Today Benevity, a social impact software company, released new data surveying business leaders regarding their attitudes toward CSR initiatives and how these investments drive business and social impact.

Why it matters: This data highlights the growth of CSR as a strategic business driver, with business leaders increasingly investing in initiatives such as climate change that require action now, as opposed to waiting for the new administration to share its plans. Additionally, given that CSR initiatives have been shown to increase employee engagement, understanding the challenges and opportunities of implementing these programs will be crucial for companies aiming to enhance engagement in the new year.

Key findings from the report include:

• 47% of executives strongly agree their company’s current CSR initiatives are creating a positive business impact.
• Over the next 12 months, 76% of leaders anticipate an increase in their company’s monetary investment in CSR initiatives — with 15% expecting a budget increase of more than 15%.
• 43% of leaders say their companies are increasing investment in CSR initiatives because those investments deliver direct business ROI.
• The top two drivers behind these increased investments are interest among employees to work for a company with impactful CSR initiatives (53%) and interest among consumers to purchase from companies with impactful CSR initiatives (49%).

Additional fidings from Benevity's report can be read in the press release here. I can also connect you directly with Sona Khosla, Chief Impact Officer at Benevity, to discuss her view on an “act now” mindset for utilizing CSR efforts to drive positive business impact in 2025.