“When Gold Remains in the Ground, it will not Rot”: Corporate Social Responsibility Imbalances between Mining Companies and Host Communities in Ghana

Much as the operations of mining companies have inevitable implications for their hosts, corporate social responsibility (CSR) has become a critical redress channel for engaging stakeholders. With huge amounts of resources dedicated to the implementation of various CSR initiatives, what remains unaddressed is whether those investments really yield their intended outcomes. This study demonstrates how Western conceptualizations of CSR reporting is disconnected from the expectations of indigenous stakeholders. Data from the sustainability and annual reports of large mining companies and in-person interviews with stakeholder representatives drawn from mining communities in Ghana was used to examine the CSR initiatives of mining companies, measuring them against the expectations of their hosts. The findings suggest that although mining companies mostly engage in CSR commitments that seem to align with fundamental regulatory requirements, the expectations of locals remain largely unfulfilled. The key reasons for this include the firm-centric, top-down approach of mining companies in determining their CSR priorities, the discretionary nature of CSR and the lack of cohesion between mining companies’ CSR in contrast with the expectations of beneficiary communities. To these findings, a more consultative and participatory approach in carrying out CSR projects by large mining companies is recommended.