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This paper aims to provide an overview of corporate social responsibility (CSR) from an Islamic perspective. The discussion includes an overview on aspects such as CSR activities, CSR and the environment, CSR and marketing, CSR and stakeholders, CSR benefits and challenges and CSR research conducted in various countries. The research is based on a narrative review, considering selected literature relevant to the topic. In general, the study concludes that engaging in CSR does not violate the Sharia, however, there are numerous challenges in implementing and reporting on the impact of CSR activities. Thus, more studies of an empirical nature are needed to understand CSR in the context of the Islamic financial system.

The current study sought to assess the banks in South Africa and their compliance with IT disclosures and narrating in their integrated reports for the 2021 financial year, as required by King IV. Empirical analysis was undertaken using a descriptive study based on secondary data from integrated reports of the five (5) biggest banks by asset size and market share. Data was analysed using both content analysis and descriptive statistical analysis. Findings showed no universal compliance with 80% compliance rate being recorded for various recommendations contained in Principle 12 of King IV. Thus, there remains non-compliance by 20% of studied banks with regards to various recommendations. The study recommends that banks strive to make the requisite IT disclosures in their integrated reports, particularly given the importance of such disclosures and related compliance. Further, the disclosure made by banks should be as material and comprehensive as possible and not just a tick-box kind of disclosure. This would enhance the utility of disclosures provided to stakeholders.

This research aims to explore the extent of COVID-19 reporting by the banking sector in a developing economy after the 2020 experience in the absence of known pandemic standards. The subject of this research is the 2021 top six banks from South Africa, a country classified as a developing economy. An unobtrusive research method was employed. Data were collected from the banks’ integrated reports for 2020/2021 depending on the banks’ financial year period. Document analysis was done and a technique of counting and recording the number of mentions for each COVID-19 content or capital category was employed. Findings indicated that Standard Bank, which was ranked top of the six, took the lead in the extent of COVID-19 reporting based on a recently suggested reporting framework that has not yet been contrasted by the rest of the researchers. A correlation analysis showed a significant positive relationship between the bank size and the extent of COVID-19 disclosure by the sampled banks. The study indicated that the top South African banks significantly reported on the COVID-19 pandemic despite the absence of guiding reporting standards. However, there is a need for another study to develop an index that will show different levels of disclosure extent.