The Effect Of Sustainable CSR On Brand Loyalty – The Mediating Role Of Trust And Brand Identification
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33751/jhss.v10i1.123Keywords:
sustainable CSR, trust, brand identification, brand loyalty, AQUA consumersAbstract
In an era of increasing environmental awareness and consumer scrutiny, sustainable Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has become a strategic approach for strengthening brand loyalty. This study aims to examine the effect of sustainable CSR on brand loyalty, with trust and brand identification as mediating variables among AQUA consumers. The research adopts a quantitative approach using an associative method. Data were collected through an online questionnaire distributed to 100 AQUA consumers in Banyumas Regency aged 18–35 years, selected using purposive sampling. The data were analysed using path analysis with SPSS version 27. The results indicate that CSR has a significant positive effect on trust, brand identification, and brand loyalty. Trust is also found to have a significant positive effect on brand loyalty, while brand identification does not significantly influence brand loyalty. Furthermore, the mediation analysis reveals that trust successfully mediates the relationship between CSR and brand loyalty, whereas brand identification does not serve as a mediating variable. These findings suggest that consumer trust plays a more critical role than emotional identification in translating CSR initiatives into loyalty, particularly in low-involvement products such as bottled water. This study contributes to the literature by integrating sustainable CSR with trust and brand identification in the context of environmental controversy. Practically, the findings provide insights for companies to prioritise transparent and credible CSR initiatives in order to strengthen consumer trust and maintain long-term brand loyalty.
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