Corporate social responsibility, reputation and performance in the Zimbabwe’s mining sector

Abstract

Orientation: The Zimbabwe’s mining sector regrettably has a poor corporate social responsibility (CSR) record, which has earned the mining corporations a bad reputation and poor business performance.

Research purpose: The study investigated the relationship between CSR, corporate reputation (CR), and performance in Zimbabwe’s mining sector.

Motivation for the study: The implementation of CSR programmes in the Zimbabwean mining sector has been inconsistent over the years, with some firms virtually uninvolved in such activities. The impact of CSR in that sector remains largely unexplored.

Research approach/design and method: The study was quantitative, involving a survey of 330 managers and other professionals working in Zimbabwean mining sector firms. The collected data were analysed using correlation and regression analyses.

Main findings: Two CSR dimensions, namely, stakeholder CSR and ethical CSR, contributed to CR. Corporate reputation exerted a positive impact on social performance and negatively towards operational performance.

Practical/managerial implications: The study provides practical solutions to mining firms on which CSR practices are essential for strengthening both CR and performance.

Contribution/value-add: The study represents a novel effort to model the relationship between CSR, CR and the performance of Zimbabwe’s mining sector. It offers the basis for future research studies on CSR practices and CR in several sectors of the Zimbabwean economy.