Exploring corporate social responsibility initiatives in South Africa : the case of the TISO Foundation in Johannesburg.
Date
2012-08-27
Authors
Malm, Angela Eugenia
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Abstract
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) continues to gain attention amongst corporate bodies
and is the medium through which the private sector contributes to development. The last
decade has seen a significant growth in CSR initiative in South Africa, partly due to the
implementation of public polices such as the Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) Code of
Good Practice and the various industry charters that obligate corporate institutions to
contribute towards the reconstruction efforts of the nation. As a result many organizations
have adopted strategies that include social development projects as part of their core business
objectives, thus the initiation of certain projects and programmes as part of their CSR
contributions to the reconstruction efforts. Although CSR has roots in philanthropic activities,
it has become evident that when CSR initiatives are designed strategically to embody the
holistic views of business goals towards profit making as well as community goals that
promote positive development. Anecdotal evidence suggests that projects collapse after
corporations discontinue funding due to lack of community involvement which renders CSR
initiatives unresponsive to the developmental needs of communities. The study sought to
explore the extent to which corporate social responsibility initiatives were responsive to the
educational needs of beneficiaries in Johannesburg. It also explored beneficiary perceptions
on how CSR initiatives can be sustained. The study population was drawn from Tiso
Foundation and three partnering organisations. A qualitative case study design was utilised in
the study to obtain in depth information from the research participants concerning the CSR
initiatives of Tiso Foundation. Semi-structured interview schedules were used to conduct
interviews with both beneficiaries of the CSR initiatives and key informants. The research
sample consisted of 16 beneficiaries of Tiso Foundation’s CSR initiatives and 6 key
informants that were drawn from Tiso Foundation and partnering organizations.
The findings revealed that the CSR initiatives were responsive to the needs of the
beneficiaries by providing them access to education and skills development. The findings
also established the nature of beneficiary participation in CSR initiatives as partially
participatory. The study recommended that CSR initiatives should take a developmental
approach towards programme executions to ensure full participation of beneficiaries in order
to ensure sustainability of the programmes even after funding is discontinued. The study also
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suggests the collaborative partnership of government and the private sector towards
sustainable development by enhancing and complimenting each other’s efforts.
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Keywords
Corporate social responsibility, Sustainability, Corporate responsiveness, Community development, Initiative