Exploring multi-party collaboration towards shared value across a platinum mine

The mining industry and its related activities presents a major source of income for many developed and developing countries. Despite this, the negative sentiment of the impacts of mining on the environment and communities that surround it are rising. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs largely legislated, are meant to address these impacts, yet to date, the ability for CSR to sustainably impact communities is a positive way is limited. CSR is considered an expense to companies and therefore regarded as unsustainable. An alternative to CSR is the concept of Shared Value, which speaks to a mutually beneficial relationship between a company and its stakeholders. The purpose of this research was to explore how multi parties, namely company, community and government, could, via collaboration, work together to achieve shared value across the context of a Platinum Mine in Limpopo, South Africa. It was found through this research that significant barriers exist to the concept of shared value. Some of the barriers are physical in nature (basic service and infrastructure for communities lacking) and other barriers relate to the condition of the relationship between the parties and impact of there-of. It was found that multi-party collaboration is not present. The study has found that if the concept of shared value is explored in the chosen context, it is vital that the relational aspects of trust, engagement, transparency and mutual respect are addressed and achieved. It has also been found that the concept of shared value in the theoretical context of present literature might not be attainable in this context due to the institutionalization and legislated nature of CSR in South Africa, therefore any implementation in this context will be in the form of a hybrid between the 2 concepts (Shared value and CSR).Mini Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2018.zk2019Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS)MB

CSR and shared value in multi-stakeholder relationships in South African mining context

PURPOSE : Mining is surrounded by controversy, in spite of corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects. This study aims to explore the theory on CSR and shared value (SV) and identified a gap in an approach to implementing CSR and SV. Perceptions of multi-stakeholder relationships in the South African mining context were elicited. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH : A qualitative research design included 17 semi-structured interviews with 3 stakeholder groups, including members of the community, government representatives and mining management and secondary data of company documents on CSR. FINDINGS : The qualitative research revealed important gaps between CSR and SV theoretical frameworks, normative ethical approaches and operationalizing of these at the mine to the detriment of effective multi-stakeholder relationships. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS : Mines have to engage with the community and government stakeholders proactively and build relationships. SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS : Ethical normative approaches have to be considered. Government has to take note of this study’s findings with regards to negative consequences of institutionalized CSR for trust between mines and communities. ORIGINALITY/VALUE : The literature review differentiates theoretically between normative and instrumental stakeholder theory, philanthropic and business case CSR, SV and their implicit normative ethical approaches. The semi-structured interviews revealed legacy issues and lack of engagement between mine and community as main barriers to multi-stakeholder relationships and raised important questions on normative ethical approaches to CSR and SV. The direct and indirect barriers by government, community and mine management are identified and differentiated.http://www.emeraldinsight.com/loi/srjhj2022Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS