Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) touches every facet of business and companies that strategically integrate CSR are more likely to survive. Here are the top 2024 CSR trends.

By Livi Kerszenbaum, Senior Director, Corporate Social Responsibility

How is CSR impacting business resiliency?

Last year, the world of business was quite dynamic. Rapid AI adoption; geopolitical strife; mainstream challenges to environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG); and new supply chain regulations all contributed to the challenges that leaders faced. Through it all, it became increasingly clear that the future belongs to those who keep an eye on change and have the agility to adapt.

Building resiliency is key to that agility.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) touches every facet of business and companies that strategically integrate a CSR focus into the core of their business model are more resilient.

Why? Because their purpose-driven culture builds a workforce, leaders, and stakeholders that are engaged and motivated. They are more apt to bring a greater level of energy, innovation, problem solving, and passion to the challenges at hand compared to companies that lack social purpose.

The following 2024 CSR trends will shape how organizations attract, retain, and empower their workforce this year. Embracing these trends will not only ensure organizational agility and business resiliency, but also foster environments where employees thrive, ultimately contributing to success in an ever-evolving landscape.

2024 CSR TREND #1: Integration of CSR into Business Strategy

Companies will continue to embed Corporate Social Responsibility into their core business strategies, emphasizing the importance of social impact alongside business and financial goals. Human Resource and CSR professionals are in a unique position to bridge the gap between people, purpose, and profits.

At Orange County United Way, we often get the question, “HOW?” How should we integrate CSR into our work? Here are some actionable examples:

1. Assess your impact. The first step to integrating CSR into your business is to assess your current and potential impact on society and the environment. Partnering with a local nonprofit that has their pulse on the community’s greatest challenges and needs is a great way for a company to understand what is impacting its workforce and customers in the day-to-day. For companies seeking a better understanding of their social and community impact, Orange County United Way can assist with this analysis and help to outline a framework for your strategic approach to CSR.
2. Embed purpose into company culture and departments. Once you have assessed your impact and created a framework from which to work within, implement your actions. This can range from adopting policies, such as a VPTO (Volunteer Paid Time Off) and implementing programs to supporting causes and partnerships that align with your goals. For example, support your Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) on issues they care about by partnering with local nonprofits to offer diverse learning opportunities and support giving and volunteering engagements for key awareness dates. As part of their MLK service week, a local company hosted a Fitness Day for elementary students at a Title I school to promote the importance of teamwork, problem solving, and physical activity.
3. Communication. Communicating Corporate Social Responsibility to your customers and stakeholders will only carry you so far. You must make your values clear to your workers as well if your CSR efforts are to make a tangible impact. It is important to communicate your CSR strategy and goals across the company and from top to bottom – leverage your different outreach platforms to reach all team members. Communicate clearly, authentically, and on a regular cadence.

2024 CSR TREND #2: Building a Unified Corporate Culture with Purpose, while Working Remotely

Remote work has undergone a radical transformation and is now a mainstay. In 2024, we expect to see more businesses adopting hybrid models, offering a blend of remote and in-office work. Like most aspects of our daily lives, there is a “new normal” for CSR. Thankfully, the future of CSR is rooted in the basics that were fundamental in pre-pandemic years: focusing on your business purpose and how you can provide value to all stakeholders. To keep CSR as a uniting movement, consider:

1. Draft an Annual Purpose Plan. Here at Orange County United Way, we have found that sitting down with our corporate partners and providing input that supports the activities of their annual calendar creates a sense of calm. Both parties know what is coming up, what to expect, what to communicate, what to plan, and how to be prepared for volunteering, giving, and engagement activities all year long—whether the workforce is on-the-road, remote, hybrid, or in office.
2. Virtual volunteering and hands-on activities. Consider volunteer opportunities, such as our e-Mentorship program, which enables corporate volunteer mentors to participate in quality volunteering from their own environment. Be flexible with event dates and get creative. When you do get the workforce together, break up a day-long business conference with a hands-on activity that engages everyone in an hour or two of social purpose. During one local company’s Annual Holiday Lunch, employees set aside time to assemble Hygiene Kits, which were then distributed to unhoused residents in need.
3. Offer employee-giving opportunities. People want to make a difference. And sometimes, the most powerful way they can is through philanthropy. Consider organizing a giving campaign at your company. Whether it is year-round or a select timeframe, giving campaigns can be fun, informative, engaging, and rewarding. And, they can be done virtually or in person. Learn how Orange County United Way supports companies with employee giving campaigns.

2024 is set to be an exciting year. Make sure you are positioned for success by implementing these 2024 CSR trends. Be creative, engage your team members, leverage technology, and measure results to build business resiliency and ensure your CSR strategy continues to flourish now and in the future. By establishing a stakeholder-wide purpose, you equip the company to weather the tough times. A culture of service bolsters a business, helping it to withstand challenges because of its agility to adapt to the inevitability of change.

Build or Bolster Your CSR Strategy Today

Ready to improve business resiliency and make an impact with a personalized CSR strategy?

To learn how Orange County United Way can support your Corporate Social Responsibility and Employee Engagement contact Livi Kerszenbaum, Senior Director, Corporate Social Responsibility at LiviK@UnitedWayOC.org