Corporate social responsibility in Mauritius: an analysis of annual reports of multinational hotel groups

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to ascertain the level of CSR reporting of the top multinational hotel groups in Mauritius. Content analysis method is used to identify the social responsibility patterns found in their annual reports. This study thus investigates the level and the reasons for CSR disclosure of multinational groups in the hospitality sector in Mauritius through a review of their annual reports. The aim is to explore the possibility of using the legitimacy theory as a plausible explanation for CSR reporting practices by multinational hotel groups in the context of a developing country. Mauritius proves to be an interesting case study as the hotel industry is one of the main engines of growth and the country is also actively trying to attract foreign investors in terms of FDI and multinational enterprises (MNEs). Furthermore, the country has also made it mandatory for profit making entities to devote 2% of their book profits to CSR activities since 2009. The annual reports of 6 hotel groups have been analysed using the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) indicators. The study shows that CSR reporting is prevalent among all the hotel groups in the sample but there is no primary area of CSR focus in the sector. The emphasis placed on CSR also varies significantly. Furthermore, the majority of the CSR information tend to relate to particular categories showing that the hotel groups take a narrow view of CSR and tend to prioritise particular areas at the expense of others. The findings also suggest that the disclosures tend to have a public-relations bias, with 'good news' type of disclosures being mostly dominant while 'bad news' disclosures tend to be minimal. The findings thus provide some support for legitimacy theory in explaining CSR disclosures.

Corporate Responsibility in India: Academic Perspectives on the Companies Act 2013

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An emerging economy perspective on corporate sustainability reporting – main actors’ views on the current state of affairs in Pakistan

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Conceptual mapping of shared value creation by the private commercial banks in Bangladesh

“…The sample was selected purposively considering (Ahmad et al, 2003) the number of shared value product offerings and the volume of transactions in those products; (Bendell, 2004) the extent of social orientations; (Bissoon, 2018) the integration of social activism in their mission, vision and core objectives; and (Bowen, 1953) the disclosures of information in their annual reports. The study did not consider other banks, non-bank financial institutions and manufacturing companies because their nature of business varies significantly and as such it is not possible to analyze their shared value creation in a single framework.…”

“…The study has used content analysis as a technique for evaluating innovative banking products that are creating shared value and to recognize the challenges for creating shared value. The content analysis, a technique for gathering and analyzing the meaning, ideas, themes, or message of text (Neuman and Kreuger, 2003), has been made on the basis of corporate annual reports (Bissoon, 2018;Rizk et al, 2008;De Villiers and Van Staden, 2006;Ahmad et al, 2003;Deegan and Gordon, 1996). Although corporate information can be disseminated in a number of ways such as corporate newsletters, research reports, websites and media, the researchers were motivated by the fact that the annual report is a statutory document and can be considered more reliable than other means of disclosure (Neu et al 1998;Gray et al, 1995).…”

“…Simultaneously, the core banking operations are also creating social value in terms of (i) enhanced job creation in the banks and self employment opportunities in rural areas, (Bendell, 2004) access to banking for the unbanked, (Bissoon, 2018) service and comfort for customers, (Bowen, 1953) regional development, (Broomhill, 2007) regulatory compliance, (Burke & Logsdon, 1996) government income, (Campbell, 2007) employee and customer learning, and (Carroll, 1979) reduced environment footprint among other.…”