Drivers of Corporate Social Responsibility within Construction Organization in Nigeria

Abstract

This paper examined the drivers of corporate social responsibility within construction organisations in Nigeria. The objectives were to determine the critical factors driving corporate social responsibility implementation in Nigeria and to examine the level of its uptake. It involved a semi-structured interview conducted on 36 respondents. The sample include 4 key accountable persons in four constructions firms in Akwa Ibom State Nigeria; 16 employees comprising four from each firm and 16 community stakeholders in which these firms had executed projects in the past six years. Qualitative data collected were sorted and interpreted. The need to mitigate community stakeholder‟s risk; government push, competitive advantage and diverting attention of key stakeholders are the key drivers of corporate social responsibility among construction organisations in Nigeria. There is also a wide uptake of corporate social responsibility although with limited implementation in key areas in the social and environmental agendas. Constructions organisations need be innovative in their implementation policy while exploring ways to improve on the agendas where there are lapses in order to be social responsible organisations. The study provides an understanding of the most critical barrier to creating a safe commercial environment devoid of stakeholders‟ opposition.