With more consumers factoring company values into their decision to promote and advocate for businesses, corporate social responsibility (CSR) has definitely evolved far beyond a nice-to-have. Thoughtfully planned and designed CSR strategies can support your brand identity and forge positive and lasting impressions.
The best CSR programs go beyond good intentions – they support companies in keeping great people, building real trust with customers, and forming partnerships that have the power to improve people’s lives. For instance, for social enterprises and socially conscious companies like Patagonia, giving back is part of their business model, from sustainable sourcing to donating profits in support of global challenges. If you’re looking to cultivate a strong and focused social impact like Patagonia or Who Gives A Crap, you’ll first need to start by finding your purpose and assessing the best strategies for committing to it over the long term.
At CARE Australia, we work with all of our corporate partners and sponsors to turn their intentions into action, from facilitating aid to helping rebuild lives long after the headlines fade out of the news cycle. Through our experience managing humanitarian projects worldwide, we’ve seen firsthand how corporate donations and values-led collaboration can be a force for good.
If you’re building or refreshing your CSR strategy, here’s how to make it thoughtful, effective, and something your whole team can be proud of.
What is a CSR Strategy?
A CSR strategy is a company’s plan for how it will make a positive social impact on communities and the planet. A robust CSR strategy ties together the causes a company supports, the programs it runs (like workplace giving, volunteering, or community partnerships), and how it measures what all of these initiatives ultimately achieves.
Today, the strongest CSR strategies don’t just tick the social impact box – they also fuel business goals and speak to what matters most to employees. People want to feel their work stands for something bigger, and CSR investments are often how companies make that possible.
We’ve seen that employees are the heart of any successful CSR effort. Whether it’s rallying behind local projects or raising funds for forgotten crises like the Sudan, it’s their energy and commitment that drives long-term change.
CSR as a Pillar of the Employee Experience
Corporate social responsibility can’t live in a policy doc, or pop up only during an annual campaign. It needs to show up in people’s everyday work lives. When social impact programs are visible, personal, and meaningful, people are more likely to engage. And when they do, everyone benefits (from stronger team culture to a deeper connection with the company’s purpose).
It’s not enough to offer a CSR program in isolation from your workforce. Employees need to see how your CSR initiatives connect to your company values and in your messaging and actions to clients, customers, and the wider world. Without that connection, even well-intentioned efforts can fall flat.
Just take a look at the data: 92% of companies offer matching programs, but only 1 in 5 employees participate. That’s a missed opportunity, not just for impact, but for engagement.
The most effective corporate strategies are the ones that meet people where they are. That means building programs that align with employee wellbeing, that reflect a company’s mission, and that makes it easy for everyone to take part, no matter their role or schedule.
6 Best Practices for a Strong CSR Strategy
So how do you build a corporate social responsibility strategy that actually connects with people? We’ve seen what works (and what doesn’t), and we’ve pulled together a few ideas to help you get started.
1. Understand Your Company’s Impact and Values
Every company has something that sets it apart, whether it’s your people, your values, the way you work, or what you stand for. That’s your starting point.
Your corporate social responsibility strategy should build on those strengths, not reinvent them. It’s not about changing who you are, but rather about showing up with more purpose. The goal is to take what you already do well and use it to make a meaningful impact, both inside your business and out in the world.
How to Apply Company Strengths to a CSR Strategy
King & Wood Mallesons is a top-tier law firm, but it’s their people (and their values) that drive the impact of their KWM Responsible Business program.
Through workplace giving, staff donate straight from their pay to support CARE’s work, showing how simple actions can add up to big change. They’ve taken on fundraising challenges like Walk in Her Shoes, raising awareness of the daily barriers girls face without clean water, and helping fund projects to change that reality.
But it doesn’t stop at donations. King & Wood Mallesons backs CARE with pro bono legal support, offers up office space for events, and partners with us to help engage other Australian companies in meaningful conversations about corporate responsibility and gender equality.
2. Engage Employees in CSR Initiatives
To build a CSR strategy that truly resonates, create ways for your team to share what matters most to them, whether you’re championing environmental causes, social justice, or supporting access to education.
As you plan your CSR programs, we recommend you keep your employee experience front and centre. Empower your people by offering options like open-choice giving, so they can direct donations to the causes closest to their hearts.
Skills-based volunteering is another powerful way for employees to use their unique talents to support nonprofits in a meaningful, hands-on capacity. Whether by offering volunteer leave for your employees to participate independently in volunteer activities or organising special fundraising events where employees can make their own unique contributions, these opportunities help ensure your CSR initiatives are personally enriching and empowering for your staff as well.
How to Create an Internal Employee Network
Every workplace has individuals who naturally take the lead. Recognising and supporting these internal champions can amplify your company’s social impact efforts.
For instance, some organisations have established employee-led groups that focus on community engagement. These groups often spearhead initiatives such as organising volunteer days or coordinating fundraising events to address pressing community needs.
The impact of CSR on employee loyalty can’t be overstated. When people feel like their values are shared by their employer (and when they’re empowered to act on those values), it deepens connection, pride and purpose at work.
If your organisation doesn’t yet have such groups, consider initiating them. Start by identifying passionate employees and providing them with the resources and support needed to lead. If these groups already exist, involve them in the planning and execution of your CSR programs. Their insights and enthusiasm can drive more authentic and effective initiatives, ensuring that your company’s philanthropic efforts resonate both internally and externally.
3. Invest in Sustainable and Ethical Practices
Even the best CSR strategy won’t go far if people don’t know about it. That’s why communication can’t be an afterthought. From warehouse teams to frontline staff to the people behind the desks, everyone deserves to know how they can take part in social impact efforts. It’s about meeting people where they are, in language that resonates, through channels that actually reach them.
Leadership buy-in matters too. When senior leaders speak up about the company’s values (and back them up with action), it sends a strong message. Connecting CSR to clear business outcomes can help open those conversations and ensure programs are resourced to succeed.
How to Get the Word Out About CSR Programs
We’ve seen that just one email won’t cut it. CSR needs to live across every touchpoint: in breakroom posters, manager conversations, group chats, and team meetings.
Thoughtful messaging is also essential because when people understand the stakes, they’re more likely to act. When Aussie mums learn they have access to 100 times more clean water than women in Gaza, it doesn’t just shift their perspective – it moves them to care, to give and to share.
By sharing your stories and insights, you can inspire people to join your cause, which won’t just give your CSR program momentum and deepen your social impact, but also translate into real-world advantages and improvements for those affected, like all those hard-working mothers in Gaza.
4. Support Community Development and Social Causes
The strongest social impact starts with listening. Your company’s role in supporting community development begins with a relationship. That means partnering with local organisations and nonprofits not as an afterthought, but as trusted experts in their own communities.
We’ve learned that lasting change happens when communities are heard, not just helped. The same should apply to any corporate social responsibility strategy. Before launching an initiative, ask: What do people actually need? Then trust their answers. Let those insights shape how your business shows up.
How to Apply Trust-Based Practices to Your CSR Program
In conflict zones like Gaza, we’ve seen firsthand how trust-based partnerships with local organisations save lives. When resources are scarce and the need is urgent (like when the elderly and children are trapped, sick and hungry in what can only be described as a death zone), local partners don’t have time to wade through red tape. They need support that’s flexible, fast and grounded in respect.
That’s why we embrace the ethos of trust-based philanthropy. We listen to local experts. We don’t dictate. We collaborate. Because the people who live and work in these communities every day are the ones who know what’s needed most.
For businesses, adopting a trust-based approach to corporate social responsibility means shifting the power dynamic. It means entering communities with humility, respect, and a willingness to learn.
5. Partner with Trusted Nonprofits Like CARE
When your business partners with a trusted nonprofit like CARE, you’re connecting your values with real, lasting impact. Our work spans decades, continents, and communities – responding where the need is greatest and staying long after headlines fade.
What we do in a crisis isn’t just about urgent relief (though that’s critical). It’s about supporting local leaders, restoring dignity, economic stability, and helping families and communities rebuild for the future. From rapid emergency response to long-term recovery and resilience, our friendly team brings deep experience and trusted partnerships to the table.
How to Choose the Right Partnership for Your CSR Goals
Choosing the right CSR partnerships typically involves finding charitable organisations, non-governmental organisations, and even other corporate partners whose values align with your own. By operating with the same value systems and goals in place, you can ensure your joint CSR initiatives stay focused and goal-oriented.
For instance, here at CARE we collaborate closely with each partner to build programs that are meaningful for their employees and measurable for their business. Our corporate partners can opt to contribute specifically to crisis funds so their resources are going to whichever communities are most in need, or they can also offer to make regular donations to a campaign that best aligns with the goals and objectives driving their internal CSR initiatives.
6. Measure, Report, and Communicate Your CSR Efforts
As more companies lean into corporate social responsibility, there’s growing pressure to prove it’s making a difference. But not everything that matters can be captured in a spreadsheet.
Yes, numbers like volunteer hours and donations are useful, but they’re only part of the picture. What about the boost to employee wellbeing? The unexpected moments of solidarity? The long-term trust built with local communities? These aren’t always easily measured, but they matter deeply.
We encourage our partners to embrace nuance. Real impact is layered, complex and often takes time.
How to Create the Right Impact Measurement Plan
Measuring the true impact of your CSR efforts goes beyond just tracking simple numbers. While it’s easy to count things like volunteer hours or donations, these don’t always capture the full story. Especially in complex situations like the Gaza blockade, where delivering aid is incredibly challenging, it’s crucial to take a deeper, more nuanced approach.
Start by identifying the outcomes that matter most to your company and the communities you serve. Then build an impact measurement plan that balances short-term indicators (such as program participation or immediate feedback) with long-term goals like improved well-being and sustained community resilience.
By focusing on these meaningful measures, you’ll not only show the value of your CSR programs to company leaders and employees but also find new ways to strengthen your impact where it’s needed most.
Why Corporate Social Responsibility Matters More Than Ever
In a world grappling with protracted conflicts, climate shocks, and widening inequality, corporate social responsibility is more than just good business – it’s a chance to stand up for people who need it most. Right now, families are fighting to survive in places like Gaza, Sudan and Ukraine. By stepping up, companies can help deliver urgent relief and support communities long after the crisis slips from the headlines.
At CARE, we see every day how powerful it is when businesses choose to act. Your partnership can help on the front line – getting food, water and healthcare to those caught in conflict. It can help us develop economic assistance that rebuilds livelihoods and restores hope. It can also give weight to global calls for peace, like welcoming ceasefire agreements that are so desperately needed.
This is why your CSR efforts matter now more than ever. Because together, we can reach people in their darkest moments and help create the conditions for lasting recovery.
Donate to CARE today to stand with communities who can’t wait for help.
