Title:
THE IMPACT OF CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY ON BUILDING A POSITIVE BRAND IMAGE: (AN EXPLORATORY STUDY OF A SAMPLE OF CUSTOMERS OF PRIVATE AND GOVERNMENT BANKS IN BABYLON)

Authors:
Noor Saleh Jaber, Ali Maytham Ibrahim, Karrar Raad Abd Alzahra and Hussain Wissam Hamad, Iraq

Abstract:
This study aims to explore the impact of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on building a positive brand image, through an exploratory study of a sample of customers of government and private banks in Babylon, Iraq. The research adopted a descriptive-analytical approach, using a questionnaire distributed to a random sample of 130 customers of Al-Rashid Bank (government) and Baghdad Private Bank. The questionnaire consisted of two main axes: corporate social responsibility (covering social, environmental, economic, and ethical dimensions) and brand image (covering trust, reputation, and loyalty). The results showed that the level of CSR implementation was high (overall mean = 4.12), and the level of brand image was also high (overall mean = 4.17). The study confirmed a strong positive correlation between CSR and brand image, and that CSR has a significant direct impact on building a positive brand image. The most influential activities were those supporting humanitarian and environmental causes. The study recommends that companies genuinely and transparently adopt social responsibility as an integral part of their strategy to enhance brand image, credibility, and competitive advantage.