Community resilience, Corporate Social Responsibility and local economic development: The case of coal mining in India

Abstract

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the mining sector is believed by its proponents to be a critical element of responsible business practice, providing strategic economic advantages while helping to minimize environmental damage. In the midst of the current COVID-19 crisis, this study presents a paradigm for assessing the development of local communities through CSR initiatives by the mining sector. For the purpose of the study, data were gathered from 1209 beneficiaries living in the vicinity of Eastern Coalfield Limited (ECL). According to the findings of the study, CSR initiatives result in enhanced livelihood activities, skills, knowledge, empowerment, and community participation for the community affected by COVID-19. This study has significant implications for academics and corporate executives in the context of India's mandatory CSR laws, as it uses structural equation modelling (SEM) to evaluate the efficacy of CSR initiatives in terms of local community development and to unravel the complexity of the relationship between corporations and society. In addition, community resilience is employed to mediate various CSR initiatives and local community development as an innovative approach to managing the COVID-19 pandemic.