Corporate Social Responsibility: Future Prospects in the Turkish Context

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to determine the most successful companies on social responsibility issues based on the data collected through a field survey and to see the corporate social responsibility (CSR) approach of the five most mentioned companies, their future projects, and their main social investment drivers in order to clarify the future prospects of CSR in the Turkish context. Design/methodology/approach - In this study, data was collected from two sources, at first; a survey is conducted on consumers. Second, face‐to‐face interviews are realized to illuminate the future prospects on CSR issues of these firms and to elucidate their vision. Findings - Not surprisingly, the most appreciated companies on CSR have a pro‐active approach. However, this should not be taken as a reality of Turkey since these companies are leaders in the field. The most important issues according to consumers and these managers, and the main basic principles of the companies making a CSR investment, are determined. Research limitations/implications - Though the aim of this study had been to examine the future prospects of CSR projects in Turkey, the interviewees didn't give details about their future projects. It is also impossible to make generalizations for Turkey with the data collected from consumers as it was collected only in the Istanbul urban area. Concerning the interviews, only five firms are included in the second part of the study. Practical implications - The study enriches the extant literature and provides future research areas as well as insights and basic principles for managerial use in determining the most suitable CSR strategies and investing for CSR projects. Originality/value - As the subject of the study is open to continuous development, this study shows the current situation on CSR issues via the leader companies in Turkey according to consumers.