Empathy in Action: Unravelling the Impact of Empathetic CSR on Sustainable Consumer Behavior through Customer-Company Identification

As Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) evolves into a catalyst for social impact, the emotional responses it evokes play a crucial role in shaping consumer behavior. This study investigates the influence of empathetic CSR on sustainable consumer behavior through Customer-Company Identification (CCI). Specifically, it examines three key aspects: (1) whether empathetic CSR directly impacts sustainable consumer behavior, focusing on activism behavior and sustainable purchase behavior; (2) whether CSR-led empathy drives CCI, strengthening consumers' identification with the company; and (3) whether CCI mediates the relationship between empathetic CSR and sustainable consumer behavior. The study adopts the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) framework to explore these relationships. A manipulation experiment was conducted with 267 customers of a fashion brand, and the data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modelling. The results reveal that empathetic CSR positively influences both activism and sustainable purchase behaviors, although the effect on sustainable purchase behavior is not statistically significant. Additionally, CSR-led empathy acts as a significant antecedent to CCI, fostering a stronger consumer attitude toward the brand. Lastly, CCI serves as a crucial bridge in translating empathetic emotional engagement into proactive and sustainable consumer actions. The findings contribute to the existing body of CSR literature by shedding light on the emotional pathways that drive sustainable consumer behavior and attitudes. For businesses, the study emphasizes that implementing empathetic CSR initiatives can encourage lasting sustainable actions while nurturing a deeper sense of identification between customers and the brand.