Corporate Social Responsibility in the Metaverse: Accounting for Virtual Engagement and Firm Performance
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70112/arss-2026.15.1.4352Keywords:
Corporate Social Responsibility, Metaverse, Accounting, Virtual Engagement, Firm PerformanceAbstract
The study examines the impact of CSR in the metaverse on the performance of firms, particularly from an accounting perspective. The development of the immersive technologies, including metaverse, AI, and blockchain is changing the frontier of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and its interface with accounting and firm performance. Traditionally, CSR has been considered the incorporation of social, environmental, and ethical issues in the business activity. Nonetheless, little academic literature has been conducted to explore the accounting implications of metaverse CSR projects and its effects on firm performance. The quantitative research design was used to test the correlation between CSR in the metaverse and the performance of firms, where virtual engagement was taken into consideration as a moderating variable. The survey was taken using a structured questionnaire survey. The survey tool was sent to 320 individuals in accounts and finance, as well as sustainability departments of 25 companies. Following the removal of the incomplete responses, 280 questionnaires that could be used were retained for analysis, which had a response rate of 87.5%. The study tests hypotheses based on relationship between CSR in the metaverse, accounting disclosure of virtual engagement and firm performance using survey data of 280 accounting and finance professionals working in technology-driven companies and moderated regression analysis. The findings revealed that CSR initiatives conducted in the metaverse significantly and positively influence firm performance. While accounting for virtual engagement strengthens the CSR-firm performance relationship, suggesting that firms with robust digital reporting practices benefit more from metaverse-based CSR initiatives. The study concluded that the results of the present research have important consequences to managers, practitioners, and policymakers at the crossroad of CSR, accounting, and new digital technologies.
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