Can a university act as a corporate social responsibility (CSR) driver? An analysis

Purpose This paper aims to clarify the relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and capacity building for sustainable livelihoods. It respects cultural differences and aims to identify the business opportunities in building the skills of employees, the community and the government. In talking about social responsibility, major attention has been drawn to CSR, yet little has been mentioned on how university stakeholders such as students can contribute to developing social responsibility. It can be said that the society of tomorrow begins today, and to make up this society, universities need to have drive, patience, and persistence to help them achieve the related goals. It is crucial for learning institutions to develop ways in which to cope with the present context demands, not only in terms of returns to the community in the form of community engagement involvement through student projects, but also in the sense of replenishing their own actions and enlarging their sources or references, so as to become institutions that help with and are partially involved in shaping a new society that is more ethical and is engaged with its community and surroundings. Design/methodology/approach This paper examines the university social responsibility (USR) initiative of 14 public and private higher learning institutions in Malaysia. Data were collected from 150 respondents using the quantitative method through survey questionnaires. Samples were selected based on the purposive sampling method, where the respondents were majoring in communication or had taken media studies. Questions took the form of open and closed‐ended questions. The data gathered were then analyzed quantitatively by using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS Version 15). Findings The results show that, overall, respondents are aware of the need to preserve the environment and the function and role that CSR plays in developing a more responsive public. However, the discovered lack of exposure to activities that the respondents can participate in on their own needs to be addressed. Knowledge on environmental conservation or CSR contribution may not be indicative of high levels of practice. There are many other factors that can contribute to better practices or to a lifestyle that better favors environmental conservation. Research limitations/implications Because of the chosen research approach and limitations in terms of time, this study does not analyze and verify the links that exist between CSR and the environment with relation to government policy. Practical implications Most existing research in CSR fails to take into account how universities cope with the development of CSR. Therefore, efforts to understand CSR within the university setting are significant for the development of CSR practices and conduct. Originality/value Value from this paper is derived in three ways: first, it outlines why universities in Malaysia should move forward in determining the most relevant paths for social responsibility engagement and initiatives; second, it provides an understanding of the setting of CSR, making it easier for graduates to implement CSR at the organization they work for in the future; and finally, the data and implications drawn from Malaysia add a necessary international insight into the benefits of CSR at university level.