Role of Corporate Social Responsibility in alleviating poverty in Jordan: An Exploratory Study

Abstract

The study aims at exploring the role of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in alleviating poverty in Jordan by investigating types, beneficiaries, incentives, obstacles and promoting measures of CSR in Jordan. The research methodology is descriptive based on a purposive sample of major business enterprises in Jordan. The study concludes that CSR in Jordan is mostly voluntary; about 50% of the companies in the sample see that alleviating poverty is the dominant type of their CSR activities. This was clear in the case of industries to a large extent, followed by banks then universities; the extent of CSR of Jordanian enterprises is limited; CSR in Jordan faces impeding obstacles of lack of Government’s incentives, high cost, weak transparency and disclosure. to promote the role CSR in alleviating poverty in Jordan, the study recommends establishing CSR code of conduct, periodic publication of CSR activities, expanding the role of business unions and civil societies; increasing governmental incentives; initiating CSR national award, diversifying CSR activities and having annual CSR plans for companies .