Consumer Awareness, Attitudes and Perceptions Towards CSR: A Study of Delhi NCR

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a mandated requirement for companies in several countries worldwide. Organizations engage in CSR for various reasons, such as enhancing brand image, attracting investors and customers, fostering customer loyalty, engaging with communities, and gaining a competitive advantage. While existing studies on CSR often focus on the factors influencing consumers’ purchasing decisions, there is limited research on consumer awareness regarding CSR initiatives. This paper examines consumer awareness and attitudes towards CSR in Gurgaon, India, across different demographic segments. The study employed a quantitative survey methodology to gather data on consumers’ awareness of the CSR initiatives of three prominent companies, Tata, Reliance, and Unilever, in India. Data were collected from 100 respondents in selected areas of Gurgaon to assess the importance attributed to CSR in purchasing decisions. The findings reveal no significant difference in CSR awareness among consumers based on age, employment status, or household income. However, gender and education emerged as impactful variables, with individuals holding a university education or higher and females demonstrating significantly greater awareness of CSR initiatives of well-known companies operating in India. Furthermore, the study found that CSR remains a low priority, ranked fourth out of five factors respondents consider when making purchase decisions. These findings suggest that while educational background and gender can influence CSR awareness, overall consumer awareness and prioritization of CSR in purchase decisions remain low. This highlights the need for companies to adopt more targeted and effective CSR communication strategies to educate and engage a broader demographic spectrum. Companies could leverage this insight to better align their CSR activities with consumer values and drive meaningful engagement, thereby enhancing the impact of their CSR efforts on consumer behavior and brand loyalty.