Community involvement and development: An inter-marriage of ISO 26000 and millennium development goals
International Journal of Social Economics
ISSN: 0306-8293
Article publication date: 2 September 2014
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore how ISO 26000 inter-marries with millennium development goals (MDGs) with a view to demonstrate and recommend how businesses can successfully use this intermarriage to solve society problems.
Design/methodology/approach
Case methodology was used to investigate how a company can use the social responsibility standard, ISO 26000, to guide its corporate social responsibility (CSR) aimed at contributing to MDGs. The paper focussed on the CSR dimension of community involvement and development (CI&D) interventions in health-related MDGs (4, 5 and 6). Data collection was by semi-structured interviews with CSR managers of the studied company, plus non-participant observation of CSR activities and projects. In order to develop a framework within which the collected data could be analyzed, the authors employed pattern-matching, explanation building and time series analysis. For generalization purposes of findings, the authors were guided by the “adaptive theory approach.”
Findings
The intermarriage is much revealed in health and wellness. This intermarriage also reveals cross-cutting issues which support universal access to health care and prevent illnesses. Lastly, the intermarriage is symbiotic in nature, that is, MDGs contribute what to achieve while ISO 26000 contributes how to achieve.
Research limitations/implications
The case study (Uganda Baati Ltd, - UBL) that informed this research is a subsidiary company of a multinational, SAFAL Group. This provided an indication that global or trans-national forces drive CSR/CI&D at UBL. Thus, the findings may not fit directly with a company that has a local/national focus of its CSR/CI&D.
Practical implications
The paper presents guidelines to use and localize this intermarriage so as to focus CSR on global socio-economic development priorities, identify strategic stakeholders, and pathways to solutions for complex CI&D issues.
Originality/value
This research advances the Post-2015 MDG Development Agenda suggested during the United Nations MDG Summit in 2010 which called for academic contributions on how MDGs can be realized even after 2015.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This publication is an output of the research funding from National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) – Uganda, for the research project: “Profiling CSR for profit oriented companies to liaise with government in the realization of MDGs.” We also thank Makerere University Business School (MUBS) – “Faculty of Marketing and Hospitality Management,” Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST), Gulu University and Uganda Chapter for Corporate Social Responsibility Initiatives Ltd (UCCSRI) for their additional support both financial and technical. Lastly, the authors thank Dr Joseph M. Ntayi, Dr Muhammed Ngoma, Dr Stephen K. Nkundabanyanga (for his comments), Professor Abdul. B. K. Kasozi, Professor Waswa J. Balunywa, and Professor Samuel K. Sejjaaka for their exceptional insights which have streamlined this publication and scholarship in CSR.
Citation
Katamba, D., Marvin Nkiko, C., Tushabomwe Kazooba, C., Kemeza, I. and Babiiha Mpisi, S. (2014), "Community involvement and development: An inter-marriage of ISO 26000 and millennium development goals", International Journal of Social Economics, Vol. 41 No. 9, pp. 837-861. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSE-05-2013-0110
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2014, Emerald Group Publishing Limited