van der Veen, exploring multi-value creation in practice: a study on Dutch businesses involved in developing regions

Only decades ago, the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) made its appearance
into the field of international business. Although subject to large criticism, the concept of CSR
has been widely adopted by the businesses sector. At that time, CSR was dominantly focused
on the responsibility of the entrepreneur.

In the present time, we experience a shift from traditional CSR perspectives to perspectives that
incorporate social and environmental dimensions into contemporary business models. Here,
social and environmental issues are not organized at the peripheries, but become an integral
part of the business, defined as multi-value creation.

Empirical evidence of multi-value creation remains largely unexplored, especially concerning practices in developing regions. This study bridges that gap, as it provides an in-depth
understanding of multi-value creation in developing regions, as well as identifying the influence
of the Circular Economy (CE) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on businesses
that engage in multi-value creation. Through a series of interviews with businesses, experts and
civil servants, the existing literature is linked to empirical evidence, resulting in new
perspectives.