Factors Influencing The Sustainability Of Corporate Social Responsibility Projects: A Case Of Safaricom Foundation’s Economic Empowerment Projects, Nairobi, Kenya

Abstract

Sustainability of development projects is not satisfactory with literature showing that 33% of development projects are not sustainable. As such this study sought to find out the factors that influence the sustainability of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) projects with four objectives; the influence of group composition on CSR projects, the effect of group members’ level of involvement on project sustainability, the influence of target groups’ attitude on sustainability and the influence of level of external support on project sustainability. Having sponsored a significant number of projects ranging from groups to its own driven projects, Safaricom Foundation offered a good study base. With approximately 20 members in the 10 groups that offered the target population, 200 members were available for study in Nairobi area. A sample of 66 was drawn with purposive and snow balling techniques employed to select the respondents. The study took a descriptive survey design and the data generated by use of questionnaires and record analysis was analyzed through descriptive statistics, factor analysis and regression analysis via use of SPSS application. The study revealed that group members’ level of involvement, group composition, group members’ attitudes and level of external support are all important in determining the sustainability of corporate social responsibility projects. Factors including attendance to meetings, official’s educational level, support by sponsor during and after funding and members contribution are significant influencers of sustainability. To this end, the study brings to fore the importance of group members involvement, the influence of members attitudes and group composition and the role of the sponsor in sustainability of CSR projects. Therefore as a step towards ensuring sustainability of corporate social responsibility projects the four factors should be of close concern to all parties involved in the projects; sponsors should ensure continued support from conception of the project to post funding while the constituents of the projects need to be involved at all levels of project development and greatly own the project on an individual basis.