Insights from the Maltina Teacher of the Year Award as a Corporate Social Responsibility Strategy for Development Communication and Brand Enhancement

Abstract

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has increasingly shifted beyond philanthropic practice to becoming a strategic development communication tool capable of shaping stakeholder perceptions, influencing behavioural outcomes, and strengthening corporate credibility and goodwill. In the competitive environments of corporate entities, organisations deploy CSR initiatives to address societal needs and communicate core values to enhance brand image. This study examines the influence of CSR on brand image and teachers’ performance through an empirical investigation of the Maltina Teacher of the Year Award (MTY), an education-focused CSR initiative of Nigerian Breweries Plc. It used the Stakeholder Theory as theoretical framework. A quantitative survey design was used to collect data from 185 teachers with a structured questionnaire. Data was presented with descriptive statistics and inferential analysis was conducted using a one-sample Chi-square test. Findings show a statistically significant positive association between the MTY award and teachers’ performance, particularly in areas of motivation, professional growth, morale, and commitment to the teaching profession (p < 0.05). The study also finds that the award enhances Maltina’s brand image by reinforcing perceptions of social responsibility, educational commitment, and consumer trust. The study concludes that recognition-based CSR initiatives, when strategically communicated, can function as catalysts for professional empowerment and sustainable brand image. CSR operates as an effective form of development communication that transforms social investment into reputational brand resources. The paper contributes to CSR and development communication literature and offers practical insights for optimising educational CSR in corporate brand communication strategies.