Corporate social responsibility in the wake of the Asian tsunami : a comparative case study of two Sri Lankan companies

This paper provides input on why two leading Sri Lankan private sector organisations engaged in corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives during the first 11-months after the Asian tsunami. It aims to report the findings related to the genuineness of tsunami related CSR activities. Amidst various stakeholders’ overwhelming outpouring of spontaneity to engage in CSR activities, the paper addresses decision-making challenges in shaping the intent and extent of the CSR initiatives in a community with a long history of charitable giving. After mapping the corporate responses to the Asian tsunami, the paper proposes a conceptual model, and examines virtuousness as a necessary attribute of genuineness in tsunami related CSR initiatives.