Ethical Dilemmas of Green Leadership in Corporate Social Responsibility: Implications for Community Welfare in the Cirata Geulis Program

Abstract

This study examines how green leaders navigate ethical dilemmas during the implementation of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs in vulnerable communities and how these decisions influence community welfare. Challenging the prevailing assumption within Green Transformational Leadership (GTL) scholarship of a linear alignment between ecological and social objectives, the study explores right-versus-right moral tensions in community-based CSR practices. A qualitative single embedded case study was conducted on the Cirata Geulis Program of PT PLN Nusantara Power UP Cirata. Data were collected through interviews with six key informants, field observations, and analysis of program documents. The findings identify three major forms of ethical dilemmas: temporal conflicts between immediate livelihood needs and long-term ecological processes; tensions between governance accountability and community relations; and the representation of social conflict through monetized corporate metrics. Program actors responded through phased livelihood support, mediation and rule formalization, and the pragmatic use of Social Return on Investment indicators. These responses helped sustain participation and program continuity but did not fully resolve concerns related to livelihood security, procedural fairness, and community representation. The study extends GTL by positioning community welfare as a critical dimension for understanding green leadership in vulnerable settings, particularly concerning livelihood security, participation, and the fairness of program decisions.   Penelitian ini menganalisis bagaimana pemimpin berwawasan lingkungan menavigasi dilema etis dalam pelaksanaan program Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) pada komunitas rentan serta bagaimana keputusan tersebut berimplikasi terhadap kesejahteraan komunitas. Berangkat dari kritik terhadap asumsi Green Transformational Leadership (GTL) yang cenderung memandang tujuan ekologis dan sosial dapat diselaraskan secara linear, penelitian ini menelaah dilema moral right-versus-right yang muncul dalam praktik CSR berbasis komunitas. Penelitian menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif dengan desain studi kasus tunggal tertanam pada Program Cirata Geulis PT PLN Nusantara Power UP Cirata. Data diperoleh melalui wawancara terhadap enam informan kunci, observasi lapangan, dan analisis dokumen program. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan tiga bentuk dilema utama, yaitu konflik temporal antara kebutuhan penghidupan segera dan proses ekologis jangka panjang; ketegangan antara akuntabilitas tata kelola dan relasi komunitas; serta representasi konflik sosial melalui metrik korporasi yang dimonetisasi. Aktor program merespons melalui dukungan penghidupan secara bertahap, mediasi dan formalisasi aturan, serta penggunaan pragmatis indikator Social Return on Investment. Respons tersebut membantu mempertahankan partisipasi dan keberlanjutan program, tetapi belum sepenuhnya menyelesaikan persoalan keamanan penghidupan, keadilan prosedural, dan representasi komunitas. Penelitian ini memperluas pemahaman GTL dengan menempatkan kesejahteraan komunitas sebagai dimensi penting dalam menilai kepemimpinan hijau di komunitas rentan.