An exploration of corporate social responsibility (CSR): implementation in companies within the built environment in Polokwane.

Abstract

Companies have traditionally reported and focused on the profit as the bottom line of their existence. Consideration of matters relating to the interests of other stakeholders of the companies other than the shareholders or investors was not prioritised. However, Corporate Social Responsibility management has emerged with the expectations for triple bottom line reporting where over and above profit, the companies account for their corporate citizenship initiatives towards the planet and its people. The application of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Management is explored in Polokwane among professional companies that operate within the construction sector. The aim of the study was to understand the initiatives and activities undertaken by the companies causing them to be regarded as corporate responsible citizens in the construction sector. The study was conducted among twenty professional firms that are operating from Polokwane, which were selected by purposive sampling. The core areas that the study considered were the tools and activities that are regarded by the firms as their CSR management efforts; the rationale on the importance of the selected tools and activities and other initiatives that could be pursued, if resources permitted them; whether there are themes that can be derived from the CSR initiatives; and, what effects or outcomes are brought about by the CSR management. The study made use of qualitative exploratory research methodology and therefore data was collected through conducting interviews. Using a semi structured questionnaire as a basis for the interviews, the participants were able to give their account of experiences and views regarding CSR management. The data analysis was deductive and the discussion was a narrative thematic process drawn from the data presentation of the interviews. The results of the study showed that all the interviewed company representatives understood the importance of CSR and were engaged in various forms of CSR through activities and interventions in the communities. The firms all had a strong socio cultural intervention in their CSR approach followed by addressing planet and environmental issues. Philanthropic and legislative or ethical concerns were also found which were largely mandatory or coincidental. There seemed to be very little concern on the real value of CSR management from a global or international perspective and another study is recommended that would focus on the empirical and longitudinal studies comparing the built environment’s performance to other sectors of the economy.