Charting new terrains: How CSR initiatives shape employee creativity and contribute to UN-SDGs in a knowledge-driven world

The relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and employee creativity has become more critical than ever for companies, such as in regards to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDGs) in today's knowledge intensive economy. This paper aims to examine this relationship by emphasizing the affective and cognitive processes that CSR influences creativity through. Our analysis in Pakistan's hospitality sector expands on this by pointing to the happiness and creative self-efficacy of employees as the mediated variables in this relationship, whereas polychronicity is the moderating variable. The data was collected from 409 employees working in upscale hotels in Lahore, Islamabad, and Karachi by incorporating a three-wave survey technique, which makes the study more reliable and valid. The analysis was conducted using SMART-PLS software, which is effective in regards to analyzing complex models and is best suited for exploratory research. The findings show that CSR can boost employee creativity, which is a key driver in regards to attaining the UN-SDGs, when it is incorporated in a genuine manner. This study provides appropriate theoretical extensions by connecting CSR and creativity with the emotional and cognitive variables, which contributes to the existing literature regarding how CSR initiatives can foster innovation. This study offers recommendations for organizations that are interested in promoting creativity among their staff and contributing to global sustainability. We argue that increasing the positive emotional climate and enhancing the perceived creativity for change of employees are the strategies that would help in regards to advancing sustainable and innovative practices, which is consistent with the notion that CSR is best aligned with the UN-SDGs. These findings provide a strong rationale in regards to linking CSR with an organization's strategic goals and objectives in order to create sustainability as well as promote innovation. This study highlights the role of CSR in regards to stimulating change and building solutions that respond to the global aspiration for sustainable development.