Corporate Social Responsibility In Cameroon: The Case Of Mobile Telephone Network (MTN)

As a self-regulating business model, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) also known as corporate citizenship is concerned about growing a business and giving back to the society. As important as CSR is for the society, that is, consumers and the local community, so it is for a company as it helps it to be socially accountable to itself, its stakeholders, and the public. It can equally help to forge a stronger bond between employees and corporations. In spite of the importance of this concept, little is known about it in Cameroon and the Mobile Telephone Network (MTN)-Cameroon in particular. Having said this, the paper seeks to explore the extent to which MTN Cameroon has embraced and implemented the concept of CSR. In so doing, the paper will provide an understanding of the concept of CSR and its implementation by MTN Cameroon. This is followed by an examination of the challenges faced by MTN in implementing the concept and ends with proposals for reform. To attain these, the paper uses the exploratory research method to gain understanding of the concept of CSR; to investigate the extent and the challenges faced by MTN Cameroon in implementing the concept. Considering that the concept of CSR is obscure to many in the country, this contribution will go a long way to provide the needed academic input for understanding the concept of CSR and its implementation by MTN in Cameroon. Again, it would contribute to the growing academic literature on CSR and its findings and recommendations will be useful to MTN and other mobile network companies to have a rethink of their CSR policies.