Purpose – This study aims to present a corporate social responsibility (CSR) model that would apply to
Islamic banks, considering the international aspect of social responsibility because CSR is not applicable in
the same way in all types of societies.
Design/methodology/approach – Based on the extensive review of the existing literature, the authors
aim to present an Islamic CSR model applicable to Islamic banks. This study is based on the international
approach to CSR developed by Masoud (2017). Each responsibility has an equal share but with specific
changes regarding the order of priorities between them and the type of responsibility.
Findings – The findings show that the existing literature provides several Islamic CSR models. Most of these
models are general and offer guidelines to Islamic financial institutions, but no model applies exclusively to
Islamic banks. Using these models for Islamic banks is challenging because of their specific business activities,
especially in non-Muslim countries. This study proposes a model that could act as the main guideline for Islamic
banks with enough flexibility to meet different market and stakeholders’requirements.
Practical implications – The model was not tested on a sample, and not all Islamic principles were
considered. However, it is applicable for Islamic banks, especially considering internationalization in their
businesses and the further development of Islamic banking. At the same time, this model puts ethical norms
in the spotlight. This is particularly emphasized in the case of non-Muslim countries or in societies where a
particular law does not regulate Islamic bank activities.
Originality/value – Although there is a growing literature on this topic, existing studies primarily discuss the
Islamic approach to CSR from the overall perspective, not in a specific industry. While some authors developed their
own Islamic CSR models relying on the primary Shariah sources, others base their proposals on other classical CSR
ideas. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study based on the CSR model developed by Masoud
(2017), considering the relationship between economics and religion and the implications of the Islamic moral economy
