Wings of Responsibility: Uniting CSR, Green Innovation, Sustainability, and Reputation

Abstract

This study aims to develop a conceptual model to explore the impact of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the airline industry. Specifically, it examines how CSR influences green innovation performance (GIP) and how GIP, in turn, affects sustainable performance (SP) and corporate reputation (CR). Additionally, the study investigates the mediating role of GIP in the relationship between CSR, SP, and CR. The research is grounded in the resource-based view (RBV) theory, the triple bottom line (TBL) framework, and Stakeholder theory. Data were collected from 567 commercial and public flight crew members in Tehran over a 10-day period. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed using LISREL 8.30 to analyze the relationships among CSR, GIP, SP, and CR. The results confirm that CSR has a significant positive impact on GIP. Furthermore, GIP is positively associated with both SP and CR. Additionally, the study demonstrates that GIP plays a mediating role in the relationship between CSR and its outcomes, strengthening the link between CSR and both SP and CR. The findings highlight the critical role of CSR in fostering GIP, which subsequently enhances both sustainable performance and corporate reputation. The mediating role of GIP further emphasizes its importance as a key mechanism through which CSR influences these outcomes. This study provides valuable insights for airline industry stakeholders, including policymakers and managers, emphasizing the importance of CSR-driven green innovation for improving sustainability and reputation. The findings encourage organizations to integrate CSR strategies that promote GIP, ultimately leading to long-term competitive advantages.