NJOMACS

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has increasingly become an important strategic instrument for strengthening stakeholder relationships and promoting sustainable development within the banking sector. However, despite the expansion of CSR initiatives among Nigerian financial institutions, limited empirical attention has been given to how community-based stakeholders perceive the relevance, implementation quality, and trust implications of these initiatives within specific metropolitan contexts. This study therefore examined residents’ perception of the effectiveness of Sterling Bank PLC’s CSR strategy in Akure metropolis, Nigeria. Anchored on Stakeholder Theory and the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) framework, the study adopted a descriptive survey design. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire administered to 400 residents of Akure metropolis, with 384 valid responses analysed using simple percentages and weighted mean scores. The findings reveal moderate levels of awareness of the bank’s CSR initiatives among residents. Respondents also perceived the social, economic, and environmental impacts of these initiatives as relevant but moderately impactful. Stakeholder participation in CSR planning and implementation was similarly perceived as moderate. However, CSR perception demonstrated a strong positive association with residents’ trust, satisfaction, and corporate image of the bank. The study concludes that while Sterling Bank’s CSR initiatives contribute positively to stakeholder trust and corporate reputation, their effectiveness could be enhanced through improved communication, deeper stakeholder participation, and greater alignment with community development priorities. The study study recommends institutionalising participatory CSR mechanisms, strengthening CSR communication, and expanding impact tracking to align CSR outcomes more explicitly with sustainable development priorities