Does mandatory CSR provide long-term benefits to shareholders?

Purpose Mandatory corporate social responsibility (CSR) aims to protect the long-term benefit of shareholders; therefore, this study aims to seek empirical evidence for the benefit of mandatory CSR from the perspective of shareholders. Design/methodology/approach Consistent with the objective of this study, the long-term shareholder benefit is measured using the sustainability perspective. Companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange that have at least five years of CSR implementation, as its mandate and have retroactive earnings data for minimum six years before the observation year are selected as the study’s sample. Findings The findings support that mandated CSR protects long-term shareholder value; there is a significant association between CSR and sustainable shareholder value. Industry profiles are an essential aspect of the association model. The results are robust through testing the association for various scenarios of time. Research limitations/implications This study uses a single measurement of shareholder value based only on accounting measurement. Further, due to limitations in accessing internal company data, this study relies on annual reporting information to measure CSR implementation. Originality/value This study is the first to provide empirical evidence of the long-term benefit of mandatory CSR from the shareholders' perspective. This study also contributes to the existing literature by evaluating the success of mandatory CSR in developing countries. Those that successfully implemented mandatory CSR can serve as a model for other developing countries interested in creating similar policies to encourage socially responsible companies.