent various transformations metamorphosing through various evolutionary phases, and took its modern form, existence and conception between the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries.

As depicted and conceptualized, the individual-society relationship is a symbiotic situation ^(4,5,6); whereby the two parties interact mutually or are found in coexistence and confer some right to the state to maintain social order or status by enhancing human life and cohabitation and gaining the benefits of community and safety.

Lightly connected to social contract, the corporate social theory, in connection with a firm’s indirect social obligations, has been advanced and projected as a theoretical basis and background to explain the practice of CSR by corporations and organizations or corporate entities.

To demand an obligation, commitment and ties, according to social contract theory, and this path or direction, businesses are bound and confined by the social contract whereby they consent, accede and agree to perform various socially desired actions in return for the approval of their objectives or goals and other rewards or gains. This definitely guarantees ensuring its continued existence or sustainability.

Sustainable marketing can be observed and deduced to be supported by social contract theory which emphasizes a symbiotic relationship as outlined in the previous paragraph whereby a mutual relationship is established by between the company and society or two parties.

Sustainable marketing can be described as falling, confined and bound within the 5 basic core and principles of ‘CSR or corporate social responsibility comprising: “consumer orientation, value – based marketing, sense of mission, innovative marketing and societal marketing” driven precepts and conceptualization.

By inculcating and imbibing the concept of sustainable marketing, companies can drive towards core-value, creation that satisfies and meets their customers’ needs maximally and return to the community in return through CSR and promote a safer greener, sustainable and safer planet.

As mentioned earlier companies implementing CSR can enhance, in fact trigger and gain higher or increased financial performance.

However, CSR practices have enhanced financial performance status and position as shown by Chou et al., (2017) based on listed companies from Taiwan.

On a note and background from another footprint or perspective; Senyigit and Shuaibu (2017) in an investigation of emerging countries revealed mixed and contrasting results. This is not to undermine or underpin the importance and significance or bottom line and core values of ‘CSR practice in either context, even when the contrast was seen or observed.

Companies implementing CSR in their business strategy adopt different social-responsibility practices or norms.

By adopting the right and appropriate business strategy, ‘CSR adoption and cognizant of the different social responsibility the companies can do a lot of good to the society, customers’ and all stakeholders while pursuing their strategic goals, vision, profitability, capturing profits in return and overall ensuring sustainability.

Beyond their profits and material gains or wealth creation and accumulation, they can protect the environment, promote or enhance environmental sustainability and build a stronger brand image.

Methodology, models & hypothesis formulation

Methodology

This research is based on an explicit and detailed qualitative presentation from a novel model and a quantitative approach from the acquisition and analysis of the primary data source.

The primary data source used for this study were acquired through the administration of questionnaires, field or experimental surveys based on a simple random sampling distribution. The primary data were acquired from a random poll and survey conducted in Rome by questionnaire administration interviews with respondents across industry vertices and the public domain.

In random sampling, each sample or participant has an equal likely-hood or chance of being picked or selected randomly, non—biased and cutting across the selected sample size drawn and cut across the various industry vertices or verticals randomly drawn across consumers and participants in the presented industry vertices. A slightly rigorous quantitative treatment and acquisition of the primary data led to accomplishment of this research task, and endeavour.

With a probability sampling technique, everyone in the population has an equal chance or likelihood of being chosen. It is being put and described as the best way to ensure that all sampling units are equally representative of their populations (Curtin et al., 2005; Fowler, 2009). Simple random sampling is a sampling method that ensures that each member or sample representative of a population has an equal chance or likelihood of being chosen as a respondent (Thomas, 2020).

This study has stressed and identified the impact of a company’s various CSR initiatives on brand loyalty. The relationships and correlations among key variables have been determined and established. The study was based on a positivist approach of philosophy because we are deducing the pre-identified variables through the literature and further creating a generalized idea about these predefined variables. The data were collected with the help of a pre developed survey questionnaire that was developed on a Likert scale with close-ended questions.

The initial research questions, underlying assumptions, and hypotheses presented are statistically tested and verified to make key recommendations crucial to the business environment, policymakers, stakeholders, and decision-makers in politics.

Key inferences and salient deductions are drawn from the results of the hypothesis formulations and propositions.

The quantitative treatment of the primary data acquired from the survey and experimental field followed a qualitative explicit literature description, then led to a model proposition from the hypothesis formulation built around the research questions.

The data were collected with the help of a pre developed survey questionnaire that was developed on a Likert scale with close-ended questions. The measurement instrument was adopted and adapted similarly to those previously adopted and produced or generated and developed by Kotler and Lee (2005) for CSR initiatives, brand loyalty (Medzhybovska & Lew, 2019; Sharma & Jain, 2019), and brand image (Wu & Wang, 2014). According to the literature, the mono-method approach was applied to this cross-sectional study to analyze the information that was gathered and generated or pooled from different stakeholders in society (Lu et al., 2019a, 2019b). The measurement scales for t CSR initiatives are similar or equivalent and reflective of those derived from the previous literature Jeon & An, 2019; Almeida & Coelho, 2019; Suki & Suki, 2019; García-Fernández et al., 2018).

Furthermore, the measures are shaped around the extant literature;

The constructs in the study include variables dwelling and shaped around, brand reputation, brand equity, and CSR, with perspectives on philanthropy, ethics, legal, and economics, consistent with the literature, Mahmood and Bashir (2020), as shown and demonstrated in previous studies.

The identified items reflect the components of ‘CSR, and exemplified and extrapolated based on Carroll’s (1991) four dimensions, and as further demonstrated by Loosemore and Lim (2018) were consciously taken and adopted or followed to measure CSR perception of the customer. These items are also indicative and reflective of those that were adopted from Hyun and Kim (2011) to measure brand equity, and related items from Erisher et al., (2014) were adopted and used to measure and convey brand reputation.

The quantitative treatment of the data is based on statistical methods for analyzing and verifying the validity or non-applicability of the major hypothesis assumed or set in the course of this research investigation. The structured questionnaires were used to collect the data based on a 5-point Likert scale as mentioned. The probability random sampling method was used for sampling in this study. The inferential statistical method or approach fmodeling follows the adoption or application of statistical software, which was used for the data evaluation.

Assumptions

Basically, the t-test statistics follow the form; $=\frac{Z}{s}=\frac{{}^{\left(\overline{X }-\mu \right)}\!\!\left/ \!{}_{\left({}^{\sigma }\!\left/ \!{}_{\sqrt{n}}\right.\right)}\right.}{s}$, where $\overline{X }$ is the sample mean from sample ${X}_{1},{X}_{2},\dots \dots \dots \dots \dots \dots .,{X}_{n}$, of size$n$, $s$ is the ratio of the sample standard deviation to the population standard deviation, σ is the population standard deviation of the data and μ is the mean.

$Z$ is designated to be sensitive to the alternative hypothesis, that is its magnitude tends to be larger when the alternative hypothesis is true and $s$ is a scaling parameter that allows the t distribution to be determined.

Pertinently, $X$ follows a normal distribution with mean, μ and variance ${\sigma }^{2}$., $Z$ and $s$ are independent, and $p{s}^{2}$ follows a ${\chi }^{2}$ distribution with $p$ degrees of freedom under a null hypothesis for a positive constant, $p$.

Research questions

• 1) Is there a relationship between the brand image or identity of an organization and its ‘CSR: corporate social responsibility roles?

• 2) Does a partial relationship exist between CSR roles and environmental sustainability?

• 3) Would ‘CSR accelerate the pace’ for attaining a safe, greener planet of a dream and anticipated twenty-first century?

Hypothesis or major assumptions

Studies have clearly revealed that brand loyalty is a vital measurement or instrument and dimension of brand equity (Taodocs.com, 2019). Brand image can affect the direction of market development to a certain extent, and can also affect the purchase willingness or intentions of consumers as an important influencing factor of their identification with the product (Jia, 2019), thus shaping purchase intentions.

While promoting corporate image, CSR also has a positive influence on the brand loyalty and commitment shown or the passion of consumers. As clearly revealed by extant and existing studies, firms that appear or seem more socially responsible are more attractive to individuals (Irshad et al., 2017). This image helps improve consumer behavior and purchase intentions for the product brand. As enumerated, the CSR activities of a firm constitute and form an integral part or component and play significant roles in building and establishing trust among consumers (Lu et al., 2019a, 2019b).

Furthermore, the establishment of brand image and brand loyalty is not as easy or simple as thought or assumed, and enterprises should implement corporate social responsibility (CSR) and take steps and other practical activities necessary to build and establish trust, improve consumer satisfaction, and as such, enhance consumer loyalty and their commitment to their chosen or selected brands (Ahmed et al., 2020; Sürücü et al., 2019). Studies have highlighted and extensively stressed the positive effects of consumer-perceived brand innovation (Pappu & Quester, 2016), brand participation (Leckie et al., 2016), and brand value (Yeh et al., 2016) on brand loyalty. In addition, customer satisfaction (Hew et al., 2016), consumer-perceived corporate reputation (Loureiro et al., 2017), and social media marketing (Ismail, 2017) could improve, shape, or significantly impact brand loyalty.

Enterprises can improve and promote as well as enhance and facilitate public welfare and CSR implementation through marketing activities. As highlighted, the public welfare marketing approaches put forward by Kotler clearly indicated that the cause-related promotion strategies of a firm seek to encourage devotion, attention, effort and commitment or passion to public welfare causes though the use of different material or nonmaterial resources, such as the firm’s material or nonmaterial resources (Jeon & An, 2019; Luo, 2015; Park et al., 2017).

Cause-related marketing, i.e., linking donations to certain public welfare causes based on product sales, or donating part of the turnover of product sales could play crucial and significant roles or impacts. These kinds of activities help to realize and achieve brand objectives or goals and targets (Westberg & Pope, 2014), encouraging consumers to believe that the company is ethical and socially responsible (Nan & Heo, 2007).

Corporate social marketing refers to planning or facilitating the implementation of certain behaviors to improve the safety, environment, or welfare of a society (Lake & Conduit, 2016). It could also play an enormous and significant role in shaping and influencing consumer behavour.

As previously mentioned, and as suggested by Kotler and Lee (2005), CSR can be described or defined as a commitment to society. Loosemore and Lim (2018) identified and outlined four dimensions of CSR that can be explained by the use of a pyramid comprising: “economic responsibility, legal responsibility, ethical responsibility, and philanthropic responsibility.” Evidently, CSR has a large and positive impact on corporate image and reputation (Lu et al., 2019a, 2019b). Studies have further revealed that consumers’ participation in charitable donations as a result of CSR activities organized by enterprises could play a significant role in improving the image of products and existing brands (Luo & Lv, 2019). Charitable donations greatly dictate and affect consumers’ evaluation and assessment of an enterprise more than does business sponsorship (Liu, 2014).

Driven by sustainable marketing and its relevance; and from a strategic point of view it can be suggested that responsible business practices indicate that enterprises employ business practices and create and pool investments to support activities that can improve community welfare and environmental protection. This type of approach can strengthen and enhance or facilitate and promote connections between enterprises and stakeholders, help enterprises obtain knowledge and information, and enhance their ability to use the information garnered and made available (Zhang et al., 2015). Second, it can strengthen the sense of belonging of employees and make them constructively contribute more innovations to the company; finally, consumers’ preference for the corporate brand is closely related to and connected to corporate performance (Zheng, 2014). Consumers will support, promote or propagate products, services and brands with CSR based on their purchasing behavior (Sen et al., 2016). Therefore, enterprises should be aware and conscious of the importance of implementation of CSR activities, and improve their brand satisfaction (Abbes et al., 2020) and brand identity (Luo & Jiang, 2019) through consumer brand participation (Kaur et al., 2020), thus actively influencing and shaping their minds toward commitment and facilitating the brand loyalty of consumers. Cause related marketing has grown in importance and social equality has emerged as a crucial subject.

Thus, based on the above discussion and the facts in the literature, the following hypotheses are proposed:

• 1) A relationship exists between the brand name and ‘CSR for industries or industry verticals and organizations that practice the ‘CSR concept. The brand image and identity of an organization are facilitated and promoted or boosted by ‘CSR’ or its socially responsible roles.

• 2) ‘CSR promotes a strong brand name and identity, while enhancing an organization’s image, quality and translation to brand equity.

• 3) Brand image perception and core values go beyond advertising and promotions spending or advertising expenses. Thus, there is a strong need for emphasis on building and promoting an organization’s brand image and customers or public perception via ‘CSR’

Model proposition

• 1. A model of sustainable marketing is proposed that is value-oriented by placing consumers and the environment at the topmost priority to protect their interests and environment conservation within consumerism and protectionism acts.

• 2. A sustainable marketing model should combine and merge the long-term environmental sustainability goals, climate protection and greener vision at the peak of a pyramid scale while the consumers are the middle players between the company and the environment whose actions can also influence the environment based on their cultural orientation and altitudes which are involved in supporting a safe greener sustainable environment and planet.

  This is the marketing ideology that is value – based putting consumers and the environment or society as paramount players.

• 3. A value -based, relationship -building and brand –specific sustainable marketing model is proposed. By relationship building the marketing company poses to protect the ‘ultimate interests of the consumers delivering value – based quality, and at the same time turn environmentally friendly and greener products to ameliorate global warming and drastic climate change panic.

Chart/pyramid proposed (Table 1)

Table 1 Summarized statistics & frequency distribution

Statistics/summary

Number of administered data sheets: 134.

Number of observations: 125.

Feedback not yet received: 9

Female: 57.

Male: 48.

Industry verticals: Banking, Telecommunication, Hospitality, Tourism, Supply, Manufacturing & Distribution Chains, Fast Food & Restaurants, Beverages & Bars, Courier Delivery, Optical & Dentistry, Auto mobiles, Cosmetics, Pharmaceutical, Others!

12 minimal vertices identified!

Test 1 or verifying assumption

Is there a connection between brand image identity and the corporate social responsibility roles of an organization?

It is envisaged by the underlying assumption prior to the survey and previous experiences that a minimum of 75% of respondents agree with this claim of brand connection, image identity and ‘CSR roles played by reputable organizations, which is the null hypothesis. The contrary is the alternative hypothesis that this claim is not accepted, but must be rejected.

Null hypothesis

$${H}_{0}:p=0.75$$

The null hypothesis is the working assumption or point and assertion that a minimum of 75% of respondents agree or are conscious, and of the opinion of a strong relationship between brand image and the roles an organization plays in its CSR, overwhelmingly, in this investigation all respondents agreed with this position.

Alternative hypothesis

$${H}_{1}:p\ne 0.75$$

At the; 10% level of significance;

‘CV: 1,383

Where;

$$\widehat{x}=1.0$$

Following the calculation, the following formula or expression is given above for z – stat;

$${z}_{cal}=\frac{1.0-0.75}{\sqrt{\frac{\left(0.75\right)\left(0.25\right)}{125}}}=\frac{0.25\times 25}{\sqrt{0.1875}}\approx 14.4342$$

$${z}_{cal}>{z}_{tab}(CV)$$

Since z – stat or ${z}_{cal}$ ‘from formula is greater than CV or tabulated value, we accept the null hypothesis that a minimum of 75% of respondents agreed with existence of a strong connection between brand image and ‘CSR: corporate social responsibility roles played by an organization or company. This finding is supported by the literature as Sharma and Jain (2019) conducted a study showing that people were more likely to respond to a brand that was involved in some good causes.

Further verification and testing

This hypothesis is further tested and verified, based on t – test by adopting a scale based on Likert rating scales, scaled up as (1–5):

1-least agree or not quite sure, 2- agree to a mild extent, 3-quite easily agree, 4- agree to a strong extent, & 5- agree very strongly.

The findings from the polls conducted showed that 75% agreed with this claim and hypothesis, and another 25% of the respondents were skeptical, agreed less with or were not sure about t based on the responses from the data acquired from the structured questionnaire and interview poll administered in this study and investigation (Table 2).

Table 2 Table showing the statistics

Null hypothesis

$${H}_{0}: \mu \ge 3.375$$

The null hypothesis is the assumption and assertion that the mean cannot be less than 3.375 based on previous interviews and poll results shown during the investigation and supporting or close to the previous test a minimum of 75% of respondents agree with this position.

Alternative hypothesis

$${H}_{1}:\mu <3.375$$

At the; 5% significance level;

The following table is presented with detailed results based on the application of statistical tools and testing based on software application (Table 3).

Table 3 Table showing the statistics

Conclusion/comments: 

The critical value for a left tail test is t_c = -1.657.

The p-value is p = 1.000, and since this value is greater than or equal 0.05, the null hypothesis is not rejected.

The 95% confidence interval is;

$$3.647<\mu <3.915$$

Test 2 or verifying assumption

Does a partial association exist between ‘CSR: corporate social responsibility roles and environmental sustainability?

By the underlying assumption prior to the survey and previous experiences a minimum of 50% of respondents are set to believe or agree in a partial connection between ‘CSR and environmental sustainability. This is set to the null hypothesis while the contrary is the alternative hypothesis that this claim is not true or should be rejected.

The other options or possibilities for this claim and underlying assumption are shared within 50%.

Null hypothesis

$${H}_{0}:p=0.5$$

The null hypothesis is the stated and working assumption that a minimum of 50% of respondents agree with this position.

Alternative hypothesis

$${H}_{1}:p\ne 0.5$$

At the; 10% level of significance;

‘CV: 1,383

Where;

$$\widehat{x}=0.624$$

Following the calculation, the following formula or expression is given above for z – stat;

$${z}_{cal}=\frac{0.624-0.50}{\sqrt{\frac{\left(0.5\right)\left(0.5\right)}{125}}}=\frac{0.124\times 25}{\sqrt{0.25}}\approx 6.2$$

$${z}_{cal}>{z}_{tab}(CV)$$

‘Since z – stat or ${z}_{cal}$ ‘from formula is greater than CV or tabulated value, we accept the null hypothesis that a minimum of 50% respondents agree that a partial relationship exists between “corporate social responsibility” and environmental sustainability based on the findings and responses obtained based on findings in this study,

Further verification and testing

This hypothesis is further tested with a t – test and by adopting the scaling and applying scale (1–4):

1-less agree, disagree or not sure, 2-mild agreement, & quite easily agree, 4-relatvely strong & very strong agreement.

As the findings from the polls showed that 62.4% agreed to some extent with this claim and hypothesis, another 37.6% of the respondents were skeptical, did not agree well or were not sure based on the responses garnered and acquired from another section of the structured questionnaire and interview poll administered in this investigation and present study (Table 4).

Table 4 Table showing the statistics

Null hypothesis

$${H}_{0}: \mu \ge 2.1$$

The null hypothesis is the working assumption that the mean cannot be less than 2.1 based on previous interviews and polls conducted during the investigation and supporting or close to the previous test a minimum of 50% of respondents agree with this position.

Alternative hypothesis

$${H}_{1}:\mu <2.1$$

At the; 5% significance level;

By applying the statistical tools and testing performed based on the use of software, the following table is obtained as presented with detailed results (Table 5).

Table 5 Table showing the statistics

Conclusion/comments:

The critical value for a left tail test is t_c = -1.657.

The p-value is p = 0.9533, and since the p-value is greater than or equal to 0.05, the null hypothesis is not rejected.

The 95% confidence interval is;

$$2.079<\mu <2.363$$

Further verification and future research:

Hypothesis 3 is qualitatively and strongly supported by the schematic illustrations and models presented in Fig. 2* and 3* respectively by a way of inferring. It is strongly and quite obvious that brand perception goes beyond advertisement spending and promotions as even excessive advertisement spending and aggressive promotions were mentioned earlier and highlighted as one of the issues with contemporary marketing.

Fig. 2

Proposed model of sustainable marketing by chart representation. Author source: Model of sustainable marketing by chart representation

Fig. 3

‘Global Green House Emissions. Source: in draft from previous study & literature, Adewole O.O et al., 2018 IJTRD published in ‘August 2018

Hypotheses 1–3 are qualitatively and strongly supported by the schematic to explicit literature illustrations and model presented in Fig. 5* respectively via inference as ‘CSR engenders and promotes value – based creation and customer centered satisfaction evident in the presented ‘CSR draft and concept of sustainable marketing.

It is strongly and quite obvious that brand perception goes beyond advertisement spending and promotions as even advertisement spending and promotions mentioned earlier and highlighted as one of the issues with contemporary marketing.

As evident and explicitly stated in the literature companies are now drafting ‘CSR into their business models which is put forward for further investigation as another future direction to establish whether there is a connection between ‘CSR, brand image, brand equity or identity and advertising and promotions spending or advertising expenses.

Sources: ‘Qualitative description & verification of hypotheses.

Hypotheses 1–3 are qualitatively and strongly supported by the schematic to explicit literature illustrations and model presented in Fig. 2* respectively by way of inferring as ‘CSR engenders and promotes value – based creation and customer centered satisfaction evident in the presented ‘CSR draft and concept of sustainable marketing.

It is strongly and quite obvious that brand perception goes beyond advertisement spending and promotions as even advertisement spending and promotions were mentioned earlier and highlighted as one of the issues with contemporary marketing. ‘^ This s supportive of the literature as enumerated:

As put forward and opined by Kotler and Lee (2005) CSR can be expressed or defined as a commitment to society, which, is supportive of the findings of this study and of hypotheses put forward showing a link with the literature. As enumerated by Loosemore and Lim (2018). Four dimensions of CSR have been described by Loosemore and Lim (2018) and can be explained with the help of a pyramid: economic responsibility, legal responsibility, ethical responsibility, and philanthropic responsibility. Hence, CSR has a deep and positive impact on corporate image and reputation (Lu et al., 2019a, 2019b), supporting the hypotheses presented, frameworks or models and findings of this study. Consumers’ participation in charitable donations initiated and driven by CSR activities organized by enterprises could help to improve the image of product brands (Luo & Lv, 2019). The literature has revealed that charitable donations can affect or influence consumers’ evaluation of an enterprise more than business sponsorship (Liu, 2014), which can shape and influence their perceptions.

As evident and explicitly stated in the literature companies are now drafting ‘CSR into their business models which is put forward for further investigation as another future direction to establish whether there is a connection between ‘CSR, brand image, brand equity or identity and advertising and promotions spending or advertising expenses.

Test 3

Put research question 3 to test based on findings from the poll;

Would corporate social responsibility accelerate the pace of attaining a safe greener planet in the twenty-first century?

This hypothesis is subject to further test verification, based on t – tests and adoption of the scaling and applying scale (1–5):

1-less agree, disagree or not sure, 2-mildly agree, & 3-quite agree, 4-agree to a strong extent, & 5- agree to a very strong extent.

The findings based on the investigation, and polls showed that 82.4% of the respondents agreed to varying extents or degrees with this claim and hypothesis, another 17.6% of the respondents were skeptical, agreed less e or were not sure based on responses garnered and acquired from another section of the structured questionnaire and interview poll administered in the course of this investigation (Table 6).

Table 6 Table showing the statistics

Null hypothesis

$${H}_{0}: \mu \ge 4.1$$

The null hypothesis is that the mean cannot be less than 4.1 based on previous interviews and polls conducted during the investigation and supporting or close to the previous test a minimum of 88% of respondents agree with this position.

Alternative hypothesis

$${H}_{1}:\mu <4.1$$

At the 5% level of significance;

The application of the statistical tools and testis performed with the software are shown in the following table and the detailed results are presented (Table 7).

Table 7 Table showing the statistics

Conclusion/comments:

The critical value for a left tail test is t_c = -1.657.

The p-value is p = 0.9533, and since the p-value is greater than or equal to 0.05, the null hypothesis is not rejected.

The 95% confidence interval is;

$$4.236<\mu <4.626$$

Emanating questions, consequences and future research perspectives or directions

Other emanating questions that came up in the study and investigation;

• 1) Would corporate social responsibility accelerate the pace of attaining a safe greener planet in the twenty-first century? This was tested by the t-test statistics as presented and poised forward again as this question sounds very interesting for future investigation.

• 2) What is the stake of litigation and legitimacy in sustainable marketing?

These two questions are quite seemingly interesting and the 2nd is put for investigation in further research in the near future.

Interestingly this research question and hypothesis or assumption is strongly tied and has a significant bearing with the 2nd or part B of this research work and investigation in the near future which is product launch and design with the significance and relevance of a research or survey in moving and initiating a new product launch or services, especially towards greening, sustainability and sustainable marketing.

Limitation(s) or restraint(s)

A major restraint or limitation of this research work is funding and limited funds as this project was carried out with personal funds, despite the enormity all energy, resources and best possible was put into this work.

Another major difficulty in the acquisition of t primary data that some ignorant individuals who have never responded to the survey and who have poor education or poor orientation do not know the essence of the survey, as it was somewhat hectic navigating the city and roaming the beautiful city nooks and cranny over weeks putting intense energy to capture data much as precisely as the survey and interview.

However, there were some wonderful people who gave the utmost cooperation and time to supply useful information and even though the hectic, these constraints were overcome as much as possible.

Climate change, models & litigation, estimates – projections, CSR & sustainable marketing

Climate change

The scenarios have changed tremendously in the subject and field of “sustainable marketing, business environment, and environment or environmental protection” as a consequence of the pre and modern industrial revolution eras and economic activities that have brought about drastic changes in the climate and ambient conditions following various phenomena such as; “carbon cycle changes, emissions, carbon – dioxide, greenhouse gas emissions, carbon build ups, accumulations and sequestrations, arctic temperature variations and polar ice cap melting, pollution, even uncontrolled and unregulated nuclear emission”, and radioactive sources, which could be extremely dangerous and catastrophic if not urgently addressed, checked and controlled or regulated appropriately.

Furthermore, it is crucial and exigent to delineate this concept and phenomenon more vividly, while closely examination and emphasizing key or salient models and predictive tools that can be applied or used to clarify future gas emission trends, while cognizant and conscious of existing and emerging litigations and stressing on looking beyond climatic models from social contexts.

Issues, impact, environmental sustainability and CSR

Any predictions, anticipations or forecasts of future glacial sea-level change and drift are subject to large uncertainties and fluctuations with anticipated variations, including future build – ups and levels of greenhouse gas emissions, and how such emissions, build-ups and gas emissions as identified and outlined follow different trajectories or path tracks dependent on alternative factors comprising demographic, economic and technological development pathways, trends and trajectories (Fisher et al., 2007).

Numerous assessments and reported observations have considered measures and methods for determining how atmospheric GHG concentrations could be stabilized (Fisher et al., 2007) or at least minimized, bearable and brought to equilibrium. The lower the desired stabilization level or equilibrium sought, the sooner global GHG emissions must peak and decline (Fisher et al., 2007). GHG concentrations as noted and stressed are unlikely to stabilize this century without major policy changes (Rogner et al., 2007).⁸

As long as industrial – economic and marketing to business activities cannot be isolated from environmental impact, climatic changes and inherent ethical issues such as toxic waste disposal, the concept and subject fields from sustainability, sustainable marketing, and corporate social responsibility all become pertinent in looking to check and abate these situations and concerns for achieving safe, greener and long -term sustainable goals and objectives in the twenty-first century.

Extract & written article, models & projections

Models and projections

In a recent model inter-comparison study, C4MIP (Friedlingstein et al., 2006) captured the temperature carbon cycle, while deriving a feedback amplification parameter and revealing uncertainties and fluctuations in this cycle.

Each of the model projections or projected and anticipated forecasts are treated with equal probability and chances, likelihood or possibility, and priority and no observational constraints or bounded restrictions are applied.

For a previous span of two previous decades, efforts to mitigate and abate emissions of carbon dioxide and other associated greenhouse gases have centered and pertinently focused on, connected and driven around the goals and target or intense desires of stabilizing atmospheric concentrations of these gases.

Efforts to mitigate carbon emissions, especially carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases have been intensely focused on the goal of stabilizing or equilibrating the atmospheric concentrations of these gases.

This direction on atmospheric stabilization is historically linked to Article 2 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which is written as follows:

Towards this goal and aim, a considerable body of literature has evolved to attempt to first quantify what could be considered to be a ‘dangerous’ level of climate change, and second to determine what levels of greenhouse gas stabilization are consistent or aligned with the avoidance of climate change (Schneider, 2005, Smith, 2009, Knutti, 2008; Maizland, 2021).

Obviously, there are several inherent difficulties or challenges with this approach, which have posed considerable and severe challenges to climate mitigation. The task or responsibility of defining ‘dangerous’ levels of climate change appear quite clearly to be a subjective exercise, which is not convincingly easy to incorporate into the policy and decision making process.

There have been consistently put forward grounds and fora or argument that generated intense waves and contentions in ongoing debates and a recent convergence in policy discussions towards a stated goal of limiting global warming to 2 °C above preindustrial temperatures (UNFCCC, 2009, 2017, 2020, 2021); while there is evidence that 2 °C of global warming would prevent a number of important and potentially dangerous climate impacts or hazardous conditions (see available and extant documents or literature, for instance (Solomon et al., 2009, 2010. 2011) for a review of climate impacts associated with various levels of global temperature change), there is little by way of quantitative evidence that suggests or strongly affirms this represents a ‘safe’ policy target, and some climate scientists argue that 2 °C would result in unacceptably severe or drastic impacts (Hansen et al., 2008; Rockström et al., 2009; Raiser et al., 2020).

Even given that some chosen targets and templates for global temperature change have been chosen, however, clearly and distinctly defining or formulating an appropriate policy target for greenhouse gas emissions is extremely difficult due to the complexity and practical variety of greenhouse gas concentrations.

The reasons for these are obvious, and there is s no doubt that they are known and appear to be threefold.

First, the relationships and connections between emissions and atmospheric concentrations are complex and complex; achieving stable concentrations over time would clearly require large emissions reductions or significant decreases, but would also imply continued emissions at a changing level and pace consistent with the level of natural sinks or absorbers that evolve over time in a manner difficult to quantify (Mathew, 2006, Meehl et al., 2007). Second, the relationship between greenhouse gas concentrations and temperature change is unclear, and the use of yardsticks has made climate scientists more predisposed and challenging for several decades.

This ‘climate sensitivity’ has often been approximated but remains subject to at least a threefold probable uncertainty range and manifest-fold which has shrunk considerably nor narrowed down in 30 years of research (Meehl et al., 2007). Third, despite some known instantaneous or spontaneous temperature responses and changes to increased greenhouse gas concentrations, there is still a considerable lag between the point of atmospheric concentration stabilization and the eventual ‘equilibrium’ and ‘balance’ conditions for climate change. This lag results from the slow adjustment of the ocean and other slowly responding climate system components to an increasingly relatively fast fluctuating atmospheric forcing; consequently, the eventual or resulting temperature change associated with a given greenhouse gas stabilization level or equilibrating will unlikely be fully realized or achieved for many centuries (Meehl, & Wigley, 2005) (Fig. 4).

Fig. 4

Estimate from an extracted Model starting 1900 beyond 2000. Source publication: literature; previous study, Adewole O.O et al., 2018 IJTRD published in ‘August 2018

Social equality, business, “CSR and dynamics in a new paradigm”, shifts & events – realities!

A wide income gap and unequal wealth distribution were identified as prominent and prevalent in the seventeenth century in America and steered by capitalism until the nineteenth century, beyond and beyond the recent light of the twenty-first century.

The extant dynamics of the accumulation and distribution of capital that account for the distribution of inequality have long – been driven and lie largely at the heart and central nerve of the political economy.

Piketty in trying to unravel the economic and social inequality patterns “In Capital of the twentieth century” vividly analyzed the origination of inequality as traced back to the eighteenth century.

Piketty advocated a progressive tax structure and regime.

Piketty proposed in his theory that ‘global wealth should grow at 2% annual rate and income tax progressively up to 80%, which would reduce inequality but stated the political would practically make this and such a tax structure or regime almost impossible, while also providing detailed analysis and introduction from a unique collection of adequate and explicit data.

In conclusion, Piketty attributed the problem of inequality to the increased quantity of unequal wealth and accumulation in custody of the rich and not to the income or incentives paid to the poor.

The general public debt that largely benefits the rich unfairly in an unequal economic pattern is paid uniformly across all individuals perpetrated in a system reflecting a pattern of lack of incentives for the poor, the enterprising poor and the incentive wealth drag—pull and concentration in hands of the rich.

Asserting, 'CSR can potentially shape and redress social inequality if individuals would realize and understand they hold a social obligation, roles and part; conscious of shared values and sharing rather than an accumulation orientation and dynamics as pointed out by Piketty in the above extraction, assertion and case analysis presentation.

‘CSR – social cost model: ‘sustainable business, climate changes, emerging issues & realities!

Novel model: ‘balancing social – trust, business & society

The p – values obtained in each of the hypothesis verification justify and point to the fact that ‘CSR can make the difference and in fact a tenet for building social contract and arriving at the equality sought and anticipated.

In each case; the p –values of 1.000, 0.9953 and 0.9955 exceeded 0.05 at the set limit or threshold criterion. If corporations are sensitive to the potential of ‘CSR in promoting their brands, and the ties consumers attach and link to brands especially socially responsible ones, corporations would wake up more aggressively to pursue socially responsible courses favorable to well beings and well fares and contribute meaning to societal growths, shunning detrimental habits or practices adverse to the environment, create and save incentives that go into developmental projects and welfare promotion rather than massive wealth accumulation unequally in which corporations and companies may not be exempted drawing in the view of Piketty (2015), while accumulating massive wealth in their pulses and shareholders’ interests and chasing litigation practices redress against nefarious or unethical acts committed against society and the environment.

Explaining further, vividly and ‘in – depth wise;

As previously mentioned and stated in the literature section; sustainability has various definitions, depending on the perspective, orientations and view of whoever is defining and presenting it.

From my discussion thus far, it is glaring, seen and as extensively discussed thus far that sustainability can be broadly looked into and all – encompassing cutting into diverse spheres including; “society and environment, social life, economy, climate” among others.

I extended my discussion further to dwell and discuss more on ‘social equality as this is core and the society demands something from the companies using their resources and stakeholders concerned have to be intimated and brought into the game.

We know vividly that definitions tend and seem to be closely related, converge and have the following elements or attributes usually seen: equitable resource and opportunity distribution, as pointed – out and enumerated.

It has become crucial and pertinent understanding the interconnection between the environment, economy, and society; and living within limits or borderlines (Blowfield, 2005). Kotler and Lee (2005) suggested and presented CSR as a commitment to society. As mentioned earlier, as stated by Loosemore and Lim (2018), four dimensions of CSR can be viewed and explained with the help of a pyramid with compartments or elements and components: “economic responsibility, legal responsibility, ethical responsibility, and philanthropic responsibility”. Therefore, CSR has a significant effect, large and positive impact on corporate image and reputation (Lu et al., 2019a, 2019b). As revealed by these studies, it is clear and evident that consumers’ participation in charitable donations based on CSR activities organized by enterprises could help to improve and enhance the image of product lines and brands (Luo & Lv, 2019). Charitable donations or goodwill presented and gifts had a greater effect or impact on consumers’ evaluation or rating of an enterprise than did business sponsorship (Liu, 2014).

As mentioned and elaborated in the literature section a vital and significant component of social responsibility is the ability of communities to take decisive steps and influence those actions and decisions that have direct or indirect influence and impacts on them.

It was deductively mentioned that; they have a role in influencing their decisions; as it was pointed—out and stressed; communities should be able to influence decisions pertaining to the tradeoffs that have effects, such as those that have negative and direct consequences on them, for instance, between the environmental conservation and economic development structures, while also adhering to expectation in attaining the requirements of the current generations, and the ability to meet their needs.

In this way there might be a need to build a ‘social – trust and common compromise with the stakeholders that impact and decides, policy – decision making and actions on the people’s social life, welfare and existence.

Local communities are held and are responsible for determining the particular elements or components to sustain, what to expense and how to expense them as mentioned earlier and for—iterating.

This is not only because these decisions directly impact them but also because they they have crucial and significant roles to play as expected and demanded or anticipated in the processes meant and targeted at enhancing responsibility (Berkhout, 2005), stimulating or modifying and shaping or influencing such activities.

This is like lobbying; trusts can be lost and people don’t belief in the decision—makers, policy deciders, companies and stakeholders, and what bridges the gap?’^

CSR represents a firm’s responsibility towards society. It comprises activities that are beneficial for society as well as the firm itself.

The firms involved believe that engagement in CSR practices has led to increased revenues over time, which has proven helpful for the long-term profit maximization of firms (Lu et al., 2019a, 2019b). Firms also believe that it helps to strengthen their overall image in society among their stakeholders, consumers, investors, etc. Apart from enhancing and promoting corporate image, CSR also plays a key and significant role in helping to positively influence the brand loyalty of their consumers. Organizations in which consumers are seen and perceived to be reliable and publicly answerable are inclined to enjoy high levels of trust (Cheung & Pok, 2019; Kim, 2019). Studies have clearly shown and revealed that individuals are more penchant for or strongly drawn to and attached to firms that appear more socially responsible (Irshad et al., 2017). Thus, such an image helps to improve consumer behavior and purchase intentions for the product brand. The CSR activities carried out by a firm play an integral role in building trust among consumers (Lu et al., 2019a, 2019b).

In my assertion and opinion, ‘CSR bridges the gap, is potentially capable and i the best tool to strike a balance, compromise and can bring social equality sought if ‘stakeholders in the investment fields, funders and fund sponsor donors, proprietors and owners of the companies would not be subjected to 'self-glory and self-gratifications solely at building wealth and accumulation not giving back socially and responsibly nonchalant about the people, community and society they make use, pool and utilize their resources for their own profits, gains and building up massive incentives for their investor sponsor or fund donor and stakeholders.

This is the bearing and basis of my proposition and novel model presented as schematically shown in Fig. 5 above to establish the need, expediency and exigent measures to arrive at a social – trust mutually balancing and establishing a common compromise among society, business stakeholders and people or community dwellers.

Fig. 5

Proposed model: ‘balanced social trust, business & society. Author source: Proposed model: “balanced social trust, business & society”. I have carved and proposed this new model as ‘highlighted; Social – trust and mutual relationships among “society, business and stakeholders” are key

Corporate responsibility is linked and can be attributed to individuals working in particular companies perceiving and functioning towards the “business case”. Because certain behaviors necessitate social change in various directions and as demanded by the particular communities where they reside, depend on the communities being vigilant, steadfast and sustaining a major context that propels and projects companies to respond to community demands.

Conclusions

The subject and field of sustainable marketing would be incomplete without mentioning and giving “climate change” and associated issues a pivotal or central place most pertinent in the current and present realities seen in the business world and the rising prominence and significance of CSR within the contexts of sustainable marketing and being socially responsible, establishing mutual trusts and commons with the community by the stakeholders and companies connected and society at large.

The results from the verification of the hypothesis on the connection between brand image and social responsibility showed a high value of p = 1.000, exceeding the set critical limit of 0.05; thus, companies and organizations that support socially responsible practices are drivers and vanguards for promoting and entrenching social equality, trust, and mutual engagements with the stakeholders and societies from which they draw resources for their activities.

Relevant models have been presented for delineating these issues in terms of realism and pragmatism while emphasizing and stressing an integrative approach to sustainable marketing involving climate change mitigation plans, innovativeness and value – based creation.

Every marketing concept and practice embraced and adopted or planned and proposed should be socially responsible and enshrined or covered within the targeted scope to be driven and focused towards the tailored goals of sustainability, mitigation, climate friendliness and long term sustainable action plans within the anticipations and expectations of a dream twenty-first century and modern day practice or models for sustainable marketing and business. ‘^

Sharma and Jain (2019 showed that people were more likely to respond or incline to a brand that was involved in some good causes. The consumer’s idea about a firm depends on perception, which also includes brand performance, outcomes or expectations and brand equity. Moreover, brand performance is the input of a brand, which positively influences overall performance and outputs or deliverables of the business (Loosemore & Lim, 2018; Irshad et al., 2017). To be able to achieve or succeed in achieving brand loyalty in the current period, firms must devote intense attention to creating and sustaining customer loyalty. In fact, CSR has been shown to be a vital and veritable or useful tool in this regard (Almeida & Coelho, 2019). Singh and Saini (2016) have shown and indicated how consumer loyalty represents or portrays and conveys the desire of consumers to use a firm’s brand, product, or services over time. Kotler et al. (2018) described the repeat-buying behavior of consumers as a sign of brand loyalty. Enterprises can also improve public welfare and CSR implementation by making use of marketing activities. As proposed by Kotler, following and dictated by the first of six types of public welfare marketing approaches that is, cause-related promotion strategies, firms seek to encourage the public to devote and direct their attention to public welfare causes with the use of the firm’s various material or nonmaterial resources (Jeon & An, 2019; Luo, 2015; Park et al., 2017).

The sustainable company in this modern era is one that goes extra mile and puts more effort beyond its profit driven goals to be market oriented, highly innovatively driven and foster environmental protection and friendly norms within its strategic fit, goals and existing portfolios.

This fact is strongly justified by considering the results;

The critical value for a left tail test is t_c = -1.657.

The p-value is p = 1.000, and since p-value is greater than or equal 0.05, the null hypothesis is not rejected.

The 95% confidence interval is;

$$3.647<\mu <3.915$$

The high p – value as seen of 1.000 exceeded 0.05, even with the fact that the t – cal. value exceeds the critical value from the left tail test in conformity with the acceptance of the null hypothesis and the research question presented of the perception and connection of brand image with social responsibility justifies the need for companies to look beyond profit motives or oriented goals and drive within a sustainable innovative path that steers and engenders friendly and environmentally safe practices and norms socially responsible. This is a potential impetus and driver for a long term sustainable vision, goals and strategy – fit in the organizational context and sustainability in a social context’s mirror and picture balancing trusts, and incentives and sealing social contracts in mutual trust with society, while positively impacting the environment and mitigating climate change.

The prediction models could be extremely useful for obtaining deeper insights, obtaining a clearer picture, projecting and extrapolating into the future on possible carbon and green house emission gases, assessing ‘GDP parameters and making robust and meaningful economic impact assessments. However, we will need to look beyond the models and predictive charts of climatic changes and capture them into the legislatures, litigation measures and other parameters.

In a way inferring from the hypothesis verification of the connection between brand image and social responsibility and the high value of p = 1.000 exceeding the set critical limit of 0.05; companies and organizations that support socially responsible practices are drivers and vanguards for promoting and entrenching social equality, trust and mutual engagements with the stakeholders and societies from which they draw resources for their activities.

Finally the concepts of sustainable marketing and climatic change can best or optimally be considered in hybrids and complimentary to one another rather than treated and considered in isolation within the marketing, business and sustainable marketing contexts, not segregating the community and society as well as pertinently considering social costs, equality and balancing as shown in this proposition I made on ‘social.trust, society, business and novel model to drive towards long term goals and sustainability in the dream and realities of a dream twenty-first century perspective.

Implications of the study findings for practitioners

• ➢ This research and findings will help practitioners and industry understand the idea of doing business responsibly emphasizing steps and applications and help in seeking pragmatic solutions to resolving present issues and emerging realities culminating to cases of concerns arising from negligent practices resulting in climate change and hence abate the present challenges seen against the environment, while addressing social inequality associated with massive wealth creation and ultimately economic prioritization of companies, the state and corporations for shareholder gains and interests only, even when leading to massive deprivation of the welfare of the community, indigenes and society.

Recommendations

It is extremely and highly important to draw the attention of all concerned parties among policy makers, government agencies, business coccus, NGOs, etc., and all parties of interest to the following points and recommendations in a zealous drive towards a sustainable environment and doing business in the twenty-first century.

It is crucial and expediently necessary to address this subject matter of climate change and sustainable marketing as complimentary, even justified by the illustration of the carbon emission cycle and the trend presented in Fig. 3 stresses the ‘GDP economic parameter and impact schematically with the carbon emission trend.

The results of the hypothesis verification once more justified the recommendations made.

Consumers’ perceptions of brand image are high indeed for companies that play key and utmost emphasis on social responsibility.

Recalling the results of the hypothesis verification;

The critical value for a left tail test is t_c = -1.657.

The p-value is p = 1.000, and since the p-value is greater than or equal to 0.05, the null hypothesis is not rejected.

The 95% confidence interval is;

$$3.647<\mu <3.915$$

This high p – value of 1.000 exceeding 0.05 at the critical value or limit indicates that consumers associate strongly and connect with brands, companies and organizations that show and play a key emphasis on social responsibility.

According to the marketing and business perspective of the integrative approach and hybrid approach with climatic change contexts, we can extrapolate deeper and more inwards insightfully from the behavioral model, and psychology perspectives justified strongly by the perception of consumers of brand image or cognitive behavior in line with social responsibility as captured and justified by the high p- value of 1.000 seen within the 95% confidence interval as reported in this study and synergize with the appropriate legislature and establish or institute a conscious drive zealously and more pragmatically into a long term sustainability measure.

Knowing vividly that one major goals of industries is geared towards economic gains and promotions and obviously that they also play significant and immense roles in economic development, there should be a mutual interplay between the quality of products that are in line with their economic or profit targets and establishing a balance with their social or philanthropic roles beyond discretion and passionately striving towards ensuring a safer and greener planet. Efforts and intense zeal should be shown to turn out products that are highly sustainable by way of environmental friendliness and fostering climatic mitigation in line with the dream of achieving a sustainable business and marketing environment of a dream twenty-first century for safe and green planet realization.

Finally, it is strongly suggested and recommended that companies implement sustainable marketing into their industrial and organizational cultures, adopt climate risks into their investment portfolios as a check or alert, and learn about and adopt societal marketing concepts towards the interests of consumers, the environment, and the entire society at large. By doing so and sustainable marketing being described as an embodiment of value – based creation and brand identity with equity of the company, knowingly as consumers cherish value – based delivery, this practice and orientation would engender relational marketing, increased brand loyalty, fostering stronger ties, affection, and brand–specific associations if consumers are aware and conscious of the fact that the companies are at their side and have interests justifying their enormous advertisement investments as well, thereby also translating into long – term sustainability, wealth creation, and prosperity.

Future research path

Future research paths and avenues can be directed further to understanding and analyzing relational marketing and further deepening value -based creation in line with recommendations. Sustainable marketing being described as an embodiment of value – based creation and brand identity with equity of the company, knowingly as consumers cherish value – based delivery this practice and orientation would engender relational marketing, increased brand loyalty fostering stronger ties, affection and brand specific associations if consumers are aware and conscious of the fact that the companies are at their side and interests justifying their huge advertisement investments as well, thereby also translating into long – term sustainability, wealth creation and prosperity.