Enabling locally-embedded corporate social responsibility: A constructivist perspective on international oil companies delivering healthcare in rural Ghana

Abstract

Abstract A number of corporations operating in the extractive industries have heavily embraced the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Most have done so in response to growing societal recognition that their operations severely impact the environment and communities. Some companies adhere to one universal CSR policy, despite operating in numerous different countries, which has attracted criticism, especially towards those with projects in the Global South. The literature, however, has failed to articulate how distinct actors within CSR decision-making networks (companies operating trans-nationally, central governments, local governments and communities) and the governance mechanisms within them can influence the ways in which universal policies in this area are operationalised locally. This paper helps to bridge this gap by examining how, exactly, host governments can overcome power asymmetries between themselves and transnational companies operating in the extractive sector to steer their CSR towards localised activities. It investigates transnational oil corporations’ CSR activities in rural districts in Ghana, applying the constructivist concept of policy mobilisation, which offers a framework to improve and govern alterations of universal policies. The results draw attention to the significance of a domestic promotor, proactive involvement of local actors, and the openness of transnational CSR strategies to specific localisation processes.