Corporate social responsibility and organizational performance: practices and future research agenda from a twenty-year review

Abstract Corporate social responsibility (CSR) and organizational performance (OP) have been closely intertwined concepts, attracting sustainable interest from businesses and academics over the past two decades. However, prior reviews often lacked insight into the evolving research trends in the literature on CSR-OP, as well as the systematic integration of their intricate relationships. Addressing this gap, this study employs a systematic review to examine current research focuses, hotspots, and future directions in the CSR-OP nexus over the last two decades (2004–2023). The findings reveal that: (i) there has been an exponential increase in CSR-OP publications and citations since 2017; (ii) the United States is the dominant contributor to the CSR-OP scholarship, with China standing out as a developing country among the top ten contributors; and (iii) four major research clusters identified via co-occurrence network analysis, namely “moderating or mediating factors affecting the CSR-OP relationship,” “CSR and financial performance,” “CSR non-financial performance, and environmental performance,” and “CSR, firm performance, and corporate governance.” Emerging trends such as gender diversity, eco-innovation, and political connections further expand the field’s scope. This study advances CSR scholarship by mapping its knowledge landscape and identifying promising avenues for future inquiry in relation to OP. The findings provide valuable insights for corporate managers seeking to enhance CSR practices and for policymakers addressing gaps in sustainability and governance frameworks.