Corporate social responsibility, impact and conflict in mining operations: the case of titanium mining project in Kwale, Kenya

Abstract

In both developed and developing countries, mining often spark conflict between extractive corporations and governments on one hand and the communities affected by the sector’s activities on the other. Research shows that conflict within mining enterprises usually arise over land seizure, unfair compensation, not benefiting from the mining project, land degradation, and human rights abuse. To assuage community disaffection over mining projects, most mining companies opt to engage in Corporate Social Responsibility (CRS) activities. CSR refers to action by a firm which it chooses to take to boost stakeholder’s welfare, in most cases, local communities are rarely satisfied with the Programmes that are rolled out.But what happens to these CSR activities when a new company takes over a mine whose management had made firm commitments to community development and environmental protection? This study delves into this concern. The objectives of this study were to examine the impact of ownership changes ounces in host communities, to assess how the impact of ownership changes expressed shape and affect the relations between the community and the extractive company/government and to assess Kenya’s CSR legal and policy framework. The study was qualitative in nature, and adopted the following methods: In-depth interviews, key informant interviews, focused group discussion (FGD), observation and visual sociology. The study was carried out where CSR activities had been implemented by Base Titanium (the present extractive company), that is, Kikokeni, Mrima-Bwiti and Shimba Hills. The researcher interviewed household heads who were purposively chosen. Interviews were carried out until no new information was forthcoming (a method referred to as saturation principle). A key informant interview was conducted among executives of the extractive industry, officials of the department of mining and geology, and officials from the ministry of lands as well as with the community leaders. The Stakeholder and livelihood theories were used to guide the study. A thematic analysis of the scripts of interviews was done after raw data was broken into common themes and patterns. It was envisaged that from this study that a more robust CSR process, policies and legal framework, that concretely addresses the concerns and needs of mining communities, will be pursued. The study also bore theoretical significance by demonstrating the versatility of the theories selected. It was expected that the study would further contribute to the on-going discourse on mining, mining conflicts and CSR antinomies.