Work

Managing with CARE : Family‐Level Outcomes of Environmental, Social, and Governance Practices in Family Firms

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: ABSTRACT ESG practices offer various benefits for family firms; however, there has been limited focus on how these practices can specifically advantage the owning family. To address this gap, we conduct a multiple‐case study of six Italian family firms. Responding to recent calls for research (Stock et al., 2024) and building on the growing literature on ESG in family business, we adopt the family as the primary unit of analysis and investigate the outcomes that the owning family derives from the firm's ESG practices. Our findings reveal that engagement in ESG fosters a set of interrelated, family‐level outcomes. We conceptualize these outcomes as Continuity, Alignment, Relationships, and Ethics (summarized as C.A.R.E.), four concepts that are reinforced, nurtured, and developed through sustained ESG engagement. These concepts together function as key intangible resources that contribute to the long‐term success of family businesses.

Source: Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management

DOI: 10.1002/csr.70556

Authors: Rafaela Gjergji, Sofia Brunelli, Andrea Sanseverino, Salvatore Sciascia, Valentina Lazzarotti

Institutions: University Carlo Cattaneo, University of Naples Federico II, Jönköping University

Language: English

Topic: Family Business Performance and Succession

Subfield: Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management

Field: Business, Management and Accounting

Domain: Social Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,100

OpenAlex ID: W7147209579

FWCI:

Cites: 65

Cited by:

Related to: