Impact of the perception of social responsibility of moroccan banks on consumer confidence: a quantitative study and modeling using the pls approach

Abstract :

With the 2008 financial crisis, the issue of Corporate Social Responsibility (henceforward CSR) seems to gain a new field of application in financial institutions and more specifically in banks. The main objective of this research is to study the impact of consumers' perceptions of corporate social responsibility on the trust they place in these companies.

To this end, a field study was carried out and included 286 consumers of financial products and services from banks involved in CSR in Morocco. It emerges that consumers' perceptions of CSR play a significant role in shaping consumer confidence in their banks, directly and indirectly, by highlighting certain moderating variables such as consumer expectations in terms of CSR, their level of personal support for different causes and their perceptions of the motivations of companies that implement CSR policies.

Our results indicate that a consumer perceives a bank as socially responsible, and in addition to its environmental responsibility, it should assume a responsibility towards its employees and customers. The latter participates most in the formation of global CSR, and this means that it has more impact on trust than any other dimension.

This study highlights the potential benefits of CSR engagement in relation to an important stakeholder category. We want to show that alongside the effects of CSR on the image and reputation of the company, CSR activities, if they are well perceived by consumers, affect satisfaction, loyalty and consumer confidence in the company.

Keywords: Corporate social responsibility, Perception of corporate social responsibility, Banking sector, Moroccan consumer, Trust in the bank