The Role of Corporate Social Responsibility in Building an Organization’s Corporate Image: The Case of Kenya Commercial Bank

Abstract

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) arises from the need for organizations to meet their various stakeholders’ expectations, and organizations all over the world are increasingly becoming socially responsible. The aim of this study was to find out the role CSR plays in the building of an organization’s corporate image. The study focused on the Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB), not only because of its extensive coverage of Kenya but also because it covers the entire East Africa region. The research was anchored on the stakeholder and the attribution theories, both of which helped in understanding how the bank relates with its stakeholders and also the perceptions of the stakeholders towards the bank for practicing CSR. A descriptive study design was used in this study because the aim was to study the characteristics of the population without any manipulations. The population of the study was KCB’s 6,483 employees and its external stakeholders. The target population was KCB’s Nairobi 1742 employees and 1500 external stakeholders from which a 10% sample was drawn randomly. Data collection was done through triangulation, where questionnaire and interview guide were used. Quantitative data was analyzed through Microsoft Excel and the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22, while qualitative data was analyzed thematically. The findings were presented through tables and charts. The study revealed that an organization’s CSR activities contribute towards building its corporate image and that stakeholders are attracted to an organization that practices CSR. This because CSR makes stakeholders have a positive perception towards the organization. The researcher recommends a study of other banks, using both internal and external stakeholders.