Corporate social responsibility (CSR) and the development of scarce skills in South Africa : proposed model for government

Abstract

Within the business-society relationship, the concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) is an approach that is initiated by companies to enable participation in environmental, social, and economic matters where they operate, and to build awareness in the community about the role the company plays in ensuring sustainability of the community and the company. In developing countries including South Africa, CSR is under-researched even though some countries have started to focus on the development of the CSR concept in areas of business ethics and development within the continent. In line with this trend, the main purpose of the study therefore was to explore the relationship between CSR and skills development in South Africa. An exploratory design was used, which included quantitative and qualitative data collection methods. The corporate social responsibility activities of a selected number of private companies were explored to determine how CSR could be used to alleviate the scarcity of skills in South Africa within fields such as Engineering, Medicine, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), and Infrastructure Development. The analysis of the empirical data that were collected showed that CSR practices within the sample of South African companies give rise to skills development in that 25% to 38% of skills development indicators could be accounted for by CSR. The study contributes to management practice by providing guidance to companies on how to develop and implement CSR strategy towards their employees. The study also empowers government officials and development institutions to respond strategically to opportunities presented by CSR in promoting skills development. Among the policy proposals suggested for the South African government is the creation of a national council that can oversee the implementation of CSR to accommodate mandatory and voluntary approaches to CSR in the country