The 11^TH International Conference on Social Responsibility, Ethics and Sustainable Business

Conference Theme

Local Solutions to Global Challenges: Communicating Sustainability Initiatives to Diverse Communities

 Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya,Malaysia, 5 -7 September 2024

In an era marked by global challenges, the pursuit of sustainable business practices has emerged as a necessity. The theme of the 11^th ICSR conference, ‘Local Solutions to Global Challenges: Communicating Sustainability Initiatives to Diverse Communities’, reflects the urgency of communication strategies that effectively engage local communities while simultaneously addressing the global sustainability challenges we face. This conference serves as a crucible for scholarly dialogue and practical insights, bridging the gap between sustainability imperatives and the needs of the diverse communities crucial for their realization.

Potential contradictions between global imperatives for sustainability and local needs for growth, increased standards of living, and access to markets, require effective communication strategies, not only in the areas of corporate social responsibility and sustainability, but in local initiatives to create more sustainable ways of living. Communication of sustainability must resonate with the cultural, social, and economic nuances of diverse communities to foster engagement and collaboration in global sustainability initiatives. Consider, for example, energy intensive local demands for transport, manufacturing, and improved living conditions with global movements towards reduced energy and commodity consumption, recycling, and capital intensive infrastructure changes such as renewable energy production and the use of electric vehicles, solar panels and heat pumps. Such transformations may make sense to both policy-makers and consumers in the Global North, while seeming inaccessible and irrelevant to those in the Global South.

At the 11^th ICSR conference we will therefore explore, discuss, and disseminate new theoretical perspective, innovative approaches, best practices, and case studies that underscore the significance of communication in the realm of corporate responsibility and sustainability as it is experienced by diverse global communities.

We therefore invites debates on the following:

1. Aligning global imperatives with local realities, including striking the right balance between global sustainability standards and the contextual realities of local communities. Topics could involve cultural intelligence’s role in adapting global sustainability standards, strategies for contextualizing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for diverse communities, or case studies on communication campaigns that successfully align global standards with local values, or alternatively surface and highlight contradictions and paradoxes in such efforts.

2. Technology and local engagement. Technology possibly provides unprecedented opportunities for global communication, but poses challenges in maintaining local authenticity and inclusivity. Can technology be leveraged to enhance sustainability communication without undermining the importance of local perspectives and engagement? Papers might include the impact of Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence (AI), or digital platforms on local community engagement in sustainability, or innovations in digital media that facilitate inclusive and culturally sensitive communications.

3. Ethics, morality, and sustainability communication, including the ethical dimensions of sustainability communication that raise questions about authenticity, transparency, and the moral obligations of businesses. How can organizations navigate ethical considerations in their communication strategies to build trust and credibility in diverse communities without contradictions? Topics could include the integration of moral values into corporate responsibility, sustainability and marketing communication, the promotion of ethical behaviours, and case studies of organizations that successfully, or otherwise, align their values with sustainable practices across diverse communities.

Below is an indicative (but not exclusive) list of possible submission topics:

·       CSR Communication

·       Corporate Responsibility and Reputation

·       Crisis Management and Communication

·       Business Responsibility and Digital Platforms

·       Cross-Cultural Communication 

·       Cause-Related Marketing

·       CSR and Digital Communications

·       Collaborative Journalism 

·       AI in CSR Communication

·       CSR Communication and Consumer Psychology

·       Stakeholder Engagement and Communication

·       CSR and Integrated Marketing Communication

·       NGO Marketing

·       Public Relations for Sustainability

·       SDGs and Corporate Practice

·       Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)

·       Communicating Social or Societal Marketing

·       Social Responsibility, Ethics, and Accountability in the Digital Society

·       Strategic CSR Communication

·       Sustainable Advertising 

·       Values and Morality in Corporate Responsibility

Submit your abstract of 300 words in a Word document format HERE. Up to two submissions will be considered per author. Only the abstracts will be published in the conference proceedings.

SUBMISSION OF FULL PAPER

If you intend to proceed with publication, it is advisable to submit the full paper after the acceptance of the abstract using the full paper template that can be obtained by registering HERE. Full papers should not exceed 8000 words in length. Please note that accepted full papers will be reviewed by journal editors, who will select works deemed suitable and of sufficient quality for their journal. Some publications may require authors to enhance their work by 40-50%, which may involve adjustments to the title and abstract. Adherence to the specific procedures of each publication is mandatory, and publication decisions are contingent upon the manuscript’s overall quality. Additional fees for journal publication might be charged separately by the journal publishers.

PUBLICATION

The full paper would stand a chance to be published in Palgrave edited collections and indexed journals as listed below:

• Palgrave Studies in Governance, Leadership, and Responsibility
• Business and Professional Communication Quarterly (ESCI) – Special Issue
• Kajian Malaysia (Scopus) – Special Issue
• Pertanika (Scopus) – Special Issue
• European Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies (Scopus)
• Investigaciones Turísticas (Scopus)
• Global Business Management Review (MyCite)
• Journal of Entrepreneurship and Business (MyCite)

REVIEW PROCESS

Acceptance for the conference presentation will be based on a review of the 300-word abstract. Two reviewers will offer feedback on the abstracts. Subsequently, the same reviewers will also assess the full paper submis