Navigating Industry 5.0 through corporate social responsibility and digital transformation: a stakeholder and institutional perspective

Seelent J.F.C.; Mendonça J.A.; Lermen F.H.; Benitez G.B. · Production Planning and Control (2026) · DOI: 10.1080/09537287.2025.2550404

Resumen

This study empirically examines the interaction between Digital Transformation (DT) and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) within the framework of Industry 5.0 (I5.0). DT is assessed through digital strategy, Base, and Front-end technologies, while CSR encompasses employees, suppliers, and consumer practices. We use financial, workers, environmental, and innovation performance indicators to represent I5.0 dimensions—sustainability, human-centricity, and resilience. Drawing on stakeholder and institutional theories, we analyse data from Brazilian organisations using factor analysis and hierarchical linear regression. Results validate the stakeholder perspective, showing positive associations between CSR and performance indicators, and support the institutional view by suggesting that DT–CSR integration does not significantly improve financial performance. However, the interaction strengthens I5.0 by enhancing human-centric, resilience, and social-environmental aspects from the sustainability dimension. The study’s originality lies in its dual-perspective evaluation, demonstrating how DT and CSR together advance I5.0 principles.

Instituciones: Universidad Tecnológica del Perú