Fostering authentic corporate social responsibility through place-based and relational methodologies in mining governance: a global synthesis
Mehran Nejati, Eduardo Ordonez-Ponce, Rumen Rachev, Belen Lopez VazquezPurpose
As the global economy shifts towards low-carbon development, sustainable mining practices are becoming increasingly vital for balancing resource extraction with environmental and social responsibilities. This study aims to critically evaluate how traditional corporate social responsibility (CSR) frameworks fall short in addressing power asymmetries and territorial impacts, and to explore how place-based and relational methodologies can foster authentic corporate social responsibility (ACSR) in mining governance.
Design/methodology/approach
This review synthesises findings from 77 peer-reviewed studies published between 2015 and 2025, covering diverse global mining contexts. The analysis identifies transformative themes through a qualitative meta-synthesis approach, focusing on governance practices that empower communities, integrate Indigenous knowledge systems, and promote regenerative outcomes.
Findings
Five key themes emerged from the review: a paradigm shift from extractive to regenerative relationships, Indigenous knowledge systems as innovative governance mechanisms, place-based contexts as critical determinants of success, relational trust-building prioritised over transactional compliance, and multi-stakeholder networks enabling systemic change. ACSR has been shown to arise from territorial embeddedness, epistemological pluralism, relational accountability and power redistribution. However, gaps remain in empirical validation, particularly in linking methodologies to measurable outcomes and scaling innovations while preserving contextual sensitivity.
Research limitations/implications
The findings underscore the need for mining governance to move beyond conventional CSR models towards approaches that are context-sensitive, inclusive and transformative, embedding place-based and relational methodologies to address persistent socio-ecological and power imbalances. However, the review is limited by its focus on peer-reviewed English-language sources published between 2015 and 2025 and the relative scarcity of longitudinal empirical evidence. Future research should prioritise developing robust frameworks to evaluate long-term impacts on governance, community well-being and equitable power redistribution across diverse mining contexts.
Practical implications
The findings underscore the urgent need for mining policies to move beyond conventional CSR frameworks and embrace governance models that are inclusive, context-sensitive and community-driven. By recognising Indigenous knowledge systems and fostering relational accountability, policymakers can support more equitable and regenerative mining practices.
Social implications
Socially, this shift promotes the empowerment of local communities and Indigenous knowledge holders, enhances trust in institutions, and mitigates conflicts over resource extraction. Therefore, policy frameworks must prioritise territorial embeddedness and power redistribution to ensure that mining positively contributes to both environmental sustainability and social justice.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the evolving discourse on sustainable mining by offering a novel synthesis of relational and place-based methodologies as pathways to ACSR. It challenges extractive paradigms and proposes a reimagined purpose for mining, one that centres regeneration, community empowerment and pluralistic governance.