• Energy Research

The emergence of the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) concept resulted in the introduction of the subject to the curricula of management faculties at many universities worldwide. Business schools and management departments educate future decision-makers of the national and global economy. Therefore, in order to be able to anticipate future development trends in the area of CSR, surveys of students’ opinions on the responsibilities of business toward society are conducted. This study aimed to answer the question about the way in which students prioritize particular dimensions of CSR. In particular, it focuses on whether the respondents consider the economic dimension to be fundamental, given their different socio-cultural contexts. An additional aim of the research is to verify A. Carroll’s original CSR model, as expressed in terms of the economic, legal, ethical, and philanthropic dimensions. The research included two groups of students at the Faculty of Management of the Lublin University of Technology—Polish and foreign. The results obtained in both study groups differ from A. Carroll’s original CSR model system. They also differ from each other. In the group of Polish students, the bottom and top dimensions of the pyramid are economic and legal, and in the group of foreign students, they are philanthropic and legal, accordingly. The shapes of the two pyramids are also different, which may be caused by different socio-cultural contexts and specific social needs. The adopted model turned out to be useful for studying the CSR structure expressed in the form of a four-element pyramid. It also allowed the weighting of the perceived importance by the respondents of each individual dimension of CSR. This study helps to predict future corporate social responsibility activities and trends in business.

In 2021, the European Commission set out the direction of changes in the field of European enterprise activities by establishing the principles of Industry 5.0. One of the indicated directions was the implementation of sustainable development principles in European industry. The aim of this article is to examine the level and nature of competences in the field of sustainable development among students at two Lublin universities: the Lublin University of Technology and the University of Life Sciences in Lublin. This is to enable the assessment of students’ preparation for the implementation of sustainable development principles in their future professional activities. The research sought to determine the relationship between the type of university and the competences of students, through the self-assessment of competences. The conceptualization and operationalization of competences in the field of sustainable development was based on the de Haan and Cebrian models, respectively. The tool used was the author’s own questionnaire based on the self-assessment of 25 statements, grouped into five areas of competence: knowledge, action, values and ethics, emotions and systems thinking. The results of the study confirmed differences between students in the areas of knowledge and activity. However, a relationship between the type of university and self-esteem in areas related to systemic thinking, emotions, and ethics and values was not found. Various self-assessment patterns (clusters) were observed in individual areas among the respondents. Differences in the assessment of the statements indicated the existence of factors that influenced responses. The results of the study confirmed the usefulness of the tool in identifying competency gaps of students based on which the tool can be recommended for use in the design of study programs.

The concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) permeates the curricula of various fields of study at many universities. The aim of the article is to present the assessment of the students at the Lublin University of Technology in the field of Electrical Engineering on the importance of individual dimensions of CSR, with particular emphasis on the environmental dimension. The method used in the study is a diagnostic survey conducted among students of full-time first- and second-cycle studies. The research was carried out using a questionnaire based on the four-dimensional model of CSR developed by Carroll and was extended to the environmental dimension. The tool consists of 60 statements divided into 12 groups. Each group contains five statements—one for each of the distinguished CSR components. The hierarchy of CSR dimensions in both surveyed groups is analogous (economic, legal, ethical, philanthropic, and environmental dimensions). The study groups differed, however, in their assessment of the importance of the legal and ethical dimensions. Bilateral comparisons of individual dimensions in the group of second-cycle students revealed fewer differences than in the group of first-cycle students, which proves that the links between different categories of the company’s stakeholders and obligations toward them are more clearly perceived by the group of second-cycle students. The conclusions from the research make it possible to recommend universities to include in their curricula content aimed at better preparing graduates to undertake CSR activities.

The rise of the Sustainable Development (SD) concept contributed to the increasing interest in practices encompassing the Sustainable Human Resource Management (Sustainable HRM) and the results of these practices. This article relates to the area of Human Resource Management and activities undertaken by HR departments to implement the principles of sustainable development in the enterprise. In particular, it refers to the concept of Sustainable HRM, recognized by many researchers as a new paradigm in the area of HRM. Although an intensely-studied subject, there is a clear gap in research regarding Sustainable HRM in Polish companies. Additionally, there is a lack of research contribution on the Podlasie region—ecologically and ethnically the most diverse region in the country. While sustainability in environmental terms is evident in the region, the article focuses on sustainability implementation in the business sector. The article helps to close the research gap. Its aim is to examine the two-fold role of HR departments in: Implementing activities in the area of Sustainable HRM, and introducing the principles of sustainability to corporate strategies. It was assumed that such activities contribute to corporate sustainability. In order to verify the role of HR departments, a new, comprehensive research model, based on the work of De Prins, was built. The model relates to the double-task of HR departments in organizations. The added value of the article stems from the research model proposal, which can be applied without geographical limitations and to numerous organization types. The paper introduces one of the applications of the model—a regional one. The model was tested in a questionnaire survey conducted among employees of enterprises operating in the Podlaskie Voivodeship, which is unique in terms of environment, culture, and economy in Poland. The respondents were participants of MBA studies at one of the universities of the Podlaskie Voivodeship. The results of the study fully confirmed the hypothesis adopted in the study regarding the performance of activities by HR departments in the psychological and social areas of Sustainable HRM. The third aspect of the study, regarding the ecological area, was not clearly confirmed in the study. It was found that this may result from the restrictive law regulating the issue of the impact of enterprises on the natural environment. The results of the study allowed for the verification of the main hypothesis assumed in the research model, thus confirming its truthfulness.