A Decade of Corporate Social Responsibility Research for Sustainable Hotels: Bibliometric Insights and Review into Climate Action

3.1 Bibliometric analysis

Among the 56 articles screened, no publications were found from 2015 to 2017. The reason for this can be attributed to the fact that the UN Sustainable Development Agenda was initiated at the end of 2015. As a result, research on climate action through CSR in hotels only began a few years later. In general, publications on CSR research in sustainable hotels from 2018 to 2025 showed a positive trend, as illustrated in Figure 1. This achievement indicates that CSR research on sustainable hotels is increasingly attracting researchers. In 2022, the number of publications increased sharply compared to previous years. Then, in 2025, the number of published articles reached its highest peak. The sharp increase in 2025 reflects the hospitality industry’s urgent need to respond to global pressures related to climate change and the need to align business operations to achieve SDGs, particularly the implementation of SDG 13.

Meanwhile, Figure 2 compares the total number of publications on CSR research in sustainable hotels across various countries over the past 10 years. The bar chart shows that China and United Kingdom are the most productive, with the highest number of related research publications. Pakistan follows in third place. This indicates that the issues addressed in this topic are not limited to a particular region but span across continents, indicating a global issue.

Furthermore, citation analysis is a bibliometric technique that measures the impact of research by counting the number of references an article receives, making it easier to identify the most influential articles over time [34]. Table 2 displays the 10 most influential articles over the past decade among 56 others, showing a rapidly growing dynamic that shifts from general discussions to in-depth technical and psychological aspects. The studies by D’Acunto et al. [35] and Ettinger et al. [36] were the most cited. Both articles focus on the hotel guest perspective (online reviews and CSR communications). Interestingly, articles from the upcoming years (2024–2025) have already been cited extensively, such as the work by Ahmad et al. [37], with 54 citations analyzed altruistic values and human emotions as primary drivers of brand advocacy through CSR initiatives. Liu et al. [38], with 50 citations, observed that the transition "from boardroom to breakroom" involves shaping sustainable behavior through green self-efficacy and employee happiness. These demonstrate that topics regarding human behavior, altruistic values, and emotions within the CSR framework are currently the hottest trends and most frequently referenced in the latest hospitality literature.

Table 2. Most cited articles of corporate social responsibility (CSR) research for sustainable hotels

Meanwhile, Xu et al. [39] emphasized a leadership perspective on using CSR for decarbonization through employee engagement, a concept further expanded by Tanveer et al. [40], who mapped the link between CSR and sustainability performance through Green Human Resource Management (GHRM) practices. Furthermore, Ramkissoon et al. [41] demonstrated that CSR positively impacts satisfaction and loyalty for both employees and customers. On a structural level, Chen [4] identified hotel chain affiliation as a significant strategy for improving environmental performance in luxury hotels, though Ertuna et al. [42] noted that the diffusion of this CSR discourse is often shaped by the dynamics of the local context. Finally, Acampora et al. [43] provided a systematic review of the theoretical and methodological developments that continue to define the landscape of green hotel research. The integration of CSR in the hospitality industry has evolved into a multi-faceted strategic priority that influences both consumer perceptions and internal organizational behavior.

Meanwhile, data cleaning was performed to remove duplicate or erroneous entries, as the downloaded database was not designed for bibliometrics but rather contained a collection of information [27]. This study conducted a co-occurrence analysis of keywords using the ‘All keywords’ analysis unit and the ‘Full counting’ method, as configured in the VOSviewer software, to generate accurate network visualizations. To ensure consistency and clarity in the data visualization, several duplicate or synonymous terms were merged into single representative terms using the VOSviewer thesaurus file feature. In this process, the labels "corporate social responsibility (CSR)" and "CSR" were replaced with the term "corporate social responsibility". Similarly, "hotels" and "hotel industry" were unified under the term "hotel", while "hospitality industry" and "hospitality sector" were merged into "hospitality". Furthermore, "humans" was adjusted to "human", “sustainable development goals” to “sustainable development goal”, while "stakeholders" was replaced by "stakeholder engagement".

Then, co-occurrence analysis yielded 25 of the 359 keywords that appeared at least three times. This analysis resulted in four clusters. The keywords with the highest co-occurrence frequencies were corporate social responsibility (45), hotel (21), sustainability (19), and hospitality (15). The keyword “Climate Change” appeared 5 times with a Total Link Strength (TLS) of 24, indicating that discussions of climate change have not been widespread in CSR and sustainable hotel research over the past 10 years. Figure 3 shows the results of the co-occurrence analysis processed with VOSviewer, while Table 3 shows the mapping of research clusters.

Table 3. Cluster themes of corporate social responsibility (CSR) research for sustainable hotels

Cluster 1 comprises nine keywords that reflect a more specific research focus on behavioral aspects within the tourism industry. Keywords such as “tourism”, “employee”, and “human” along with gender distinctions indicated by “male” and “female”, suggest that this cluster centers on humans as the primary actors. The inclusion of “structural equation modelling (SEM)” as one of the keywords further indicates that the majority of studies within this cluster are empirical in nature. Therefore, this cluster can be thematically categorized as employee behavioral analysis in tourism and hospitality.

The primary focus of this cluster is to understand organizational initiatives, often discussed within the context of CSR, are translated into actual employee actions. Findings across various studies suggest that organizational policies do not automatically lead to sustainability outcomes without employees’ psychological engagement, as reflected in the emphasis on Pro-Environmental Behaviour (PEB) and green employee behaviour. Xu et al. [39] found that hotel CSR activities promote employees’ PEB both directly and through the mediating role of transformational leadership. Similarly, Truong et al. [44] demonstrated that green employee behaviour positively contributes to sustainable business performance, while Ludigdo et al. [45] identified PEB as a key psychological mechanism mediating the relationship between executive orientation and business performance. Furthermore, this cluster highlights employee behaviours that directly affect hotel operational efficiency, particularly in relation to energy and waste management. Several studies indicate that CSR encourages PEB, which in turn enhances operational efficiency, especially in terms of energy efficiency [6, 14, 38, 46] and waste reduction [47], ultimately contributing to climate change mitigation. In addition, CSR is also associated with green innovative behaviour and employee performance [48, 49], as well as overall organizational sustainability performance [50]. On the other hand, aspects of employee resilience and social dynamics are also emphasized in this cluster. Research shows that the combination of employee, team, and leadership resilience, along with CSR activities, contributes to hotel growth [51]. Meanwhile, Ramkissoon et al. [41] highlight the relationship between employees’ social responsibility and customer satisfaction and loyalty. Overall, this cluster demonstrates that the success of CSR implementation and sustainability increasingly depends on employees’ behavioral and psychological dimensions, which serve as a bridge between organizational policies and actual practices, while simultaneously supporting organizational performance and climate change mitigation.

Cluster 2 consists of seven keywords that focus on stakeholder engagement and sustainable business development in the hotel sector. Keywords such as “hotel”, “stakeholder”, “stakeholder engagement”, and “sustainable development” indicate that this cluster emphasizes the importance of interactions between firms and various stakeholders in driving sustainability. In addition, the presence of keywords such as “green human resource management” and “green business development” suggests that sustainability strategies are not only externally oriented but also embedded within internal organizational practices. Thus, the emerging theme can be identified as stakeholder engagement and sustainable business development in the hotel sector. Unlike Cluster 1, which focuses on employee behavioral dynamics, Cluster 2 highlights that sustainability in the hospitality sector cannot be achieved individually by firms, but rather through the active involvement of multiple stakeholders.

In this context, a multi-stakeholder approach emerges as a key mechanism. Ramkissoon et al. [41] developed an integrative model linking managers, employees, and customers in CSR initiatives, emphasizing the importance of aligning sustainability strategies with stakeholder orientation to create value [52]. Furthermore, the involvement of technical and managerial actors plays a role in resource-based decision-making, such as in water management within sustainable tourism destinations [53]. Stakeholder engagement also functions not only as a coordination mechanism but as a source of competitive advantage through the implementation of CSR practices. Several studies indicate that CSR practices, including environmental performance, are associated with enhanced brand value [4], customer trust [54], and firm competitiveness [55]. Moreover, this cluster underscores the importance of cross-actor collaboration in implementing sustainable practices. Research shows that interactions between multinational enterprises and local actors influence the adoption of sustainability practices, including CSR and sustainable tourism [42]. Overall, this cluster suggests that the success of sustainable business development in the hospitality sector largely depends on firms’ ability to strategically manage relationships and interests among diverse stakeholders.

Cluster 3 represents the core relationship between CSR and environmental sustainability in the hospitality industry. This cluster explicitly positions CSR as the primary framework for addressing environmental challenges, particularly climate change. This is reflected in the dominance of keywords such as “corporate social responsibility,” “climate change,” “sustainability,” and “environmental impact.” Accordingly, the theme can be defined as “CSR and Environmental Sustainability”.

The literature within this cluster indicates that CSR is not only positioned as a normative responsibility but also plays a significant role in promoting environmental sustainability practices. Several studies emphasize the role of CSR in encouraging hotel guests’ engagement with climate change issues [12]. Other studies suggest that CSR initiatives act as key drivers in reducing the carbon footprint in the hospitality sector, alongside cost efficiency and competitive advantage considerations [11]. In addition, China emerges as one of the major contributors to the development of CSR research in the tourism and hospitality sector [54]. In this context, Sun et al. [56] highlighted the integration of green practices, such as green human resource management and green CSR, within China. Meanwhile, Ma et al. [47] demonstrated that CSR contributes to food waste reduction through increased environmental awareness and behavioural change among employees, particularly in response to climate change issues. This cluster also addresses environmental impact management and sustainable tourism practices, including aspects related to ecotourism. Studies by Gil-Delgado et al. [57] and Vila et al. [53] emphasize the importance of resource management and local development in minimizing environmental impacts in tourism destinations. Overall, this cluster confirms that CSR serves as a key instrument in integrating business objectives with environmental sustainability agendas, particularly in addressing climate change challenges within the hospitality industry.

Cluster 4 represents a shift in the literature toward integrating sustainability practices in the hospitality industry with the global framework of the SDGs. The literature indicates that the hospitality sector is increasingly adopting SDGs as a strategic guideline for implementing sustainability practices. This is reflected in the dominance of keywords such as “hospitality,” “sustainable development goal,” and “circular economy.”

Several studies suggest that CSR, particularly when supported by corporate governance, green organizational culture, and regulatory pressures, plays a role in facilitating the adoption of SDGs, especially SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth), SDG 12 (responsible consumption and production), and SDG 13 (climate action) [19]. In addition, customer engagement—through empowerment, environmental CSR, and digital co-creation processes—also contributes to achieving broader SDGs, including SDG 5 (gender equality), SDG 9 (industry innovation), SDG 11 (sustainable cities), SDG 13 (climate action), and SDG 17 (partnerships for the goals) [58]. This suggests that sustainability in the hospitality industry is shaped not only by corporate strategies but also by the active involvement of customers within the service ecosystem. Other studies indicate that CSR practices in the hospitality sector, particularly in the post-pandemic context, contribute to sustainability across economic, social, and environmental dimensions, collectively reflecting alignment with SDGs [59]. Furthermore, this cluster highlights the potential of the circular economy as an approach to supporting sustainability in the hospitality sector, characterized by efforts to reduce waste and promote reuse, repair, and recycling of resources [60]. This reflects a shift in hospitality business practices toward more sustainable and resource-efficient models. Moreover, aligning business strategies with SDGs is associated with improved firm performance. Studies indicate that integrating SDGs into corporate strategies can enhance financial performance, such as reducing the cost of capital [61], while also generating non-financial value, including strengthened social legitimacy and brand equity [52]. On the other hand, bibliometric analysis reveals that SDGs have become a prominent theme in the development of sustainability research within the hospitality sector [22]. Overall, this cluster demonstrates that the hospitality industry is transitioning from practice-based sustainability approaches toward a more structured alignment with the global SDG framework, supported by instruments such as CSR and the circular economy to achieve more measurable and systematic impacts.

3.2 Review of literature on corporate social responsibility research for sustainable hotels: Capturing climate action and further research direction

In this section, a SLR was conducted to generate reliable findings through predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria in data selection that minimized bias in response to the research questions [62]. This study reviews the relevant literature on SDG 13, climate action. Addressing climate change in hotels that adhere to sustainability principles can provide important insights for other hotels to adopt.

Based on the analysis in Table 4, all stakeholders, including business actors, employees, and hotel customers, contribute to addressing climate challenges in the hospitality industry through CSR initiatives. At the leadership level, managers can harmonize CSR with governance through sustainability strategies by holistic adoption of SDGs to mitigate environmental risks and strengthen corporate legitimacy, which enhances ESG performance and stakeholder trust [19]. Managers can also develop environmental CSR promotion strategies that empower customers to actively engage online and in person with climate action, thereby increasing return visits [58]. Leadership styles such as Environmental-Specific Transformational Leadership (ESTFL) help embed green values into the workplace culture [39]. The role of managers and leaders is crucial in providing resources, motivation, and serving as role models for staff.

Table 4. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) research for sustainable hotels: Addressing climate action

In addition, CSR programs can also encourage energy-related EPB among hotel employees [14]. Many studies have focused on how perceptions of CSR influence employees’ PEB [6, 38, 50]. Green employee engagement acts as a mediator that translates CSR policies into concrete actions such as energy savings. However, employees' personal awareness of climate change can strengthen the positive impact of CSR programs on their behavior, such as reducing food waste [47].

Ultimately, all these internal efforts will face major challenges if unsupported by external conditions. The implementation of low-carbon strategies can be hampered by real constraints, such as limited funding, a shortage of experts, and weak government policy support [11]. External stakeholders, such as policymakers, not only enforce regulations that drive companies to focus on long-term sustainability goals and ensure ESG in sustainability reports, but can also reward companies that comply with regulations for their CSR initiatives [19]. From the service user's perspective, CSR communication is more persuasive when it aligns with regulatory fit, thereby increasing green word-of-mouth intentions and willingness to pay for environmentally friendly products [12].

These articles construct a discourse that the sustainability of hotels amid the challenges of climate change can be achieved through the incorporation of CSR into organizational culture, supported by environmentally conscious leadership, and effectively communicated to change energy consumption and waste management practices among both employees and customers. Overall, the entire research underscore the significant contribution of the hospitality sector’s carbon footprint to global greenhouse gas emissions and highlight CSR as a strategic instrument for achieving SDG 13 (Climate Action).

Moreover, across the ten literatures reviewed, several common views emerge that encourage further research to be more comprehensive and relevant to actual conditions, through methodological strengthening, broadening the scope, and deepening the concepts. One of the most frequently raised recommendations is to employ a longitudinal research design to observe changes in behavior or conditions over time, particularly after policy implementation or intervention. This idea needs to be supported by broader research, covering both cities and cross-cultural contexts, to make the findings more generally applicable. Probability sampling is also highly recommended for obtaining more accurate results. On the other hand, more in-depth studies at the local level are also considered crucial as a foundation for effective policy formulation. Conceptually, further research is expected to enrich the existing model by adding objective CSR metrics, new psychological variables and exploring the role of digital transitions and latest technologies in supporting climate action.

However, research that incorporates climate change into the analysis remains limited. This is despite the fact that the tourism industry, particularly hotels, is one of the industries that contribute most to climate disruption, with a significant greenhouse gas footprint. Therefore, further research is expected to explore CSR initiatives for hotel sustainability, particularly from the perspective of climate action in addressing climate challenges.