CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY: ITS ROLES IN THE SUSTAINABLE ENGAGEMENT INITIATIVES OF PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS IN REGION II

Abstract

Corporate Social Responsibility of private universities is a commitment to ethical conduct for economic development contribution as well as improving the quality of academic, spiritual, and material life for related members. Through implementing CSR strategies, higher education institutions are now using this approach as a part of their competitive strategy. However, systematic evidence on best practices and priorities to articulate CSR within formal private academic institutions in the country is still scarce which prompted the researcher is motivated to undertake this study. Thus, there is a need to investigate the CSR initiatives being implemented by the Private Higher Education Institutions and its impact on the institutions’ sustainability to be able to develop interventions to address the scarce corporate social responsibility performance of Private Higher Education Institutions. This study employed Descriptive-survey design since the purpose of this study is to determine the Corporate Social Responsibility programs being implemented by the Private Higher Education Institutions and its role on sustainability. This study made use of a validated survey-questionnaire on the corporate social responsibility implemented by private higher education institutions. This research was carried out in Region 02, which is mainly composed of forty-seven (47) Private Higher Education Institutions. The CSR Focal Persons were purposefully chosen as study respondents because they are the ones who plan, integrate, and implement their respective institutions' corporate social responsibility. As a result, 47 CSR focal persons were asked to participate as research participants in the conduct of this study. Only 42 focal persons, however, responded and returned the questionnaire. Results revealed that the Private Higher Education Institutions in Region II are quite established and have been educating students for a significant period offering varied programs, but are not too keen in accrediting the institution which might be because it is not a mandatory requirement for colleges/universities. They are mostly practicing CSR initiatives through donations and charitable deeds, grounded with moral principles and extends it with the community, exhibits commitment in abiding regulations and standards of the government and responsible in sharing its resources in order to uplift the economic wellbeing of the society through corporate social responsibility. The corporate social responsibility practices of the private higher education institutions in region 2 has roles on the culture of the college/university, when it comes to financial aspect, there has been observed to be Moderately Important of the corporate social responsibility, also it has Greatly Important on social aspect and Corporate Social Responsibility of the private higher education institutions notably contributes in the ability of the PHEIs to be at par with international educational standards. The Private higher educations in region 2 finds that there is a pressing problem encountered in the execution of their institutional corporate social responsibility initiatives, especially in terms of evaluating how the initiatives are yielding outcome on the institution.