Integrating corporate social responsibility and sustainability: A scientometric analysis of evolving research trends and theoretical frameworks

This study focuses on two key concepts: corporate social responsibility (CSR) and corporate sustainability (CS). In recent decades, the relevance and relationship between these concepts have garnered significant attention in research (Ashrafi et al., 2018; Sánchez-Teba et al., 2021). A scientometric analysis was conducted using VOSviewer software, with data collected from the Scopus database without limiting the observation period. This study aims to summarize trends and developments that can promote the integration of CSR and sustainability to enhance scientific knowledge in this field. The results indicate that the first publication on CSR and sustainability emerged in 1994, with a peak in 2021 showing the highest number of publications. Research in this field is still dominated by developed countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain, and Italy, highlighting significant opportunities for developing countries (International Monetary Fund [IMF], 2021). The three main theories underlying CSR and sustainability studies are institutional theory, legitimacy theory, and stakeholder theory. The research underscores the importance of integrating CSR and CS into corporate strategies to meet societal expectations and foster long-term organizational legitimacy and competitiveness.