Patterns and Drivers of Spanish Corporate Commitment to the UN Global Compact: A Quantitative Approach

Abstract

This paper presents a quantitative assessment of Spanish companies' commitment to the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Analyzing over 1000 participating firms, we identify prioritization patterns and examine structural factors influencing SDG adherence. Our empirical strategy integrates descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, multiple correspondence analysis (MCA), ridge-regularized multinomial logistic regression, and unsupervised clustering (K-means and hierarchical). Results show strong heterogeneity but limited explanatory power of firm attributes once multicollinearity and sparse categories are controlled for. Only a regional effect in Navarre remains significant, while firms overwhelmingly prioritize social SDGs over environmental or economic goals. Clustering identifies three distinct sustainability profiles—transformational leaders, selective adopters, and compliance-driven laggards—illustrating both substantive and symbolic engagement. These findings highlight widespread SDG-washing and the need for stronger accountability under the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), contributing robust national evidence on corporate sustainability behaviour.