From responsibility to reputation: how perceived corporate social responsibility shapes corporate brand image

Purpose This study aims to examine how perceived corporate social responsibility (PCSR) shapes corporate brand image by unpacking the psychological mechanisms and boundary conditions underlying this relationship in the telecommunications service sector. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on the Stimulus–Organism–Response framework, this study develops an integrated moderated–mediation model in which brand familiarity and brand equity function as cognitive and affective mediators respectively, and customer trust operates as a key boundary condition. Survey data from 350 customers of leading telecommunications providers in India were analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling. Findings The results show that PCSR has a non-significant direct effect on corporate brand image and indirect effects through both brand familiarity and brand equity, indicating complementary full mediation. PCSR strengthens brand familiarity by enhancing cognitive accessibility and recognition, while simultaneously increasing brand equity through value based and emotional evaluations. Customer trust significantly moderates these relationships, amplifying the branding effects of perceived CSR under high trust and weakening them when trust is low. Practical implications The findings highlight the importance of treating PCSR as a strategic, trust anchored branding capability rather than a symbolic reputation tool, particularly in service intensive and trust sensitive markets. Originality/value By combining dual mediation and trust based moderation, this study provides a holistic and decision relevant understanding of how PCSR translates into corporate brand image, reflective of quality the brand offers.