Impact of Corporate Social Responsibility Initiatives of Indian Banking Sector

Transcription

1 Impact of Corporate Social Responsibility Initiatives of Indian Banking Sector Vijay.P Assistant Professor of Commerce Kongunadu Arts and Science College Coimbatore - 29 Divya.N Assistant Professor of Commerce A.G. Arts and Science College Coimbatore - 29 ABSTRACT The Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has emerged as a benchmark for judging corporate excellence in the context of national and international banking business practices. The banking industry has providing more facilities to customers as per the CSR concept in banking institutions namely taking deposits from customers, granting loans and providing corresponding services in banking institutions. The CSR concept helps to attain the goal of each and every business industries and a quality service to the society. The objective of the study is to provide detailed information about CSR activities in Indian commercial banks and showing the customer satisfaction towards the CSR concept in selected Indian banking institution. The researcher has made an attempt to show the impact of CSR in pre and post-period of implementation of CSR concept in Indian commercial banks. This study is based on both primary and secondary data which are collected from 135 respondents and the secondary data from the RBI website and various journals. The secondary data has taken from to in this study and the study delivers customer satisfaction, the consistency and structural changes of selected commercial banks by descriptive analysis, trend co-efficient and chow test. The banking industry has a significant change with CSR concept execution in India. Keywords: Banking Industry, Corporate Social Responsibility, Co-efficient Analysis. Introduction In the liberalized economy, the Corporate Social Responsibility is very important one to every banking business to achieve probable success. In that way to honor moral values, deal with legal issues and contribute to economic development, while improving the quality of service and their banking activities as well as the local community and society at large. Although such voluntary social measures have become legal requirements, a number of business leaders in bank have gone further ahead by utilizing their wealth to improve the living conditions of many people in the society. Simultaneously, a change is already occurring from traditional humanity to healthy society development among the more progressive of banking institutions. As a pillar of the economy, this banking sector plays a major role in the economic development of the country. Thus the banking industry has been playing an important role as growth catalyst. In recent years corporate social responsibility and corporate governance have become an important issue at a global level. In this present study, the researcher made an attempt to show the effectiveness of CSR activities in select Indian commercial banks. Review of Literature The researcher has taken more reviews from past studies related to CSR concepts in Indian banking sector. Firstly, Ventura and Vieira (2007) have made a study to understand the dynamics of institutionalizing corporate social responsibility in the field of Banking Organizations in Brazil and found that from being an inaccessible trivial action, CSR in the past ten years is now a planned accomplishment in banking organizations. Wise and Ali (2009) in their study on corporate governance and corporate social responsibility in commercial bank of Bangladesh, through analysis of the annual reports of these banks, found that the corporate social responsibility disclosures by the banks focus on IRJBM ( ) Volume No VII, December 2014, Issue 12 Page 29

2 initiatives undertaken to support two critical sectors within Bangladesh s economy: agriculture and the SME sector. Sharma (2011) had made an attempt to analyze CSR practices and CSR reporting in India with special reference to banking sector and concluded that banking sector in India is showing interest in integrating sustainability into their business models but its CSR reporting practices are far away from satisfaction. Jayashree and Neeta (2011) have discussed about the CSR practices and ratings in Indian banking industry. CSR was a concept whereby financial institutions not only consider their productivity and growth, but also the wellbeing of society and the environment by taking responsibility for the impact of their activities on shareholders, employees, customers and civil society represented by NGOs. This paper attempts to study the CSR practices carried out by the selected banks and their ratings in the Indian banking sector. Need for the Study The Indian banking sector had been adopted Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) concept to serve and to ensure good quality of business. A various earlier studies were made an attempt to know the status of CSR implementation in non-banking financial institutions and other business organizations separately. But some of few studies were made in respect of CSR implementations in banking sector. So, this study has made an attempt to provide effectiveness and activities of CSR principles in Indian banking sector. Objectives of the Study The researcher has taken effort to offer detailed information about CSR activities in Indian commercial banks. To know the customer satisfaction and the activities provide by CSR concept in selected Indian banks and to distinguish the impact of CSR activities in pre and post-period of banking industry activities in India. Methodology This present study is based on the analytical and descriptive in nature and the study are taken nine banks including top service providing various public sector banks and private sector banks. The primary and secondary data have used for the study. The primary data was particularly collected from the 135 respondents of selected bank customers. The convenient sampling technique was used by the researcher for the study. The secondary data was based various journals and the bank annual report and RBI reports. This paper is to know the status and the strategies adopted for CSR in the banking sector. The study covers the period 2001 to 2013 and the chow test has used to know the impact of commercial banks from pre and post period of CSR implementation in India. Implementation of CSR in Indian Banking Sector In our developing country, CSR are seen as part of corporate philanthropy in which corporations augment the social development to support the initiatives of the government. However with time, the scenario of CSR has changed from being philanthropic to being socially responsible to multi stakeholders. The period of 1960s and 1970s saw an emergence of CSR activities being inbuilt in corporate philanthropy. As per the instructions of the RBI, majority of its member Indian commercial banks have started new programmes on social and economic welfare of the ample, keeping equality with the guidelines. For emphasize the role of banks in CSR, the RBI disseminated a notice on December 20, 2007 for all commercial banks, with title of CSR, Sustainable Development and Non- Financial Reporting Role of Banks. The key issues were argued in the notice were anxious CSR activity, sustainable development, and non-financial institutions reporting. The Basel Committee in the year 1999 had brought out certain important principles on corporate governance for banking business which, more or less have been adopted in India. Basel committee underscores the need for banks to set strategies for their functions. The committee also maintains banks to ascertain accountability for executing these strategies, if there is not transparency of information related to decisions and actions. It would be complicated for stakeholders to make managements accountable and the underlying subject is accountability at all levels including the boards. Role of Corporate Social Responsibilities in Indian Banking Sector IRJBM ( ) Volume No VII, December 2014, Issue 12 Page 30

3 The banking industry has been providing more facilities as per the CSR concept to customers are namely taking deposits to customers, granting loans and provide corresponding services and core business of banking institutions. No matter that types of countries and types of culture, and types of banking products to their investors. The banks require being responsible for their customers in a social responsible way. The banking and finance organizations should have ethical standards for developing the banking institutions and introducing new products. Specific ethical policies shall be put in place to shape ethical behavior of staff. Besides, the importance of internal audit has been emphasizing, particularly in banking industries. The importance of CSR emerged significantly in the last decade. Over the time, CSR had expanded including both economic and social interests. Banks have become more transparent in accounting and display public reporting due to pressures from various stakeholders. It is possible for banks to behave in the desired ethical and responsible manner towards customers, employees, communities, shareholders and environment. They have been started incorporating their CSR ideas in their annual reports and its very essential reporting system for each and every financial institution. Challenges of Corporate Social Responsibility in Indian Banking Sector It is important for CSR strategies to become central to business strategy and part of the longterm planning process. The stakeholders are questioning more on CSR initiatives of the banking business today. They are challenging the banks decisions-making in this direction. It has become imperative to incorporate stakeholders views. In our country, the CSR managers face more challenges in managing CSR activities. The major problem is of lack of budget allocations followed by not having support from employees and lack of required knowledge. The lack of professionalism is one more problem faced by this sector and absence of training and undeveloped staffs are additional problems for reduced CSR initiatives. The general public also does not take enough interest in participating and contributing to CSR activities of banks as they have little or no knowledge about it. The increasing demand for more transparency and accountability on the part of the banks and disclosure of information through formal and improved reporting is also inevitable for the banks. More the open and honest disclosure, the stronger and trusting relationships can be built with the stakeholders and consumers. Small other organizations do not take adequate interest in CSR activities and those which undertake them fail to disclose it to the society. In the process they drop out on people and their trust in them. The disappointment of the government to come up with statutory guidelines to give a definite direction to banking institutions taking up CSR activities, in terms of size of banking business and profile of CSR activities also results into few banks practicing CSR concept adequately. Table-1 CSR Activities in Indian Banking Institutions Sl. No. Banking Institutions CSR Activities in Banks 1 Allahabad Bank (a) Educational support. (b) Poverty eradication. (c) Rural development. (d) Vocational training to unemployed. 2 Canara Bank (a) Rural Clinic Service (b) Rural Service Volunteer Scheme (c) Jalayoga Scheme (d) Rural Resource Development Centre. 3 Union Bank of India (a) Farmer s Club. (b) Village Knowledge Centers. (c) Joint Liability Groups for promotion of SHGs. (d) Rural Development. (e) Educational support. 4 State Bank of India (a) Community Services Banking. IRJBM ( ) Volume No VII, December 2014, Issue 12 Page 31

4 (b) Rural Community Development. (c) Adoption of the Girl Child. (d) Research and Development on Education. 5 Punjab National Bank (a) PNB Farmer Welfare Trust (b) Farmers Training Centers (c) Model Villages (d) PNB century Rural Development Trust (e) PNB Swarozgar Vikas Santhan 6 Bank of India (a) Educational support. (b) Environmental issues. (c) Financial support to weak sections of society through micro financing. (d) MSME financing. (e) Dairy development. (f) Agriculture development. 7 Bank of Boroda (a) Rural development. (b) Women's empowerment. (c) Vocational training. (d) Community Welfare. (e) Physically Challenged. (f) Poverty Eradication. 8 ING Vysya Bank (a) Educational support. (b) Environmental issues. (c) Financial support to vulnerable sections of society. (d) Community development. 9 HDFC Bank Ltd (a) Educational support. (b) Livelihood training and support. (c) Vocational and technical education. (d) Micro financing. Source: Annual Reports of Banking Institutions. The above table-1 provides corporate social responsibility activities in Indian banking industry. The major public sector and private sector banks have been providing more services to customer which they required from the banks. In the way, the CSR concept provided more products to people like educational support, rural development schemes, women empowerment schemes and various MSME financing support programmes in Indian commercial banks. Sl. No. Table 2 CSR Rating with Select Commercial banks in India Banks Activities AHB CB UBI SBI PNB BOI BOB IVB HDFC 1 Educational Support Rural Development Poverty Eradication Vocational Training Micro Financing Women Empowerment Homes CSR Total Source: Calculated Value. Note: 1- denotes that availability of those services in selected banks. IRJBM ( ) Volume No VII, December 2014, Issue 12 Page 32

5 The below table-2 shows the selected banks CSR service providing rating within particular public and private sector banks in India. The Bank of Baroda (BOB) had providing all service in their banking institutions. Secondly, the Allahabad bank, Bank of India and ING Vysya bank had rated with 5 points and it has providing varying products as per CSR concept in India. Lastly, the HDFC and Canara bank, SBI and Union bank of India got 4 rating points within their banks. Hence, the banks providing more services to their customer depend upon the banks both public sector banks and private sector banks in India. Chart 1 CSR Rating of Selected Indian Banking Institutions Source: Based on Calculated Value. 9. Analysis of Corporate Social Responsibility Performance by the Sample Respondents This present study has studied about the respondent s satisfaction and usage of Indian banking service by the CSR concept. The researcher has made an attempt to study the customer s satisfaction and the availability of CSR concept in Indian banking sector. In this study, 135 respondents are there includes 67 per cent of males and 33 per cent of female respondents. The below table-4 depicts that 36 per cent of the respondents belonged to age group of years. There 28 per cent of the respondents belonged to years old. The educational qualification of an individual has a greater impact on decision making. The educational qualification of respondents are 45 percent of respondents graduates and 42 per cent of respondents are studied up to higher secondary other illiterates in this study. The majority of customers are married of 59 per cent and other 41 per cent persons are unmarried in this study. Most of number respondents of 52 per cent are employed and 26 per cent of respondents are home maker and doing work in women welfare centers. Here, other respondents are student and 6 per cent of respondents are unemployed in this study. The demographic factor is providing more changes in customer satisfaction due to CSR activities in Indian banking institutions. Table 3 - Demographic Factors of Selected Bank Customers Particulars Details No. of Respondents Percentage (%) Age Below 30 years years years Above 50 years Gender Male Female Education Illiterate Upto HSC Above UG/ PG Degree Marital status Married IRJBM ( ) Volume No VII, December 2014, Issue 12 Page 33

6 Unmarried Occupation Employed Unemployed 8 6 Home maker and related to Women welfare development Source: Primary data The above table-3 shows that the demographic factors of the present study. The researcher has been collected primary data from respondents regarding that customer satisfaction and the CSR activities in selected Indian banks. In this study questionnaire contains more important questions related to customer satisfaction and about CSR activities in Indian bank sector. The below table shows that satisfaction and CSR concept coverage s in India. Table 4 Customer Satisfaction and CSR Activities in Selected Indian Banks Sl. No. Students Nature of Respondents No. of Respondents Percentage (in %) 1. CSR provides more Customer Satisfaction Agree Disagree CSR is a tool to Gain Competitive Advantages Agree Disagree CSR has a significant role in establishing a Bank s Image Agree Disagree CSR may Influence the Customers Behavior Positively Agree Disagree The Customer using CSR concept related banking facilities Yes No The CSR concept differs from the Other Banks Agree Disagree It behave ethically and contribute to economic development Agree Disagree 9 7 IRJBM ( ) Volume No VII, December 2014, Issue 12 Page 34

7 8. It helps to Women Welfare and Skills Development Agree Disagree Overall CSR activity has been available in selected banks Yes No 6 4 Source: Primary data. The above table-4 contains questions and the bank customers responses related to customer satisfaction and performance of CSR concepts in selected Indian banking institutions. The result shows that the customer satisfaction of 89 per cent in selected banks towards CSR activities. There is a competitive advantage of CSR activity of 67 per cent and 88 per cent of respondents said that the CSR has a significant role in establishing a bank s image. In the study the 84 respondents say that selected bank have influencing behavior positively. The 93 per cent of respondents say that the CSR norms are ethically contribute o economic development. The women welfare and skills development are used by 66 per cent from 135 respondents in select banking institutions. Finally, the 96 per cent of respondents are using the Corporate Social Responsibility and it has been working in their banking institutions. From the overview these results of the selected nine bank customers have more satisfaction towards CSR activity and it differs from the other selected banks in India. Table - 5 Correlation - Relationship between the Demographic Factors and Customer Satisfaction in CSR Concept Age Gender Education Marital Status Occupation Satisfaction Age 1 Gender Education Marital Status Occupation Satisfaction Note: Significance at 5 percent level. The above table-5 shows that the relationship between the demographic factors and customer satisfaction of CSR concept in selected Indian bank. There is a significant relationship at 5 per cent. The customer s age have more positive significance at and the education has points. The customer satisfactions of the selected banks have more positive relationship with an education and occupation. So, the CSR activities have providing more satisfaction to the educational people and gender wise particularly the women in selected banks. 10. Overall Performance and Impact of CSR Initiatives in Indian Commercial Banks After the banking liberalization period 1998, the banking industry has been changed with more technical aspects of RBI. Since 2007, the RBI has made changes in Indian commercial banks with implementation of Corporate Social Responsibility concepts. The Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a concept that companies have an obligation to consider the interest of customer, employees and shareholders in all respect of their operations. The CSR is closely linked with the principle of sustainable development, which disputes that companies should make decisions based not only on financial factors such as returns or dividends, but it also based on the long term social and environmental consequences of their operations. It is an amalgamation of policies, program s education and practices which extend throughout a corporation s operation and into the communities. However, there are many gaps in the disclosures in Indian banking system with Basel norms at the IRJBM ( ) Volume No VII, December 2014, Issue 12 Page 35

8 international standards, mainly in the area of risk management strategies and risk parameters, risk attention, performance measures, component of capital structure. The below Table-6 shows the growth level of total deposits and advances of total commercial banks in RBI during the implementation of CSR practices. Table 6 - Development and Impact of Indian Commercial Banks during CSR implementation Period (In Rupees) Year Total Deposits Advances & loans Gross NPA Investments Total Assets ,891 5, ,918 12, ,311 6, ,872 15, ,117 7, ,937 16, ,422 8, ,042 19, ,328 11, ,697 23, ,090 15, ,665 27, ,119 19, , ,969 24, ,773 43, ,341 30, ,494 52, ,525 34, ,191 60, ,159 42, ,236 71, ,537 50,746 1,423 22,305 82, ,342 55,664 1,765 26,667 93,224 CAGR % Note: Calculated Value The above table-6 shows that the growth of commercial banks during the initiation of CSR activities in India. The aggregate deposits of commercial banks are per cent growth during the initiation of CSR concept in Indian Commercial banks. The Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of total deposits and advances from 2001 to 2013 period was per cent and per cent. The investments and assets of commercial banks always increased by per cent and per cent. It means that a performance of commercial banks in terms of deposits was much better and the commercial banks have been adopted CSR concepts as per the RBI regulations in India. 11. Structural Changes Select Indian Commercial Banks in Pre and Post CSR Implementation Period The Chow test is a statistical and econometric test of whether the coefficients in two linear regressions on different data sets are equal. The Chow test is most commonly used in time series analysis to test for the presence of a structural break. It is posed as a partitioning of the data into two parts of size n 1 and n 2.The Chow test and trend co-efficient analysis is often used to determine whether the independent variables have different impacts on different subgroups of the population and examine the significant level to the study. RSSc ( RSS1 RSS2 ) / k Chow test, F RSS1 RSS2 / n 2k Where, RSSC = Residuals of Combined Period; RSS1& RSS2= Pre and Post period residuals; K = Probabilities; N- No. of observations. Accordingly, a Chow test was performed on data for each year separately, and values for the parameters are shown in Table-7. The Chow tests were significant at p< These significant F-tests indicate that not all the independent variables have uniform effects for pre and post reform period, but IRJBM ( ) Volume No VII, December 2014, Issue 12 Page 36

9 do not indicate where these differences lie. In December 2007, the Reserve Bank advised banks to put in place a suitable and appropriate plan of action to raise the level of awareness and focus the attention of banks in India on issue of Corporate Social Responsibility, with the approval of their boards. Given the effect of large group sizes, compared to the number of predictor variables used in the study. Here, pre-period is to and post period is to in this study. Table 7 - Chow Test and Trends across Pre and Post of CSR Implementation Period of Commercial Bank s Deposits in Rs. Advances & Gross NPA Investments Total Assets Particul ars Trend Coefficie nt Pre- Period Post Period Total Period Chow test % Avera ge (in Rs.) * * (-2.65) 18, (-0.13) Avera Loans in Trend Rs. ge Co- (in efficie Rs. 00 nt ) (0.97) 13, * (3.94) Avera ge (in Rs. 00 0) Trend Coefficie nt * (2.06) ** (5.16) Avera ge (in Rs. 00 0) Trend Coefficie nt (-1.89) 7, (1.46) Avera ge (in Rs. 00 0) Trend Coefficie nt 2, (1.46) 23, (-1.15) 9, * 7, * ** 4, , (-7.20) (5.76) (7.66) (1.28) (-0.23) Note: * and ** indicates 1% and 5% significance level respectively. The table-7 shows trends in total deposits and advances of select commercial banks in RBI across the pre-reform and post-reform periods. The trend coefficients across the two sub-periods reveals decline in deposits, investments, assets, and gross NPA during pre-reform period and increased in post reform period. The trend coefficients of loans and advances, total assets and investments are positive growth in pre-csr period and post-csr period was negatively sloped in select commercial banks. Whereas a growth in deposits, advances, and investments emerge positive, but insignificant in both the pre and post-csr periods for commercial banks. The chow-test results for deposits and advances and investments clearly indicate the existence of significant structural difference between the sub-periods. The deposits of commercial banks have structural change of per cent, followed by advances and loans are per cent, Gross NPA is per cent and investments of commercial banks are per cent in India. Hence, the structural changes of select commercial banks shows that the stability and growth of the banking activities through CSR in India. 12. Findings of the study Indian bank sector has been increasing the satisfaction level of customers and stockholders in banking sector through the good Corporate Social Responsibility. Based on the CSR, the select commercial banks have providing more banking products to customer. The Indian banking industry has higher growth rate in deposits, loans, assets and NPA after the implementation of good CSR concepts. The banking industry has consistency and the chow test is providing the higher structural break between pre and post period of implementation of CSR in commercial banks. In this study, 135 respondents are there includes 67 per cent of males and 33 per cent of female respondents. The study depicts that 36 per cent of the respondents belonged to age group of years. The educational qualification of an individual has a greater impact on decision making. The educational qualification of respondents are 45 percent of respondents graduates and 42 per cent of respondents are studied up to higher secondary other illiterates in this study. The majority of customers are married of 59 per cent and other 41 per cent persons are unmarried in this study. Most of number respondents of 52 per cent are employed and 26 per cent of respondents are home maker and doing work in women welfare centers. The CSR activities have providing more satisfaction to the educational people and gender wise particularly the women in selected banks. The structural changes IRJBM ( ) Volume No VII, December 2014, Issue 12 Page 37

10 of select commercial banks shows that the stability and growth of the banking activities through CSR in India. 13. Suggestions to the Banking Industry RBI has been providing several policies to adopt corporate social responsibility practices by the commercial banks in India. But, it still remains inactive in such Indian commercial banks. The study suggests that banks should disclose the amount spent on CSR activities in their annual reports implements based reports. The Indian banks should increase the return on assets in banking business. The selected banks should be adding more facilities in CSR concepts to cover all age groups and uneducated people for more customer satisfaction in India. 14. Conclusion In Indian banking industry, the concept of CSR concept has been adopted as element for success and survival of banks along with fulfilling social objectives and development of economy. However, the challenge for the banking institutions is to determine a strong and innovative Corporate Social Responsibility strategy, which should deliver elevated performance in ethical, environmental and social areas. The banking institutions under this CSR concepts have recognized their responsibility towards the society and are making their contribution in the field of employment generation, education, health care, women welfare and women empowerment. These activities are more developments and higher returns by the deposits and loans of commercial banks. The study suggests that banks should disclose the amount spent on CSR activities in their annual reports. Along with financial reporting, non financial reporting should become revision for the banks for social, economic and ecological betterment of the society. The sample respondents have more satisfaction and are using more CSR practices in the banks. Hence, the study concludes that the selected Indian banking institutions have been developed after the implementation of strong CSR concepts and it have been providing more satisfaction to bank customer. REFERENCES 1. Vikas Choudhary and Suman Tandon (2013), Corporate Social Responsibilities of Public Sector Banks in India, Galaxy International Interdisciplinary Research Journal. ISSN , vol.1 (1). November Shirley Yeung (2011), The Role of Banks in Corporate Social Responsibility. Hang Seng School of Management. Journal of Applied Economics and Business Research. pp Moon Urmila (2010), Maratha Mandir s Babasaheb Gawde Institute of Management Studies Corporate Social Responsibility in India, Ramnarain Ruia College. Mumbai. 4. Navin Mukesh Punjabi (2007), Corporate Social Responsibility and Corporate Governance in Banking Sector in India A Selective Study. H R College of Commerce and Economics. Dinshaw Wacha Road, Churchgate, Mumbai. 5. RBI Bulletin Srinivas K.T. (2013), A Study on Corporate Social Responsibility A Case of Canara Bank. International Journal of Engineering and Management Research. Volume-3. Issue-2, April 2013 ISSN: Page no Jayashree Patil-dake and Neeta Aurangabadkar-pole (2011), CSR Practices and Ratings in Indian Banking Sector. International Journal of Research in Commerce, Economics & Management. Volume-1, Issue No. 5, September 2011, ISSN: IRJBM ( ) Volume No VII, December 2014, Issue 12 Page 38