PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS AND CSR IN ZIMBABWE

Corporate Social Responsibility has long been associated with the corporate world, most probably due to the use of the term 'corporate.' This l believe, has led to a number of public institutions in Zimbabwe taking a back seat and not doing their part in positively impacting their various communities outside their core businesses. Financial institutions have been at the forefront of corporate citizenship through donations to charities and sponsoring various events such as sporting activities.
Public Institutions have been paralysed by lack of financial resources and one might ask how institutions such as schools and tertiary institutions such as teachers' colleges and polytechnics can be expected to engage in CSR when they are also in dire need of financial assistance. CSR can take many forms of which financial assistance is one. Institutions with limited capital can offer for example, their time and services to certain publics to build or cement already existing relationships. Activities such as cleaning up malls e.g Lobengula Street Mall and Egodini Terminus in Bulawayo can influence attitudes through conscientising publics on the benefits of living in a clean environment. Futhermore, the institution that engages in such activities creates a good name and image for itself which is one of the functions or goals of Public Relations.