Corporate social responsibility towards AIDS orphans in South Africa : trends in the motor manufacturing sector and guidelines for corporate action

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The HIV/AIDS pandemic is destroying young adults in the prime of their lives. Children notonly become orphans, but also gain instant 'adult status – becoming heads of households,breadwinners and customers. Children who fill such roles must be recognised as importantstakeholders with regard to business. As limited available estimations suggest that SouthAfrica is home to 800 000 orphans, corporations must realise that it will make good businesssense to invest in the country's AIDS orphans1 today, as these children will constitute boththeir future clients and employees.This study examines trends in the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives of fivemajor corporations in the South African motor manufacturing sector. AIDS orphans were alsoinvolved in the study through participation in three focus group discussions. The evidencereveals that corporations do not recognise AIDS orphans as important stakeholders tobusiness, nor do they see it as their responsibility to carry the burden of care for suchchildren. Orphans felt that corporations in this business sector do not care about their needsand well-being. They regarded companies who were involved in CSR projects in theircommunities as 'caring and this resulted in the children hosting positive feelings towardsinvolved companies. They even expressed the desire to purchase their brand of motorvehicle, as opposed to competitor's brands that were not involved (through CSR) in theircommunity, in future.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University