Carbon tax implications on corporate social investment in the South African motor vehicle manufacturing industry

Abstract

Carbon excise tax was implemented on all passenger motor vehicles in South Africa as of 1 September 2010. Since its implementation, the impact of carbon tax on the corporate social investment (CSI) initiatives and expenditure of South African motor vehicle manufacturers has not been assessed. Given that the carbon tax price should ideally compensate for the damage caused by carbon emissions on the environment and people, the key knowledge gap this article aims to consider is whether the implementation of such a carbon tax is likely to affect the CSI decision-making process in respect of motor vehicle manufacturers in South Africa. The research methodology applied in this study is in the form of both a literature review and empirical research. A literature review was performed on the history, emergence and significance of CSI expenditure within the South African context. The empirical research includes an exploratory case study into the impact of the tax in the decision-making processes with regard to CSI expenditure, as well as the impact of carbon tax on CSI spending by motor vehicle manufacturers in South Africa. It was found that although the advent of carbon tax in the industry would place added pressure on the financial performance of the companies, it is unlikely that it would adversely affect the industry’s commitment to the CSI initiatives.