From principles to practice: exploring corporate social responsibility in Pakistan

The importance of corporate social responsibility (CSR) issues both in terms of corporate reputation and their impact on a firm's ability to engage its stakeholders constructively is relatively well established. CSR is routinely addressed as a matter of strategic importance in developed-economy firms. There is, however, little known about the perceptions of CSR and CSR practices in eveloping economies. This paper reports on a study of CSR perceptions and practices in Pakistan. The study uses semistructured, questionnaire-based interviews ofCEOs/directors of Pakistani companies to explore issues related to social responsibility, the importance of different stakeholder
groups and the varieties and types of CSR activity prevailing in the country. The study concludes that there is considerable divergence in CSR practice in the country
but that most activities focus on employee welfare and corporate philanthropy. Western-style CSR is in a nascent but developing stage in Pakistan.