Updated: February 11, 2025
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is more than a buzzword.
Simply put, CSR is “the idea that a business has a responsibility to the society that exists around it.”
In 2025, a company’s CSR efforts might be a deciding factor in its success. The research below shows how both consumers and employees care about CSR, which makes it an important part of any business strategy.
CSR initiatives don’t have to be expensive or complicated. Small businesses can do good, give back, and still gain the benefits, all on a limited budget.
Why Corporate Social Responsibility is Crucial in 2025
Corporate social responsibility involves company-led initiatives that prioritize community, social good, activism, or philanthropy.
While that’s always been important, it may be even more so this year for a few reasons:
- Consumer attitudes: A study by research firm Leger found that 64% of consumers feel a brand’s social responsibility efforts are important to them. They also found that 79% of consumers feel brands have the resources to make a difference in the causes that matter to them. A 2024 study from Deloitte states over 40% of Millennials and Gen Z have rejected assignments or employers based on personal ethics.
- Employee expectations: The 2022 Edelman Trust Barometer report found that 69% of surveyed employees believe that positive societal impact is a strong expectation or deal breaker when considering a job. In addition, an average of 69% of employees say societal impact is a strong expectation or deal breaker when considering a job.
- Business success: One KPMG study found that 70% of surveyed CEOs in 2021 believed environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiates improved financial performance, up from 37% the previous year. In a recent McKinsey & Company survey, 85% of chief investment officers said that ESG is an important factor in their investment decisions.
From this data snapshot, you can see that CSR has a significant impact on consumers, employees, and businesses. So, making sure your company is engaging in strong CSR initiatives can be a bonus for the wider community and your bottom line.
5 Ways Small Businesses Can Practice CSR on a Limited Budget
It’s a common assumption that CSR has to be expensive and that it’s only for large corporations, who can donate millions of dollars to charity.
In reality, any company can do good and give back in its own way. If you’re watching your budget, you just need a little creativity.
Here are five ways to participate in CSR at your company in 2025.
1. Pick a Cause and Go All-In
When you’re working with a small CSR budget, your best bet for the most significant impact is to hyper-focus your efforts.
Ideally, you should decide on a single cause and strategically dedicate your dollars and resources to supporting it. This could be something like:
- One local charity or non-profit in your community
- A specific cause or movement (i.e., mental health, children’s health and wellness, education)
- An event or initiative (i.e., an annual fundraising gala)
Start by asking your team what causes they’d like to support. With their input, you increase the chance of buy-in and give everyone something to feel excited and energized by.
2. Get Creative with Your Donation Dollars
Financial donations are always welcomed by charities, causes, and initiatives. And in 2025, donating money to great causes online is easier than ever.
You can donate directly to the program of your choice or through one of these innovative giving platforms:
- Kiva: This online platform lets you make small business loans to entrepreneurs in developing countries all over the world for as little as $25. Search for various causes like women-owned businesses, U.S. entrepreneurs, agriculture, etc., and donate as much or as little as your company can afford. This is a great way to help people create an opportunity for themselves and their communities. And with a repayment rate of nearly 96%, you can take that donation and reinvest it repeatedly.
- GiveDirectly: This app uses mobile technology to transfer money directly to emergency relief and low-income families. Right now, they’re delivering cash to wildfire survivors in the hardest-hit areas of Los Angeles.
- GoFundMe: This popular platform is used to crowdsource finances for personal causes and initiatives. It’s a great way to get involved with and support local community needs that may not be attached to a formal charity.
3. Offer Volunteer Days for Your Team
If you don’t have dollars to donate to charity, you can opt instead to donate time.
You could offer your staff a set number of volunteer days each year, above and beyond their regular vacation time and other paid days off. There are two ways to do this:
- Employee choice: Let your team members take a day off to volunteer at the charity of their choice. You can have them submit a request for management approval.
- Team volunteer days: Bring the whole team together and volunteer for a day. Not only do you give back to your community, but it’s a great bonding experience for everyone. Many businesses get involved in team charity days around the holidays, but volunteers are needed in the community all year round to support programs like food bank sorting or park and nature trail maintenance.
Volunteering your time can also mean activities like hosting a workshop or mentorship. By sharing your unique skills and knowledge, you can support students, immigrants, people returning to the workforce, or others who want to learn and grow.
4. Match Employee Charitable Donations
Another great way to maximize the impact of your company’s charitable donations is to match your staff’s donations to their choice of charity.
This is an effective way for both your business and your team to reap the tax benefits of charitable donations as well.
You can take it a step further by offering automatic payroll deductions. So, instead of having to remember to donate regularly, it’s simply taken from their paycheque and given to the charity of their choice. Estimates show that $2 – 3 billion dollars is donated through matching programs every year.
5. Find Ways to Go Green
Being socially responsible doesn’t necessarily need to mean giving time or money to charities. It can be as simple as taking action to operate your business in an environmentally-conscious way.
It could look like:
- Swapping in energy-efficient light bulbs
- Going paperless (as much as possible)
- Banning plastic bottles and providing your staff with reusable ones
- Providing a free transit pass to employees or installing secure bike storage
- Installing a dishwasher to avoid reusable cutlery and encouraging your team to pack lunches
- Use green and non-toxic cleaning products in your office
- Ask your team to power down all electronics when they’re not using them
Even small steps in the right direction can make a big impact.
CSR in Tucson: Local Charities and Non-Profits You Can Support
If you’re local here in Tucson, there are so many opportunities to give back to our community.
Here are a few to choose from:
- Casa Maria Soup Kitchen is committed to fighting hunger and homelessness in Tucson. You can support through volunteering, advocacy, or donating money and goods.
- Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona supports individuals and families in need across five counties. Support them through donations and volunteering or by hosting your own food drive.
- Toys for Tots Tucson is run by the United States Marine Corps Reserve, and they collect and distribute toys to children from families in need. You can support the mission by donating toys or donating online.
- Children’s Clinics is a comprehensive medical home that offers southern Arizona’s families a unique environment to meet the healthcare needs of their children. It has more than 25 medical and dental specialty clinics, primary care, behavioral health, and therapy services under one roof.
- Salvation Army Tucson supports people in Tucson by providing shelter, rehabilitation services, and food or clothing donations. Get involved by giving a monetary gift or donating clothing at their Earth Day event, Recycling Goods, Rebuilding Lives. Diaper Bank of Southern Arizona supports both babies and adults struggling with incontinence to get the diapers they need. You can get involved by hosting a diaper drive for families in need.
- Emerge Center Against Domestic Abuse provides emergency shelter and support services to survivors of domestic abuse. Become a volunteer or corporate partner, host a fundraiser, or donate in-kind items to help end abuse in our community.
- Aviva Tucson supports more than 3,000 children in foster care with family support, health services, and emergency resources. You can donate financially, craft or sew a gift, or support with donations of school supplies and hygiene items.
- Gospel Rescue Mission seeks to end homelessness by providing shelter, food, clothing, addiction recovery, and employment or housing opportunities. You can support their mission through donations or volunteering.
There are also Tucson branches of national organizations such as United Way Tucson and Ronald McDonald House Charities Southern Arizona.
This is a non-exhaustive list. If you want to dive a bit deeper and see what’s happening in and around Tucson, check out the charity directory compiled by the Newcomers Club of Tucson. They’ve cataloged dozens of initiatives, programs, charities, and nonprofit organizations, all grouped by categories like animal, seniors, children, health, social justice, and more.
Whichever cause you choose, corporate social responsibility can help boost your reputation and make your employees happier at work. And with some planning and a strategic approach, you can do it effectively without breaking the bank.
At The Post, we’re all about supporting the community inside and beyond our walls. Want to join a community-minded professional workspace in Tucson? Book a tour of our space, or get in touch with us today. Our team is available to speak with you.