Exploring Corporate Social Responsibility in South African Tertiary Institutions

This study explores the implementation of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) at five South African universities, with a particular emphasis on sustainability and societal impact. It aims to develop a CSR framework tailored for higher education institutions, offering guidance for policy and practice that enhances social, environmental, and economic outcomes. An exploratory, purposive stratified sampling strategy was employed to select five universities from different provinces: Sol Plaatje University, University of the Free State, University of the Western Cape, University of Johannesburg, and University of Zululand. The research adopts a qualitative methodology, relying on secondary data within an exploratory case study design. The study analyzes several documents and reports from the five universities. The analysis reveals significant challenges in integrating CSR into university sustainability programs that may impact social good. The findings indicate that current CSR initiatives often fail to support sustainability and deliver meaningful societal impact. This paper contributes to the understanding of CSR implementation within public universities, drawing on institutional and stakeholder theories to contextualize sustainability and social responsibility in higher education in the South African context. Despite growing interest, challenges remain in effectively measuring CSR outcomes and embedding them into institutional operations. The study proposes a university-specific CSR framework that addresses these gaps by emphasizing stakeholder engagement, sustainability reporting, and robust governance mechanisms. The framework and findings provide practical value for policymakers, public universities, government departments, and other stakeholders concerned with higher education and CSR. Moreover, they offer a foundation for future research and policy development to enhance the societal impact of tertiary institutions in South Africa.