In the Club but out of the Game. Evaluation of Ghana Club 100 CSR Communication

This exploratory study aims to provide an understanding of the CSR communica­tion landscape in the Ghanaian context. Particularly, the paper examines the ex­tent and type of CSR activities the top 100 companies in Ghana (The Ghana Club 100) communicate on their websites. The central question is, are these com­panies communicating CSR effectively or falling behind international standards? Design/Methodology/Approach - Con­tent analysis procedures drawn from the extant literature are used to evaluate the CSR-related information on the websites of companies of the GC100. The results show that there is a general awareness of CSR communication in the GC100. How­ever the extent of CSR communication is low since information on corporate web­sites appeared limited. Furthermore, CSR activities on the websites of the GC100 are largely limited to philanthropy, an in­dication of how these companies perceiveor define CSR. Again, companies in the GC100 are yet to embrace environmen­tal and ethical issues in their online CSR communication as these two represented the least discussed themes. This research represents the first comprehensive inves­tigation of CSR communication practices in the Ghanaian context. Its significance is to shed some initial insights to pro­vide a strong base for CSR communica­tion research in Ghana. Understanding how specific countries approach CSR communication will have several useful implications for practitioners, regulators and academics by way of opening up discussions for more effective CSR com­munication practices in an increasingly globalized and interconnected world. Aquest estudi exploratori preten propor­cionar una visio general de la comuni­cacio RSC en el context ghanes. L’article examina en particular l’abast i la tipo­logia de les activitats RSC que les 100 companyies top a Ghana (el Club dels 100) comuniquen a les seves webs. La questio es la seguent: aquestes com­panyies porten a la practica una co­municacio apropiada o be resten per darrere dels estandards internacionals? Per avaluar la informacio relativa a las webs d’aquestes companyies, s’han fet servir els procediments d’analisi de contingut de la metodologia existent. Els resultats conclouen la realitat d’una consciencia RSC en la seva comuni­cacio. Pero, d’altra banda, l’abast de la comunicacio resulta feble perque la informacio a les webs corporatives es mes aviat reduida. A mes a mes, les ac­tivitats de RSC a les webs del GC100 es limiten en gran mesura a la filantropia, un indicador de com les empreses en­tenen i defineixen la seva RSC. Un cop mes, veiem com les companyies liders en el GC100 son deficitaries en ques­tions mediambientals i etiques quant a la seva comunicacio RSC en linia. L’article representa la primera investi­gacio exhaustiva de comunicacio RSC en el context ghanes, la qual permet establir solides bases de recerca en la comunicacio RSC a Ghana. En defini­tiva, en un mon cada vegada mes inter­connectat, la comprensio de la realitat de paisos concrets resulta molt util per a professionals, reguladors i estudiosos, com a forma d’obrir debats per desenvolupar una practica millor de la Responsabilitat Social de les Empreses.