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Given the important role of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in today’s business world, this study aims to investigate how it affects the performance of pharmaceutical distribution companies by using the balanced scorecard (BSC).

Drawing upon the existing literature, a questionnaire consisting of 32 questions was prepared and distributed to examine ongoing practices and to probe uninvestigated domains related to CSR. To confirm the efficiency of the research model and the accuracy of the measurement model – which was utilized to examine the correlation between different variables – variable scores were acquired from a national study and were entered into a structural equation model.

Analysis of 933 completed questionnaires revealed the existence of large correlation between subsets of the considered dimensions. The questionnaire contained five underlying dimensions: employee relations, corporate governance, societal concern, economic and financial concern and environmental concerns. All CSR variables can be condensed into these five dimensions, which are the main features of the CSR model proposed for the Iranian pharmaceutical distribution companies. Not only did the results support the research model but also indicated that CSR’s impact on BSC and its four components – financial perspective, customer perspective, internal process perspective and learning and growth perspective – was both positive and significant.

This paper identifies five dimensions through which CSR practices can effect positive changes in an organization’s performance in relation to the four BSC perspectives. Thus, in focusing on these dimensions, a company increases its likelihood of enhancing its performance and, consequently, realizing significant gains. In addition, as managers play the most significant role in CSR implementation, they should support all associated practices to achieve their strategic goals.

Pharmaceutical distribution companies tend to apply CSR – which is commonly described as informal and voluntary humanitarian activities – to different domains, including the workplace, marketplace, community and environment. This study contributes to the existing literature by shedding light on various domains in which CSR practices are applied to enhance organizational success in pharmaceutical distribution companies.