Socially Responsible Investing and Business Model Innovation: Prosocial Levelling

Rama Kanungo

Chapter 4 in Socially Responsible Business Models for International Brands, 2026, pp 57-72 from World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd.

Abstract: Socially responsible investing, unlike traditional investment vehicles, secures investments from socially conscious investors for societal welfare and collective well-being. Businesses adopt prosocial mandates to reorient their existing business model, where social principles guide their investment decisions. The nexus between socially responsible investing (SRI) and business model innovation (BMI) remains a compelling discourse within the sustainability literature. The legacy of SRI dates back to the early 19th century; however, SRI gained academic traction in the 1980s. The interplay between SRI and BMI remains subsumed within the environmental, social and governance (ESG) framework. This chapter provides a critique of SRI and its association with BMI and illustrates the increasing prosocial visibility of SRI within ESG mandates. In recent times, the synergy between SRI and BMI has been transforming the business landscape, leading to responsible financing, where financial prosperity and societal impact supplement each other, creating inclusivity, shaping financial subjectivity and advancing social levelling.

Keywords: University Social Responsibility; Happy To Chat; Badges; Community Building; Diversity; Inclusion; University; International Students Disinformation; SCR Brand; Socially Conscious Responsible Brand; Greenwashing; False Advertising Algorithmic Control; Gig-Workers; Socially Responsible; Self-Determination Theory; Social Exchange Theory; Motivation; Responsible Investing; Socially Responsible Investing (SRI); ESG; Business Model; Business Model Innovation; Economic Benefits; Liminal Spaces; CSR; Productivity; Employee Well-Being; Innovation; Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR); ESG Management; Business Ecosystem; Sustainability; Social Capital; Organisational Behaviour (OB); Leadership; Strategic Leadership; Internal Compliance; Employee Behaviours; Management In Practice; Socially Responsible Business; Emerging Markets; Marketing Strategies; Integrated Marketing Communication; Social Impact Measurement; Sustainable Goals; Linear Economy; Circular Economy; Social Compliance; Regulation; Garment; Bangladesh; Global Influence; Cryptocurrency; Blockchain; Bitcoin; Tokens; Socially Responsible Business; Smart Contracts (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: L21 M14 Q0 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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