INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY OF AGRIBUSINESS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF RURAL AREAS

Abstract

The article substantiates the theoretical and methodological foundations of agribusiness social responsibility management and examines its role in the sustainable development of rural areas in Ukraine. The concept of agribusiness social responsibility is clarified with regard to the sectoral characteristics of agricultural production and the territorial links between agricultural enterprises and rural communities. International models of social responsibility (European, American, Japanese, and Latin American) are reviewed and compared, and the possibilities for their adaptation in the Ukrainian agricultural sector are identified. The methodology combines comparative and historical-logical analysis of the evolution of social responsibility theory, theoretical generalization and abstract-logical analysis used to clarify the concept of agribusiness social responsibility, and content analysis used to process open non-financial disclosures of agricultural companies and to determine the level of formalization of social responsibility practices; systematization and grouping were applied to generalize the barriers, channels of influence, and performance indicators of social responsibility. The empirical analysis is based on publicly available data of the State Statistics Service of Ukraine, analytical materials of the KSE Institute and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP Ukraine), reports of the CSR Ukraine Center, and non-financial disclosures of leading agricultural companies, including MHP, Kernel, Astarta-Kyiv, and IMC.The study identifies a considerable gap between the declaration of socially responsible practices, the publication of non-financial reports, and the implementation of formalized ESG approaches. Regional differences in the implementation of social responsibility under wartime conditions are also examined, together with the main institutional, regulatory, organizational, and managerial barriers to its development. Based on the results, four interrelated channels through which agribusiness social responsibility affects rural development are distinguished: economic, social, environmental, and institutional, each characterized by specific implementation mechanisms and performance indicators at the community level. A set of indicators is proposed for assessing the outcomes of these practices. The practical value of the findings lies in their applicability by agricultural enterprises, local governments, and public institutions when developing social responsibility programs, improving cooperation with rural communities, and adapting to European ESG reporting requirements during post-war recovery.