Integrating corporate social responsibility and renewable energy adoption: A pathway to sustainable performance in ecologically fragile regions

• CSR significantly promotes renewable energy adoption in ecologically fragile regions, strengthening firms' sustainability transitions. • Renewable energy adoption partly mediates the link between CSR and ecological–economic performance, improving both environmental quality and business outcomes. • PLS-SEM analysis of 330 firms confirms that CSR-driven clean energy strategies enhance overall ecological–economic performance (R 2 = 0.55). • A supportive external policy environment intensifies the positive impact of renewable energy adoption on performance outcomes. • Rigid internal governance structures constrain the effectiveness of CSR initiatives in advancing renewable energy use. • Findings provide practical insights for aligning CSR, renewable energy strategies, and institutional frameworks to accelerate SDG 7, 9, 12, and 13 implementations in ecologically vulnerable areas.