Executive and Management Attitudes on Social Responsibility and Ethics in Ghana: Some Initial Exploratory Insights

Abstract

This article reports the findings of an empirical study as the vies of top executive and management on corporate social responsibility (CSR) and ethnics in Ghana. The study adopted an in-depth, exploratory, and comparative approach to sample seven key companies listed in the major business sectors of the Ghana Club 100 database, an annual ranking of the most prestigious firms in Ghana. The initial findings of the study were that, although there is no legal framework for CSR in Ghana, companies are involved in various CSR activities like support for education, sponsorship of events and cash donations. Managers and executives believe that it is important for their firms to be socially responsible and to be seen to be behaving ethnically. The study also revealed ethnical values of both individual mangers and their firms are the major factors determining mangers’ attitudes toward CSR, whilst a majority of respondents assert that CSR and ethnical behaviour is good for corporate reputation. One of the key recommendations is the institutions of a national policy framework for CSR to help ensure proper accountability of CSR activities by companies.