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Abstract

This study investigates how tourism enterprises in Maasai Mara participate in social initiatives and how local Indigenous communities perceive these efforts. It draws on the corporate social advocacy (CSA) framework, focusing on four justice and equity informed dimensions: accountability, transparency, impact, and sustainability (long-term perspective). Interviews were conducted with both stakeholder groups. The results show that while some dimensions of corporate advocacy were emphasized, others were less prioritized. Regarding accountability, the businesses were involved in several initiatives that the community recognized for their positive impact. However, the community expressed concern about the lack of transparency regarding the selection of initiatives. Furthermore, while the initiatives were praised, they were often inconsistent, unmeasured, and short-term. Drawing on CSA and further promoting values aligned with justice and equity, which are essential for sustainability, this study suggests that interviewed businesses adopt community-informed, long-term, and measurable outcomes focused on community well-being while also considering profitability.

Keywords

corporate social advocacy Indigenous Peoples tourism enterprises corporate social justice

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Partnering on Social Advocacy: Indigenous Communities and Tourism Enterprises

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