Executive Profiles and CSR Commitment: A Qualitative Exploration of Industrial SMEs in Morocco

Ibtissame Lakhlili, Rachid Ouskou

While Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is important for modern businesses [1] [5], it remains underexplored in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) within emerging economies like Morocco [4]. Yet, because SME decision-making is highly centralized, a leader’s personal and professional profile strongly drives the adoption of responsible practices [3]. Consequently, this study asks: which leader characteristics influence CSR adoption in Moroccan industrial SMEs? To answer this, we conducted nine semi-structured interviews with SME managers in the Marrakech-Safi region and CSR professionals, reaching information saturation [2]. Thematic analysis using MAXQDA revealed that engaged leaders typically share key traits: younger age, higher education, strong sustainability awareness, a longterm vision, and solid professional experience. These elements, alongside personal values, enable leaders to see how CSR directly enhances organizational performance [5]. Ultimately, these findings confirm the central role of the leader in SME CSR integration [3] and highlight the need to understand responsible leadership within the specific Moroccan context. This groundwork paves the way for future quantitative research on the topic.