Exploring the link between corporate social responsibility and health and safety in the mines

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to set a baseline understanding of the corporate social responsibility (CSR) concept amongst the different stakeholders in the mining industry in Ghana and further examine their appreciation of issues of occupational health and safety. It explored the integration of issues of health and safety of employees into the broader CSR agenda through a stakeholder analysis. Design/methodology/approach – The study population comprised various stakeholders operating in the mining industry of Ghana. The purposive sampling technique was used in the selection of the organisations/institutions that participated in the study. In all, 35 people were interviewed, and the interview data were analysed using thematic-content analysis. Findings – The findings provide an insight into how the various stakeholders in the mining industry in Ghana understood the CSR concept and how they went about practising it. Appreciation of issues health and safety by the various stakeholders also received considerable attention. All the stakeholders equated CSR to community relations. In all the cases, respondents referred to the local community as their focal point when discussing the concept. Originality/value – On the basis of this paper, it appears that mining companies in Ghana have looked upon the concept as a strategic challenge and not as a series of high-profile initiatives aimed at ensuring a responsible business practice. This paper adds to the literature by providing a perspective on how CSR associates with health and safety.