ASSESSMENT OF CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY PRACTICES IN TANZANIA

The purpose of this study was to examine the contributions to communities’ development that are born by the CSR practices that are undertaken by the public cement manufacturing companies in Tanzania, taking the Tanzania Portland cement company, stakeholders and communities in Dar es salaam region as the areas of focus. The specific objectives that guided this study were, to determine the contributions of economic related CSR programs to community development, to determine he contributions of environmental related CSR programs to community development and to determine the contributions of social related CSR programs to community development. The study findings concluded that, on the aspects of economic CSR programs, contributions to creation of employment, volunteering programs to community members had the strongest impact on contributing to community’s development. The study findings also concluded that, on the aspect of environmental CSR programs, contributions to renovation of national parks in Tanzania had the strongest impact on contributing to community’s development. The study findings finally concluded that, on the aspects of social CSR programs, contributions to development of handicapped centers in Tanzania has the strongest impact on contributing to community’s development. Basing on the study findings, organizations should devote many resources on environmental CSR programs, followed by economic and social CSR programs. There is a strong need for policy makers in the country to design and strictly implement policies that will make CSR practices mandatory for many organizations so as to boost communities’ development. It will be beneficial to stakeholders if further researches on CSR could be done in the banking and finance industry as well as in the professional service industry to assess its impacts in Tanzania.