From Welfare Beneficiaries to Agents of Change: Explaining Transformative Social Value through Theory of Change and Social Return on Investment in Disability-Inclusive CSR

Abstract

The evolution of the inclusive development paradigm underscores the urgency of engaging vulnerable groups, particularly persons with disabilities (PwDs) to create equitable socio-economic systems. Employing a value-benefit transfer approach and structural shift analysis through a Theory of Change (ToC) lens, this study evaluates how the social return on investment (SROI) and ecological circular economy integration of a disability-inclusive CSR initiative, the "Berbisik" program by PT Patra Niagar Refinery Unit VI Balongan, can be rigorously assessed. The findings demonstrate that the program generated a robust SROI ratio of 1.87, meaning that every Rp 1 invested yielded Rp 1.87 in combined social and economic value. Furthermore, this initiative triggered a profound social transformation that extended far beyond individual skill enhancement, driving changes across the seven-capital framework, specifically strengthening human, social, institutional, economic, and environmental capitals that collectively reflect a comprehensive, multidimensional impact. This study offers a vital theoretical contribution by redefining marginalized disabled communities as active agents of social change rather than passive welfare beneficiaries. Operationally, it establishes a highly replicable corporate sustainability framework, demonstrating that integrating disability inclusion with circular economy practices yields quantifiable, high-value social returns, thereby offering a strategic roadmap for policymakers and global enterprises aiming to achieve genuine, long-term sustainable development goals (SDGs).