Strategic Corporate Social Responsibility Management in Shaping a Resilient and Sustainable Future Post-Pandemic

In early 2020, COVID-19 significantly disrupted global social, political, economic, and environmental life. In this context, businesses were required to broaden their corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives to adapt to an evolving and dynamic landscape. This paper highlights the importance and impact of CSR strategies in addressing the challenges posed by the pandemic. A qualitative approach was employed, combining manual content analysis of 25 Malaysian companies listed on the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange (KLSE), which are known for their strong CSR practices, with semi-structured interviews conducted with 15 senior managers. Findings reveal that companies adopting proactive CSR strategies were better able to sustain stakeholder trust, protect employee and community well-being, and align immediate crisis responses with long-term sustainability goals. The findings emphasize that strategically managed CSR not only supported business continuity during the pandemic but also strengthened organizational resilience. The study highlights CSR as a vital pathway for shaping a more sustainable and resilient future following the pandemic.