Embedding ESG practices into corporate strategy: a pathway to brand loyalty through consumer brand identification in the cosmetics industry

Abstract This study examines the effects of environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices on consumer brand identification and brand loyalty in the cosmetics industry. A structured questionnaire was developed based on validated scales from past studies after which the data was collected from...

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Main Authors: Norsyarmimi Binti Che Lah, Karpal Singh Dara Singh, Sajead Mowafaq Alshdaifat, Jalal Rajeh Hanaysha
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Springer 2025-05-01
Series:Discover Sustainability
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-025-01346-y
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author Norsyarmimi Binti Che Lah
Karpal Singh Dara Singh
Sajead Mowafaq Alshdaifat
Jalal Rajeh Hanaysha
author_facet Norsyarmimi Binti Che Lah
Karpal Singh Dara Singh
Sajead Mowafaq Alshdaifat
Jalal Rajeh Hanaysha
author_sort Norsyarmimi Binti Che Lah
collection DOAJ
description Abstract This study examines the effects of environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices on consumer brand identification and brand loyalty in the cosmetics industry. A structured questionnaire was developed based on validated scales from past studies after which the data was collected from female customers of cosmetic brands in Malaysia. In total, 307 valid responses were obtained from the respondents and analysed via the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The analysis revealed that environmental and governance practices were important predictors of consumer brand identification and positively affected brand loyalty. Furthermore, brand identification was found to mediate the effect of environmental and governance practices on brand loyalty. In contrast, the effect of social practices on brand identification was found to be insignificant and no mediating effect of brand identification was observed between social practices and brand loyalty. This study makes significant contributions to practice by making a strong business case for ESG to be adopted as a legitimate corporate strategy in fostering band identification and brand loyalty. The study also enriches the literature on ESG practices, brand identification and loyalty with new insights from the cosmetics industry in Malaysia; an area that has not received much scholarly attention till date.
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issn 2662-9984
language English
publishDate 2025-05-01
publisher Springer
record_format Article
series Discover Sustainability
spelling doaj-art-51f0edcf09ef4ce696ecfba75996afff2025-08-20T02:39:03ZengSpringerDiscover Sustainability2662-99842025-05-016111610.1007/s43621-025-01346-yEmbedding ESG practices into corporate strategy: a pathway to brand loyalty through consumer brand identification in the cosmetics industryNorsyarmimi Binti Che Lah0Karpal Singh Dara Singh1Sajead Mowafaq Alshdaifat2Jalal Rajeh Hanaysha3Graduate School of Business, Universiti Sains MalaysiaGraduate School of Business, Universiti Sains MalaysiaFinancial and Accounting Sciences Department, Faculty of Business, Middle East UniversitySchool of Business, Skyline University CollegeAbstract This study examines the effects of environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices on consumer brand identification and brand loyalty in the cosmetics industry. A structured questionnaire was developed based on validated scales from past studies after which the data was collected from female customers of cosmetic brands in Malaysia. In total, 307 valid responses were obtained from the respondents and analysed via the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The analysis revealed that environmental and governance practices were important predictors of consumer brand identification and positively affected brand loyalty. Furthermore, brand identification was found to mediate the effect of environmental and governance practices on brand loyalty. In contrast, the effect of social practices on brand identification was found to be insignificant and no mediating effect of brand identification was observed between social practices and brand loyalty. This study makes significant contributions to practice by making a strong business case for ESG to be adopted as a legitimate corporate strategy in fostering band identification and brand loyalty. The study also enriches the literature on ESG practices, brand identification and loyalty with new insights from the cosmetics industry in Malaysia; an area that has not received much scholarly attention till date.https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-025-01346-yEnvironmentalSocial and governance (ESG)Brand identificationBrand loyaltySelf-identity theoryCosmetics industry
spellingShingle Norsyarmimi Binti Che Lah
Karpal Singh Dara Singh
Sajead Mowafaq Alshdaifat
Jalal Rajeh Hanaysha
Embedding ESG practices into corporate strategy: a pathway to brand loyalty through consumer brand identification in the cosmetics industry
Discover Sustainability
Environmental
Social and governance (ESG)
Brand identification
Brand loyalty
Self-identity theory
Cosmetics industry
title Embedding ESG practices into corporate strategy: a pathway to brand loyalty through consumer brand identification in the cosmetics industry
title_full Embedding ESG practices into corporate strategy: a pathway to brand loyalty through consumer brand identification in the cosmetics industry
title_fullStr Embedding ESG practices into corporate strategy: a pathway to brand loyalty through consumer brand identification in the cosmetics industry
title_full_unstemmed Embedding ESG practices into corporate strategy: a pathway to brand loyalty through consumer brand identification in the cosmetics industry
title_short Embedding ESG practices into corporate strategy: a pathway to brand loyalty through consumer brand identification in the cosmetics industry
title_sort embedding esg practices into corporate strategy a pathway to brand loyalty through consumer brand identification in the cosmetics industry
topic Environmental
Social and governance (ESG)
Brand identification
Brand loyalty
Self-identity theory
Cosmetics industry
url https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-025-01346-y
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