Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in the eyes of the consumer: Social-economic responsibility, authenticity, and greenwashing

Abstract

As Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) becomes an essential part of how brands present themselves, especially in emerging economies like Vietnam, it is crucial to understand how consumers make sense of these efforts. This study draws on Attribution Theory to examine how people’s perceptions of a company’s social and economic responsibilities shape their intention to purchase its products. It also discusses the role of perceived CSR authenticity and how suspicion of greenwashing may alter these effects. Using survey data from 252 young, educated consumers in Vietnam, the study employed Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) through SmartPLS 4. The findings show that both social and economic CSR efforts help enhance a company’s perceived authenticity, which strongly influences purchase decisions. However, when consumers sense that a brand may be overstating or misrepresenting its CSR claims, the positive effect of authenticity weakens. These results highlight the importance of being genuine and transparent in CSR communication. For businesses aiming to earn trust and loyalty in socially aware markets, aligning values with actions is not just ideal, it’s essential.