The Impact of COVID-19 on Sustainability and CSR Activities: An Empirical Study Across Nine Sectors

The ongoing pandemic of COVID-19 disrupts everyday life and has severe consequences on global business. Within this critical context, this chapter examines the impact of COVID-19 on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities in Cyprus. By using a thematic analysis, the study conducted an in-depth examination of twenty-three companies in Cyprus before and during the pandemic, across nine sectors: retail, hospitality and travel, information technology, professional service and service providers, professional education, manufacturing, banking and pharmaceutical. Published CSR activities concern mostly large businesses, with established CSR strategies. The majority of them adopts a cyclical matrix of CSR, and has adapted their CSR activities in order to alleviate the negative consequences of the pandemic on their staff, customers and the broader society. Also, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) without clear CSR strategies had an opportunity to join a network of companies, namely ‘Support CY’ to participate in a number of activities amidst the pandemic. In most of the organisations participating in the study, the crisis has encouraged rather than discouraged CSR activities, whereas long-term CSR initiatives had a great impact on firms’ reputation, brand, and long-lasting relationships with their stakeholders.