The role of corporate social responsibility in enhancing social services amongst the host communities: The case of Kenya Electricity Generation Company (KENGEN)
Abstract
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) refers to how corporations or firms conduct their business in a way that is ethical, socially friendly and beneficial to community in terms of development. CSR implies that the company conducts its business in a way that is,mutually beneficial to its objectives as well as to society. This paper looks at the role of CSR interventions or initiatives of KenGen (Kenya Electricity Generating Company Limited) in enhancing social services amongst its host communities. Kenya Electricity Generating Company Limited (KenGen) is the leading electricity power generation company in Kenya, producing about 80 percent of electricity consumed in the country.
This paper approached the concept of CSR based on theory to form a basis of understanding the study. The theories included; Excellence Theory, Social Responsibility Theory, Stakeholder Theory and Decision Making Theory and their prepositions and application in CSR programs in an organization. The paper also explored literature on the role of CSR in community development because the very logic of CSR is towards seeing its impact in community socially,
environmentally and economically.
The study adopted a descriptive research design with 120 host beneficiaries of KenGen' s CSR initiatives in Olkaria, Sondu and Seven forks. The study indeed established that KenGen's had played a significant role in enhancing the social services amongst the host communities' where it operates.
Publisher
University of Nairobi, Kenya