Corporate Social Responsibility at Safaricom Limited

Abstract

Corporate social responsibility is a concept that is receiving a lot of attention the world over today. Business leaders are aware of the publicity surrounding this issue that non of them can ignore it. Safaricom Limited is one of the fastest growing companies in the region and with its clientele base close to 20% of the Kenya population, it is truly impacting on the lives of Kenyans in one way or another. It is no wonder the researcher established that the company is very much aware of this fact and it is committed to impacting on the lives of Kenyans positively beyond its business mandate. This study had two objectives, to establish the CSR practices at Safaricom limited and the management rationale for the choices made. To achieve this, personal interviews with senior management were carried out with the help of an interview guide., where the position holders were not present, help •w. as sought from immediate assistants . It was established that Safaricom Limited is involved in CSR. The main areas of focus were in staff welfare, education, community development , the environment, Health, disaster funding and arts, culture and sports. It was also established that the company is committed to CSR from top to bottom, to demonstrate this commitment; the company has established a foundation through which all CSR activities are carried out and any efforts

by staff are matched by the company. The researcher found out that CSR is a key component of both the corporate- and business strategies of the company. The CSR

activities are guided by the needs of the society in which it operates and the wider national objectives of the hosting country. The management of Safaricom Limited view CSR as a key component of their business success. Safaricom is involved in CSR as they view issues affecting the society as part of the issues affecting them as a business, they believe an empowered society is good for business. One of the key hallmarks of Safaricom's CSR, the study established, is the appreciation by the company for success, and in this regard, the company seeks to establish partnerships with like minded organizations, private, public and non governmental who have competencies in the various sectors in the implementation of CSR activities. The study concluded that, the company is involved in CSR activities that are aimed at empowering society with the hope of a better society for tomorrow, this essentially having a generic social impact, and through this, the company may grow to truly have a CSR program that can create competitive advantage for the firm as it benefits society.