The South African retail sector: towards a management model for transformative corporate social responsibility practices

Abstract

Years before and after a narrowed articulation of businesses’ social responsibility in 1953 by Bowen, the business realm worldwide has been regarded to some degree as a valuable sector for its general involvement in the achievement of material and social welfare. However, the transformation voices, driven by a sluggish social transformation in South Africa, argue for a renewed trajectory in the conventional corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices to accelerate change and transform the lives and well-being of the previously disadvantaged tangibly and sustainably. The advocates for transformative CSR practices believe that greater regard should be given to the country’s statutory, regulatory and policy agenda and international standards and best practice in CSR interventions to drive socio-economic transformation in South Africa. Consequently, the study proposed a management model informing the South African retail sector to transition and realise transformative CSR practices. To realise the objectives, the researcher conducted a literature review as well as an empirical study. From the literature review, it became evident that various challenges still accompany the application of conventional CSR practices in South Africa. Advocates for transformative CSR practices promote CSR practice as a driver of the previously disadvantaged socio-economic transformation in South Africa. The empirical study was conducted to elicit input and comments from retail sector experts regarding the implementability and shortcomings of the draft management model for transformative CSR practice. A qualitative research approach was followed; case studies were conducted among three retail sector segments within South Africa. The study was conducted in two phases. In the first phase, open-source organisational sustainability reports were methodologically collected and analysed employing qualitative document analysis to propose the draft management model. In the second phase, qualitative data analysis was applied to the questionnaire circulated to retail sector experts for inputs and comments to refine the draft model further and produce the final model. The study concludes by presenting the final transformative CSR practice management model and recommendations. The main elements of the final model are the oversight and management of CSR and CSR activities, stakeholder management, intervention impact planning, stakeholder engagement, implementation and sustainable impact reporting. This model can be implemented and used by various stakeholders in the retail sector to accelerate tangible and sustainable socio-economic transformation in South Africa.