Sustainable Customer Relationships Management: A Conceptual Framework for Integrating CRM and Sustainability

This study explores the intersection of two literature streams within business interactions theory: Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and sustainability. Specifically, this research integrates the strategic, collaborative, analytical, and operational dimensions of CRM with the environmental, social, and economic pillars of sustainability. The proposed conceptual framework identifies twelve sections, revealing how each CRM dimension may contribute to a firm’s sustainability development. The findings emphasise CRM’s potential to enhance social well-being, drive environmentally friendly innovation, and identify sustainable investments for long-term stakeholder relationships. Hence, the research provides a conceptual framework highlighting a novel perspective on CRM by determining its crucial role in supporting a firm’s sustainable development. The current study may be a significant guide for scholars to address future research on the topic and for firms to understand how CRM can improve sustainable development principles in business strategy.