Dressed for impact

: does lifestyle mediate the relation between CSR practices and consumers perception?

Abstract

In the fashion industry, which is known for its environmental impact, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is increasingly important for companies. Societal demands as well as new laws and regulations put companies in debt. Various eventualities to adopt CSR within companies have been investigated in the past however, new, emerging concepts are applied increasingly. Given that there is a vast variety of research on CSR but no direct comparison of specific concepts, this research aims to compare two emerging CSR concepts in the fashion industry. Focus of this work is an environmental concept of upcycling products, made from textile waste as well as a social concept of a donation of a therapy session with the purchase of a product. Purpose of this research is to provide useful insights on consumers perception as well as effects of CSR message on their attitude. Therefore, this work elaborates how the perception of social and environmental CSR communication differs in its9 influence on consumers attitude including the moderating role of lifestyle. For this purpose, literature is analyzed, consumer insights are gained through a survey and expert opinions are gathered through interviews. Independently of which CSR message is used, the findings of this research indicate that CSR leads to a more positive attitude towards a brand. Furthermore, social CSR is slightly better perceived as environmental CSR. By providing a measurable incentive, companies can ensure the generation of a positive attitude towards them. The use of CSR, whether it is environmental or social, can therefore benefit companies.

Date of Award	9 May 2024
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Sérgio Moreira (Supervisor)