Latest news with #StateofCorporatePurpose
Forbes
21-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Corporate Social Responsibility Is Adapting, Survey Reveals Key Trends
Investment in corporate social responsibility is facing a fork in the road. After five years of increasing investment, corporate leaders are confronting external pressures to step back from politically charged social issues, including diversity, equity and inclusion, reproductive rights, climate change, racial justice, human rights, and economic sustainability. Will corporate leaders retreat from CSR in this challenging environment? New data reveals that investment in CSR continues to thrive, while adapting strategically to external demands. The findings were released this month in the 2025 State of Corporate Purpose report by Benevity Impact Labs, based on a survey of over 500 corporate impact professionals from a range of company sizes, industries and regions. The report highlighted three key trends in corporate social responsibility initiatives. In the Benevity survey, 92% of corporate impact professionals said their organizations are continuing to invest in CSR because it's good for business. Specifically, 88% said that investment in CSR was future-proofing their business when it comes to talent acquisition and retention, customers and regulatory readiness. According to the Benevity survey, leaders recognize that corporate silence 'creates brand risk.' 'As leaders navigate the complexities facing business today, it remains clear that leading with corporate purpose is not just a moral imperative, but a strategic advantage,' said Jenna Moore, senior manager at CECP, in a 2025 Corporate Purpose report. The CECP report found that companies with an explicit corporate purpose generated 58% higher revenue than those without a corporate purpose in 2023, based on the S&P Global 1200. Corporate impact professionals also understand that workers expect companies to play a role in driving social change. Among working adults, 60% say large companies should take a stand on important societal issues, according to JUST Capital's 2024 Americans' Views on Business Survey, based on over 3,000 responses. Workers' desire for corporate activism is particularly strong on women's health and reproductive rights. This data underscores that backing away from investment in CSR would have meaningful business costs, which has tempered a large-scale retreat. Employee engagement in the U.S. hit a 10-year low in 2024, with only 31% of employees remaining engaged in their jobs, according to Gallup data. This equates to about 3.2 million employees who have become disengaged since 2023, and 8 million fewer engaged employees since 2020. Increasing employee detachment is particularly high among workers younger than age 35. The Benevity report found that two CSR components have a particularly robust return on investment for employee engagement: volunteer opportunities and employee resource groups. Despite the current political climate, corporate volunteering has surged since 2021. Companies that actively promote corporate volunteerism see greater participation and impact than companies that only provide opportunities for employees to volunteer on their own. Employees who participate in corporate purpose programs through volunteering are 24% less likely to leave their company, based on a Benevity 2022 talent retention survey of over 400 companies. The talent retention benefits of participating in corporate volunteerism are even higher among new employees who have been with a company for 2.5 years or less, who have a 52% lower turnover rate. In a 2024 study of 90 different workplace interventions to promote mental health, volunteering was the only activity that measurably improved employee well-being and belonging. Corporate impact professionals recognize this link. In the Benevity survey, respondents' top three reasons for continued investment in volunteer opportunities included: employee engagement; increasing community impact; and creating culture and connection. While volunteering continues to be a core feature of CSR programs, some companies are adapting their volunteer focus to drive greater business value. For example, some companies are prioritizing 'high-value volunteering' that is linked to specific company pillars. Companies are also focusing more on skills-based volunteering, team volunteering, local efforts, and deepening the connection with the nonprofits they support. The other CSR component that is strongly linked to employee engagement is employee resource groups. Corporate impact leaders have identified ERGs as 'low-risk, high-trust bridges to inclusion and connection,' even amid 'peak DEI polarization,' according to the Benevity 2025 Corporate Purpose report. Among the corporate impact professionals surveyed by Benevity, 92% said that ERGs continue to be viewed positively by leadership, and 91% said that ERGs are an important part of their organization's value proposition. As trust in institutions declines, leaders recognize the importance of ERGs for promoting employee connection and representation. Among the corporate impact professionals surveyed, 87% described ERGs as a trusted source of information within their organizations. Investing in CSR in the current political climate poses both bigger risks and bigger opportunities. Among corporate impact leaders in the Benevity survey, 91% said that the current moment requires greater corporate courage, while 80% simultaneously felt the need for greater caution. 'This year's data reveals a deep tension in the corporate purpose space—one where CSR leaders are clear on the business value of their investments but are struggling with how to execute it to its maximum potential in a charged environment,' said Sona Khosla, Chief Impact Officer of Benevity and Head of Benevity Impact Labs, in a May 14, 2025 statement. As a result, corporate social responsibility work is becoming more business-aligned and more outcomes-oriented. In the Benevity survey, 91% of corporate impact leaders said they are making sure that their CSR programs support their strategy values. Companies are also prioritizing communications on social impact, rather than specific programs. For example, 70% of the corporate impact leaders said they would be quieter about their DEI and climate change initiatives, but they will still be doing the work. While some companies are adjusting their language or restructuring their programs, 92% of respondents said that DEI remains important regardless of legislative changes or public sentiment. And 42% said their companies had increased resources for DEI over the last year. 'Leaders across the board are adjusting the way they talk about corporate impact. They are still doing the work but are adapting their narratives to meet the moment and working more cross functionally to do so,' said Khosla. 'In 2025, corporate communications will be a key partner for CSR teams. Two-thirds expect to engage with corporate communications teams more, and 30% expect to do so a lot more.'
Ottawa Citizen
14-05-2025
- Business
- Ottawa Citizen
Annual Benevity State of Corporate Purpose Report Finds Purpose Remains a Strategic Contributor to Business Success
Article content Article content CALGARY, Alberta, May 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today, Benevity Inc. released its fifth annual State of Corporate Purpose Report during the Benevity Live! conference in Palm Springs, California. The report shows that while corporate social responsibility (CSR) has become significantly more complex and cross-functional, it continues to be a measurable, strategic contributor to business success and resilience. Article content Article content The 2025 report reflects a defining moment for corporate purpose, with nearly two-thirds of companies having significantly shifted their corporate purpose strategies in the past year, tapping into new opportunities, and increasing budgets while responding to rising scrutiny and regulatory shifts. Article content 'This year's data reveals a deep tension in the corporate purpose space–one where CSR leaders are clear on the business value of their investments but are struggling with how to execute it to its maximum potential in a charged environment,' said Sona Khosla, Chief Impact Officer of Benevity and Head of Benevity Impact Labs. 'CEOs have a vital role to play in maintaining corporate trust and building business resilience by sustaining investment in purpose or risk declining revenue and loyalty from increasingly discontented employees and customers.' Article content For the fifth consecutive year, the State of Corporate Purpose study was conducted by Benevity Impact Labs, a social innovation lab and research hub. The annual survey included more than 500 corporate impact leaders from around the globe. The data shows that corporate social impact is maturing as it becomes an enterprise-wide endeavor but remains a critical strategy for building business and employee resilience. Article content Article content 92% of leaders say they are investing in social impact programs because it's good for business; 88% say their impact strategy is future-proofing their business when it comes to talent acquisition and retention, customers and regulatory requirements; and 91% say they are making sure their programs support their corporate strategy & values. Article content According to the 2025 Benevity State of Corporate Purpose Report, as external pressures and complexities increase in the CSR and social impact space, several key trends are at work and expected to influence and shape corporate purpose perspectives, strategies, and implementations in 2025. Article content Corporate caution heightens business risk. Companies who scale back their communications and public commitments to social and environmental impact risk eroding trust among both employees and consumers, negatively impacting their brand and bottom line. While 52% of leaders say their CEOs will be less vocal this year, more than three quarters (76%) acknowledge they expect employee activism. Balancing that potential gap is a corporate risk factor that is being managed across departments, from impact professionals to communications, HR, and legal teams.
Hamilton Spectator
14-05-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Annual Benevity State of Corporate Purpose Report Finds Purpose Remains a Strategic Contributor to Business Success
CALGARY, Alberta, May 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today, Benevity Inc. released its fifth annual State of Corporate Purpose Report during the Benevity Live! conference in Palm Springs, California. The report shows that while corporate social responsibility (CSR) has become significantly more complex and cross-functional, it continues to be a measurable, strategic contributor to business success and resilience. The 2025 report reflects a defining moment for corporate purpose, with nearly two-thirds of companies having significantly shifted their corporate purpose strategies in the past year, tapping into new opportunities, and increasing budgets while responding to rising scrutiny and regulatory shifts. 'This year's data reveals a deep tension in the corporate purpose space–one where CSR leaders are clear on the business value of their investments but are struggling with how to execute it to its maximum potential in a charged environment,' said Sona Khosla, Chief Impact Officer of Benevity and Head of Benevity Impact Labs. 'CEOs have a vital role to play in maintaining corporate trust and building business resilience by sustaining investment in purpose or risk declining revenue and loyalty from increasingly discontented employees and customers.' For the fifth consecutive year, the State of Corporate Purpose study was conducted by Benevity Impact Labs , a social innovation lab and research hub. The annual survey included more than 500 corporate impact leaders from around the globe. The data shows that corporate social impact is maturing as it becomes an enterprise-wide endeavor but remains a critical strategy for building business and employee resilience. According to the 2025 Benevity State of Corporate Purpose Report, as external pressures and complexities increase in the CSR and social impact space, several key trends are at work and expected to influence and shape corporate purpose perspectives, strategies, and implementations in 2025. 'Leaders across the board are adjusting the way they talk about corporate impact. They are still doing the work but are adapting their narratives to meet the moment and working more cross functionally to do so,' said Khosla. 'In 2025, corporate communications will be a key partner for CSR teams. Two-thirds expect to engage with corporate communications teams more, and 30% expect to do so a lot more.' 'More than 23 million volunteer hours were tracked across the Benevity Enterprise Impact Platform in 2024,' said Candace Worley, Chief Product Officer for Benevity. 'Volunteering is emerging as a critical component of building more resilient companies and cultures as we continue to experience the increasing pace of both technological and workplace change.' 'In an era of distrust and polarization, these numbers represent a real opportunity for companies to lean into ERGs as a powerful and authentic way to sustain inclusion efforts amidst a changing regulatory and legal environment and strengthen business resilience,' said Khosla. 'As everyone works through the opportunities that responsible AI can offer, our State of Corporate Purpose study found that 82% of companies believe nonprofits require more corporate support to bridge the AI gap,' commented Ian Goldsmith, Chief AI Officer for Benevity. 'As corporations advance their AI capabilities, they have a unique opportunity to offer technical expertise, fund AI-driven tools, and provide skill-sharing with nonprofit partners.' Insights for navigating the current environment and trends in the 2025 State of Corporate Purpose Report included: driving efficiency and measurement into core CSR programs, strengthening internal and external narratives around CSR to more clearly connect purpose to company values, maintaining employee choice in giving and volunteering, and investing in more holistic direct support for nonprofits and communities infrastructure needs. This week at Benevity Live!, further insights offered by Khosla, other Benevity executives, and impact practitioners from around the world focused on the challenges and opportunities for CSR and social impact today - and how purpose is connected to business success. The full 2025 Benevity State of Corporate Purpose Report may be found here . About Benevity Benevity , a certified B Corporation, is the leading global provider of social impact software, providing the only integrated suite of community investment and employee, customer and nonprofit engagement solutions. Recognized as one of Fortune's Impact 20, Benevity provides a robust, all-in-one SaaS platform designed to simplify and scale CSR and social impact programs. The platform unifies giving, volunteering, grants management, and employee mobilization - empowering companies to connect purpose with measurable business results. Benevity has processed more than $18.5 billion in donations and 99 million hours of volunteering time to support 513,000 nonprofits worldwide. The company's solutions have also facilitated 1.5 million acts of goodness and managed grants worth $18 billion. For more information, visit . About Benevity Impact Labs Benevity Impact Labs is a social innovation lab that brings new data, research and insights to help companies, nonprofits and individuals accelerate their impact and inclusion efforts. With unparalleled access to the world's most iconic brands, Benevity Impact Labs combines Benevity's robust data and insights with third-party research to report on the top trends shaping corporate purpose and to provide measurable proof of the value of social impact. Media Contact: Indrani Ray-Ghosal│ Press & Analyst Relations │ 1.647.574.9559 │ press@
