IMAGE BUILDING OF CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES FOR ELECTRICITY GENERATING AUTHORITY OF THAILAND

Abstract

The objectives of this research were to (1) study management in terms of building a positive corporate image of Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities aspect and guidance for the implementation of CSR, (2) explore Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) practices mechanism and consumer perceptions related to participate CSR actives. And the perception of CSR projects from media characteristics will help increasing level of participation in decision making between employees and communities, (3) find the approaches and guidelines of CSR image building for Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand. The researcher selected purposive sampling where key informants were divided into four groups 1) Executive group: 5 executives, 2) Head group: 7 directors, 3) EGAT employee group: 38 employees and 4) Community group: 60 general inhabitants over 18 years old. Data collecting used an in-depth interview using semi-open-end questions from 110 informants.
The research findings were : (1) Characteristics of CSR business operations: Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) is (P: Plan) controlled by 6 pillars of good corporate governance and international standard: ISO 26000 and (O: Organize) conducted its business work on transparent and economical. (C: control) The Audit committee always verifies EGAT internal control system. (2) CSR image building mechanism: (P: Plan) EGAT Board Committees to assist the Board of Directors in discharging its responsibilities in specific on CSR image management (D: Do) which operated by Project Community Relations Division and EGAT CSR Division. (C: Check) EGAT CSR Committee has to evaluate the outcomes from evidence base thus many CSR projects (A: Act) that might respond from mass media such as television, newspaper, radio, EGAT website and other social media (3) Characteristics of CSR images: (P: Plan) EGAT hold its business concept “Power for Thai happiness” thus (D: Do) EGAT CSR Division should be a proactive player to create engaging relationship between employees and communities. (C: Check) EGAT not only provide a lot of training courses to help the employees in both hard skill (employability skills) and soft skill (brander, organization image) in order to build positive image to the public sight which provide from clear vision EGAT employees. But also (A: Act) EGAT CSR published reports likely cover all issues easy to follow up. (4) Perception of CSR projects and characteristics level of participation in decision making between employees and communities mostly be influenced from media. (5) EGAT’s CSR uses slogan “Power for Thai happiness” and color theme that represent the organization is “Yellow”. Moreover EGAT logo has modernized design pass through raw material of power plant, souvenirs, EGAT employee uniforms, EGAT products and project activities.
In the conclusion on building image of CSR, EGAT should issue some incentives policies that will encourage both the employees and the citizens to participate in CSR activities more. Not only gives those policies, but also disseminates information about EGAT CSR; faster and more accuracy. EGAT CSR news should come out interesting to follow up and focus on giving knowledge to convince all recipients gain more positive corporate image on Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand’s CSR