Corporate Social Responsibility Scenario in Jordan: Transformation Context

Abstract

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is not an alien concept in Jordan; although it has been seen so far as a philanthropic activity in keeping with Jordanian traditions. Jordan is an old state, politically stable and it is now in transformation from the point of CSR view, since more and more Jordanian stakeholders are becoming aware of the CSR concept and some firms in Jordan are working their way towards strategizing CR efforts. However, business still not fully grasps CSR practices and still considers CSR as part of philanthropy framework rather than lifting it to an upper level and taking it as a strategic approach to sustainability. Unfortunately, CSR in Jordan faces impeding obstacles: economic challenges, lack of government’s incentives, skill-set, weak transparency and disclosure, and finally management and governance. This study attempts to present the picture of the transformation of CSR in Jordan and discuss its main steps of evolution, moreover, it aims to analyze the challenges and future prospects of CSR on a national level. Regarding the applied research method, the paper’s data sources are of secondary research and I have used desk research to illustrate most important points and findings on the topic.