Is a Standard Definition of Corporate Social Responsibility Necessary for Its Legal Enforcement in Tanzania?

Despite growing awareness of corporate social responsibility (CSR), there is no consensus on its definition. This paper investigates whether a standardised definition of CSR is necessary for its legal enforcement in Tanzania. The paper employed doctrinal legal research to examine the CSR legal framework and identify challenges that a standardised definition of CSR can resolve. The findings highlight that while the meaning of CSR is not in dispute, the definition of CSR remains a subject of debate, ultimately contributing to poor CSR practices in Tanzania. Moreover, the existing CSR legal framework in Tanzania has significant challenges, and having a standardised definition is a key step towards addressing them. Although the paper finds that a standardised definition of CSR is not a complete panacea for challenges in performing CSR obligations, it does contribute to implementing CSR goals.