Patriotic Corporate Social Responsibility Under Geopolitical Sovereignty Threats: Evidence From Ukrainian Fashion Brands During Wartime

ABSTRACT Traditional corporate social responsibility (CSR) models inadequately address demands arising from geopolitical conflicts threatening national sovereignty, where territorial invasion or annexation activates collective identity dynamics and stakeholder expectations for corporate alignment with national survival. This study introduces patriotic CSR as crisis‐activated corporate activities demonstrating commitment to national territorial integrity through humanitarian support, identity‐affirming messaging, and nation‐building initiatives. Drawing on social identity theory, symbolic consumption, consumer ethnocentrism, and animosity frameworks, we analyze Instagram engagement data from Ukrainian fashion brands during Russia's 2022 invasion across crisis lifecycle stages. Results reveal that transformative patriotic CSR generates significantly higher stakeholder engagement than moderate or low positioning, with the advantage established during the acute crisis phase and sustained through adaptation. High‐impact patriotic campaigns amplify engagement, while scandals show asymmetric muted effects. Findings position patriotic CSR as mandatory legitimacy requirement during sovereignty threats, challenging voluntarist CSR assumptions and extending crisis communication theory.