Project Overview

CSR-CUTL (Consumer Responses to CSR: Does Culture Matter?) is a 36-month research project funded by the Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation (HFRI/ELIDEK) under the 3rd Call for HFRI Research Projects to Support Faculty Members and Researchers. The project is coordinated by the Athens University of Economics and Business (AUEB) and implemented in collaboration with the Open University of Cyprus (OUC).

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has become an important part of contemporary business practice, as organizations increasingly invest in initiatives addressing social and environmental challenges. At the same time, consumers are more attentive to companies’ ethical conduct and may reward or penalize firms based on how responsible, sincere, and socially beneficial their actions are perceived to be.

Through a series of empirical studies conducted over three years, CSR-CUTL examines how cultural differences influence consumer responses to CSR initiatives. The project focuses on the psychological processes through which consumers evaluate socially responsible companies, including moral evaluations, emotional responses, and behavioral intentions.

By combining rigorous academic research with practical relevance, CSR-CUTL aims to generate insights that can help researchers, businesses, and policymakers better understand how CSR strategies can be designed and communicated more effectively across culturally diverse environments.