Corporate social responsibility and its effects on brand equity and corporate reputation in the cosmetics industry

This study examines the associations between perceived corporate social responsibility (CSR) and consumers’ evaluations of brand equity (BE) and corporate reputation (CRep), as well as the potential moderating role of ethical consumption (EC), in the context of Brazilian consumers of a cosmetics brand. Drawing on signaling theory, the research investigates how CSR-related signals are differentially incorporated into brand-level and organization-level evaluations. Data were collected through a survey with 515 consumers and analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The results indicate that perceived CSR is positively associated with both BE and CRep. However, while the CSR–BE association is statistically significant but weak, the CSR–CRep relationship is both statistically and substantively strong. This suggests that CSR functions primarily as a reputational signal, contributing more decisively to cumulative, organization-level judgments than to more immediate brand-related evaluations. Contrary to expectations, EC does not exert a moderating effect, indicating that CSR evaluations in this context are not differentiated by consumers’ ethical orientation. This study is the first to jointly examine these associations within a single empirical model in a sustainability-relevant sector, offering novel insights for sustainability research and consumer behavior. The findings underscore the importance of aligning CSR initiatives with long-term sustainability governance and accountability practices, rather than treating CSR as a short-term promotional instrument. The study also highlights the relevance of CSR for advancing broader sustainability objectives, particularly responsible consumption and production (SDG 12), protection of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems (SDGs 14 and 15), and climate action (SDG 13).