Corporate social responsibility practices in Kenya airways

Abstract

Corporate social responsibility practice is emerging as one of the most dynamic concepts not only in the world over today but also in Kenya. Studies carried out both locally and internationally have affirmed that those organisations involved in CSR end up benefitting in the long run from the customer and staff loyalty. Given the dynamic and complex nature of the airline industry, Kenya Airways recognises that there is great need to prioritise the needs of all the stakeholders in order to survive in the long run. The objective of the study was to establish the corporate social responsibility practices in the airline. The research was conducted through a case study which relied on both primary data and secondary data. The primary data was conducted by interviewing top level managers and middle level managers while the secondary data was collected through the company records, press releases, annual financial statements and investor briefings. The study revealed that the airline is indeed involved and committed to CSR. It has a CSR policy which is well articulated in the company strategy. It has also entrenched CSR in the mission statement to ensure alignment between the varying interests of the stakeholders and the goals of the organisation. The main areas of focus are health, education, water and environment. KQ‟s core purpose in CSR is contributing to sustainability development in Africa in order to transform lives. It has a sense of moral obligation to create a positive change in the society. By doing so, it is able to enhance its corporate image and visibility. The researcher recommended that future studies could be done to explore the CSR practices in the airline industry. Further, research could be done to evaluate whether the CSR practices that the airline undertakes have any impact on its financial performance or even the relationship between CSR and the company‟s competitive advantage in the airline industry. Finally, a survey could be done to evaluate the stakeholder‟s perception of the CSR practices in KQ.