Is a Sustainable Development Affordable in Developing Countries? The Marange Diamond Fields Case

This paper arises from the author’ intention to study the impact of Social issues in Corporate Social Responsibility and to test the viability of Sustainable Development in less developed economies. Experts in the field have dedicated time and flow of words to the topic. In most cases, the scenarios of analysis have been European countries, which given their level of development have the natural conditions that allow emerging trends to evolve quicker than in developing economies. Focusing on European markets makes it possible to measure in a shorter time the impact they can have and the outcome they can produce. Developed economies and emerging ones go to a different pace. Here, because Corporate Social Responsibility and the Social element of the topic is less explored in emerging markets, the author has decided to study it. To better analyze this reality, the paper presents as case study what has been happening in Zimbabwe and in the Marange diamond mine in the last decades. The reason behind this choice is that local and international press, and many humanitarian organizations, have recorded events—trough the testimony of people living in the area—that are considered violations against human rights by most of the parties. Furthermore, the local government and the army have been deeply involved in the abuses against the local communities (Thornycroft, 2006; Krawitz, 2008; Irinnews, 2009, The Guardian, March 2016).