Challenges and opportunities in educational inclusion and addressing diversity in basic education

Abstract

Corporate social responsibility has moved beyond a peripheral philanthropic practice to become a strategic component linked to competitiveness, legitimacy, and financial sustainability among Latin American companies. The objective of this study was to analyze the relationship between corporate social responsibility practices and corporate financial performance in Latin America, considering the diversity of findings reported in the specialized literature. The research was developed through an exploratory bibliographic review, with a documentary, non-experimental, and cross-sectional design, based on scientific articles, books, academic chapters, and institutional reports published mainly between 2000 and 2025. The results show that this relationship is contingent, multidimensional, and highly sensitive to the institutional context, since it depends on factors such as sectoral materiality, quality of disclosure, corporate governance, financial slack, internationalization, and the metrics used to assess profitability, market value, or cost of capital. The discussion indicates that corporate social responsibility does not automatically guarantee better financial results; however, it can generate value when it is credibly, verifiably, and coherently integrated into business strategy. It is concluded that Latin American companies can transform sustainability into a source of resilience, reputation, and competitiveness if they move beyond symbolic approaches and adopt responsible, measurable, and financially relevant models.