Corporate Social Responsibility and Law in Africa
Theories, Issues and Practices
Nojeem A. Amodu
- 236 pages
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
Corporate Social Responsibility and Law in Africa
Theories, Issues and Practices
Nojeem A. Amodu
About This Book
This book examines the conception of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in Africa, expanding it's frontiers beyond corporate reporting, voluntary corporate charity and community development projects.
Taking a corporate law perspective on CSR, the author combines theory and practice to explain how CSR interacts with of sustainable development and sets an agenda for effective operationalization in Africa. The book not only devises an enforcement mechanism towards embedding effective CSR and sustainable development in Africa but also addresses CSR greenwash on the continent. The author critically examines CSR practices, legal and regulatory techniques in Nigeria and South Africa in the context of contexts of international regulatory dialogues and shows how corporate socially responsible behaviour can be effectively embedded within business communities in Africa.
Increasing our understanding of the theoretical, legal and regulatory frameworks supporting corporate responsibility, this book will be of interest to scholars, policy makers and practitioners in the fields of Africa law, corporate law, corporate social responsibility and African business.
Frequently asked questions
Information
Part I
Background, theories and global outlook
1
Introduction
1 Background
1.1 Emergence of CSR
1.1.1 Historical perspectives from the United States of America
- In ancient Mesopotamia around 1700 BC, King Hammurabi was reported to have introduced a code in which builders, inn keepers and farmers were put to death if their negligence caused the deaths of others or major inconvenience to citizens;
- In ancient Rome, senators reportedly grumbled about the failure of business to contribute sufficient taxes to fund their military campaigns;
- In 1622, disgruntled shareholders in the Dutch East India Company were said to have also issued pamphlets complaining about management secrecy and self-enrichment;3
- CSR history also finds a place in the philanthropic work of wealthy business owners such as John D. Rockefeller, Andrew Carnegie and Henry Ford who gave away millions of dollars for social uses and causes. Rockefeller and Carnegie believed that they were stewards of a social contract between business and society and as such were required by way of philanthropy and good management to hold societyâs resources in trust in order to increase total social welfare;4
- CSR origins also has a place in the United Statesâ 19th-century boycotts of foodstuff produced with slave labour.5