Impact of Corporate Social Responsibility Programmes on Customer Perceptions Towards Equity Bank: a Case Study of Wings to Fly Programme

Abstract

This study sought to investigate the role of corporate social responsibility, a case study of the Wings to Fly Programme in shaping customer perceptions in Equity Bank Kenya. Specifically, the study aimed to achieve the following specific objectives: to explore the role played by Wings to Fly as corporate social responsibility program; to examine the benefits of Wings to Fly in shaping customer perceptions; to investigate the awareness of Equity Bank brands due to the Wings to Fly Programme; and to examine the perception of customers of the Equity Bank brand after the Wings to Fly Programme was rolled out. The study was conducted based on a theoretical construction made up of the stakeholders, corporate citizenship and integrative social contract theories. Descriptive cross-sectional research design was applied for the study. The study relied on a mixed method with both qualitative and quantitative approaches being used collect data from a sample of 100 respondents drawn by cluster random method from four Equity Bank Branches in Embakasi, Kasarani, Westlands and Nairobi central business district (CBD). Results indicate that Equity Bank’s Wings to Fly has created a sense of purpose for beneficiaries and a reason for customer loyalty among those directly affected by the programme. The results also indicate that the programme has a potential to recruit and retain many customers in the bank. Apart from creating high level of awareness of the bank products and services, results also show that the bank through Wings to Fly Programme has had positive image and perception among most stakeholders. In conclusion, results agree with literature that a corporate social responsibility programme by a banking institution increase the company profile often evident by high number of customers. The study recommends that companies employing corporate social responsibility are supposed to set up policy guidelines to ensure continuity and proactivity.