ABSTRACT:

This study “Community Development and social corporate responsibility in Ebonyi State’ examine the activities of mining firms in Ebonyi State on the development of their host communities. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) refers to strategies that corporations or firms adopts to
conduct of their business in such a way that is ethical, society friendly and beneficial to community in terms of development. The study is anchored on Edward Freeman’s Stakeholders Theory of 1948. The study adopted a descriptive survey design with a variety of qualitative research methods. The paper then discusses the role of CSR in community. Competencies required by CSR managers are also analyzed in order to have a better understanding of the practical aspects of CSR. Effective partnership between managers of mining corporations and community leaders was recommended as the basic measure to solve the lingering problem between mining corporations and host communities in the state. However, the integration of ‘top-down’ and ‘bottom-up’ partnership strategies that combine social investment and the strengthening of local and national capacities to reduce the risk and vulnerability of local communities to the negative externality of mining activities as well as the general negative effect of globalisation would most likely make more difference to sustainable community development than either a top-down strategy or a bottom-up strategy alone.