Islamic Approach to Corporate Social Responsibility: An international model for Islamic Banks

TitleIslamic Approach to Corporate Social Responsibility: An international model for Islamic Banks
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2022
JournalInternational Journal of Islamic and Middle Eastern Finance and Management
Volumeforthcoming
Type of ArticleResearch Article
Publication LanguageEnglish
AuthorsHanić, A, Smolo, E
KeywordsIslamic Corporate Social Responsibility; CSR; Islamic banking; economics and religion;
Abstract

Purpose – This study aims to present a corporate social responsibility (CSR) model that would apply to Islamic banks, considering the international aspect of social responsibility since CSR is not applicable in the same way in all types of societies.
Design/methodology/approach – Based on the extensive review of the existing literature, the authors aim to present an Islamic CSR model applicable to Islamic banks. This study is based on the international approach to CSR developed by Masoud (2017). Each responsibility has an equal share but with specific changes regarding the order of priorities between them and the type of responsibility.
Findings – The findings show that the existing literature provides several Islamic CSR models. Most of these models are general and offer guidelines to Islamic financial institutions, but no model applies exclusively to Islamic banks. Using these models for Islamic banks is challenging due to their specific business activities, especially in non-Muslim countries. The study proposes a model that could act as the main guideline for Islamic banks with enough flexibility to meet different market and stakeholders’ requirements.
Practical implications – The model was not tested on a sample, and not all Islamic principles were considered. However, it is applicable for Islamic banks, especially considering internationalization in their businesses and the further development of Islamic banking. At the same time, this model puts ethical norms in the spotlight. This is particularly emphasized in the case of non-Muslim countries or in societies where a particular law does not regulate Islamic bank activities.
Originality/value – Although there is a growing literature on this topic, existing studies primarily discuss the Islamic approach to CSR from the overall perspective, not in a specific industry. While some authors developed their own Islamic CSR models relying on the primary Shari’ah sources, others base their proposals on other classical CSR ideas. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study based on the CSR model developed by Masoud (2017), considering the relationship between economics and religion and the implications of the Islamic moral economy.

Short TitleIslamic Approach
Refereed DesignationRefereed