Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has emerged globally as animportant field of study as corporations increasingly recognize thepositive consequences of ethical behavior in their business opera-tions. However, despite a growing body of literature, results anddefinitions remain somewhat contradictory and fractured. Taking amarketing business ethics perspective, this article examines theinfluence of CSR in firms and its impact on consumer buyingbehavior through a systematic examination of state of the art litera-ture over the past two decades (2000–2020). Our review identifies atheoretical connection between CSR initiatives and positive con-sumer reaction yet a lack of material relevance. Most publicationshave assumed linear and rational decision-making, and comparativestudies addressing contextual factors e.g. culture are lacking.Following from this, our paper addresses the results and implica-tions of CSR activities concerning these elements and creates a newframework through which consumer behavior can be analyzed.