The 2025 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Insights Survey reveals that corporate social impact programs and initiatives remain central to how companies build brand loyalty, recruit and retain employees, manage risk, create business value, and make a meaningful impact on communities.
Not surprisingly, however, federal policies and subsequent actions have taken a toll on the integration of diversity, equity and inclusion into CSR. Companies reporting decreased DEI integration into CSR rose to 11 percent in 2025 from less than 1 percent in 2023.
Conducted in April of 135 companies representing approximately $1 billion in community investment, the annual survey was released this week by the Association of Corporate Citizenship Professionals, a membership organization advancing the practice of corporate social impact, and YourCause® from Blackbaud, a leading software provider dedicated to powering social impact. It comes amid intensifying stakeholder scrutiny and a corporate landscape deemed “complex” due to economic and political pressures.
In its findings, 72 percent of CSR teams say they have seen their roles expand amid heightened scrutiny of companies’ social impact efforts, yielding positive benefits. For example, 62 percent of respondents reported increased visibility in their organizations; 43 percent cited new career advancement opportunities; and 41 percent noted stronger team engagement. While 30 percent reported burnout, that figure is down from 43 percent in 2024.
Other findings reveal important trends.
Greater investment alignment with business goals; strengthening talent pipelines: Job training and/or workforce development, and K-12 education are two of the three top issue areas companies are investing in today.
Investment is shifting to issue areas deemed less politically sensitive, but critical for business function: Support for community revitalization increased to 36 percent, up 2 percent from the 2024 survey, and increased to 35 percent for STEM education, up 3 percent from 2024.
At the same time, investment declined in racial equity/justice (dropping to 11 percent from 33 percent in 2024); environmental sustainability (down to 41 percent from 51 percent in 2024); humanitarian crises (down to 8 percent from 21 percent in 2024); gender equality/LGBTQ+ rights (down to 6 percent from 15 percent in 2024).
Artificial intelligence is reshaping CSR work. AI use increased substantially, with 73 percent of CSR teams leveraging AI to improve communications, productivity and data analysis, up from 53 percent in 2024. AI use to improve productivity alone jumped to 64 percent this year, up from just 15 percent last year.
Budget priorities are shifting. Employee engagement budgets increased the most, with 36 percent reporting growth. Foundation budgets rose slightly to 34 percent.
Political pressures are reshaping DEI integration into CSR. Seventy-one percent of CSR professionals report changing the language around DEI efforts; 44 percent have decreased external communications about DEI; 36 percent have seen increased legal oversight of DEI initiatives; and 72 percent report being somewhat to very concerned about the impact of executive orders and legal actions on their DEI-related programs.
The CSR Insights Survey has been conducted annually since 2020, providing unique insight from those who are responsible for carrying out corporate social impact programs. Respondents are comprised of CSR professionals on the frontlines of many of the world’s major employers.
“This year’s survey underscores a pivotal—and encouraging—shift in how companies approach social impact,” said Andrew J. Troup, head of Giving and Engagement at Blackbaud. “CSR professionals are not only being asked to do more—they’re being empowered to lead in new ways. From leveraging AI to drive efficiency, to aligning programs with business goals, the data shows that CSR is becoming more strategic, visible, and valued across organizations.”
