A survey of corporate social impact professionals released by the Association of Corporate Citizenship Professionals (ACCP) and YourCause from Blackbaud, reveals that 96% of respondents reported their company’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) remains strong.
This comprehensive survey of 125 major corporations covers a range of topics, including the impact of new SEC climate reporting rules, C-suite commitment to CSR, ESG and DEI initiatives, a rise in employee volunteerism, the evolution and impact of new technologies, and diversification of the social impact profession.
Association of Corporate Citizenship Professionals (ACCP) president and CEO Carolyn Berkowitz said, “Our survey sends a clear signal that despite an intense political environment, DEI, CSR and ESG programmes progress as executives continue to strongly support the work given the business advantage they provide. 96% of the companies that responded to our survey report their companies’ commitment to DEI remains strong, although they are mitigating risk by adjusting how they communicate about the work and encouraging legal review of existing programmes.”
Conducted in April 2024, the survey provides unique insights from professionals responsible for executing corporate social impact programs at many of the world’s major employers, offering a first-hand perspective on the effects of intense political and legal debates on corporate citizenship.
While corporate leaders continue to firmly support their companies’ CSR, ESG, and DEI initiatives, they are demanding an increased focus on measuring the impact of their social impact work to fully understand the positive contributions to the business. This year’s survey reports that 71% of respondents have seen an increase in demand from corporate executives to measure the impact of their work, up from 54% in last year’s survey.
The survey also found that 50% of respondents remain unclear on the implications of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) recent announcement on climate change reporting requirements. Experts suggest that increased reporting requirements may detract from resourcing impactful social impact programmes, with 35% of respondents having observed more resources being allocated to ESG reporting or reporting technology.
Leveraging new technology is becoming increasingly important in implementing and reporting the impact of corporate social impact work according to the survey. Corporate social impact professionals see a variety of ways AI can help with their work, from better data analysis and aggregation (49%) to better communications (24%) and better storytelling (12%). However, 12% are unsure or unclear on how to use AI in their work.
Also, 26% of respondents have implemented a new technology solution in the past 12 months, and another 19% are discussing or laying the groundwork for new technology. 14% of respondents have invested in ESG reporting technology because of increased reporting regulations while 31% of respondents say they need improved technology to meet their team’s demands and expectations.
The survey also noted that CSR teams and leaders are gradually becoming more diverse with 20% of respondents indicating their staff was 50% or more black, indigenous, or other people of color (BIPOC), compared to 13% last year. The number of respondents whose teams were 50-74% BIPOC also increased by five percent from 2023. The percentage of respondents who said their team leader was a BIPOC woman increased by 5% over 2023.