Corporate Social Responsibility by Kagera Sugar Limited: Missenyi Sugarcane Growers Reflection
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Abstract
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has been touted as instrumental in addressing misunderstandings within organisations and as a key tool for building relationships. Various businesses invest more resources in CSR programmes for economic gain, including Kagera Sugar Limited (KSL). Precisely, this paper explored sugarcane growers’ perceptions of KSL's CSR activities, with a specific focus on Missenyi district. The study was grounded in Stakeholder and Social Capital Theories, and its findings aligned with the theories, especially in clarifying the company’s responsibility to return something to the community it serves. The study adopted a mixed-methods approach to data collection, using surveys, focus group discussions, and in-depth interviews. This resulted in a combination of qualitative and quantitative data from sugarcane growers across four Missenyi wards: Kassambya, Kyaka, Nsunga, and Mutukula. Also, the study used the same approach to collect data from 21 AMCOS members and 5 top management members. The findings revealed that although the company (KSL) has helped improve the economic and social lives of people in surrounding communities, it has failed to address environmental issues in the area fairly. Again, the other findings indicated that the inconsistency in ecological matters in Nsunga ward differed from what has been done in different places, where feedback was positive. This gap undermines the efforts CSR’s goodwill and trust are meant to foster in the community. However, many communities are pointing fingers at companies, urging them to rethink their business growth while truly addressing social, economic, and environmental sustainability strategies for the benefit of stakeholders. Therefore, the study concludes that the needs and interests of all stakeholders were not well considered. Thus, if KSL wants to gain stakeholders’ goodwill and trust, it needs to make its CSR activities clear.
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