Client’s contribution to achieve sustainability through corporate social responsibility in the Sri Lankan construction industry8

Abstract

The Sri Lankan construction industry’s impact on the environment, social and economy is inevitable; emphasising the need to adopt sustainability. Sustainability is distinguished in order to avoid depletion of natural resources as well as to maintain the ecological balance. Sustainability could result in a corporate level, based on construction business organisations further illustrating the concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR). CSR focuses on impact by organisations concerning the triple bottom line. CSR is identified as a path to achieve corporate sustainability. Stakeholders’ participation is crucial to incorporate in a sustainable development plan which facilitates the identification of the clients who play a prominent role. This research followed a qualitative study by interviewing clients selected through snowball sampling in the Sri Lankan construction industry. Phenomenology was the approach followed for this research and bracketing was used as a method of analysis. Results of the research identified categories to achieve sustainability through CSR in the perception of clients as: cost constraint, government regulatory approach, consultants’ intervention, client’s apprehension on sustainability and their attitude on social and environmental aspects, thereby paving the path to develop recommendations.