EXPLORING CSR IN ḤALĀL INDUSTRY:INSIGHTS FROM MALAYSIA

The ḥalāl industry in Malaysia has rapidly developed at international level. Not only Muslims provide and consume ḥalāl products and services nowadays. In fact, it has become a profitable business as it not only fulfills the needs of Muslims but it also captures the interest of non-Muslim consumers. Among the factors for accepting ḥalāl products and services beside religiosity is globalization. Through globalization and technology advancement, consumers embrace new culture and preference. With growing demand for ḥalāl products and services focusing on ḥalāl certification and assurance, the ḥalāl industry has overlooked the importance of CSR which is important according to Islamic teachings. Therefore, this paper attempts to explore CSR understanding among consumers of ḥalāl industry in Malaysia. A web survey was carried out with 345 respondents in Malaysia. The results revealed that consumers are highly aware and have knowledge on CSR. Consumers believe that the ḥalāl industry needs to give back to society, ensure good governance and transparency besides offering quality products and services. The main motivation to perform CSR in Islām is religiosity. The study suggests that CSR may contribute to business sustainability by integrating social and economic objectives of the business as imposed in the Islamic moral economy.