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New Survey of CSR and ESG Professionals Reveals 96% of Corporations Continue to Remain Committed to Diversity Initiatives

  • Blackbaud
  • Jul 17, 2024

Survey of 125 Corporations Conducted by ACCP and YourCause® from Blackbaud® Finds Executives Becoming Increasingly More Interested in Measuring the Impact of their Companies’ ESG, CSR and DEI Initiatives

Fairfax, V.A. & Charleston, S.C. (July 17, 2024) – A survey of corporate social impact professionals responsible for nearly $1 billion in community investments released today by the Association of Corporate Citizenship Professionals (ACCP) and YourCause® from Blackbaud® reveals that despite considerable attention to corporate diversity initiatives, 96% of respondents reported either no change (83%) or an increase (13%) in their companies’ commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). The far-reaching survey of 125 major corporations covers topics ranging from impact of new SEC climate reporting rules, C-suite commitment to CSR, ESG and DEI initiatives, a continued rise in employee volunteerism, evolution and impact of new technologies, and diversification of the social impact profession, among other topics.

“Our survey sends a clear signal that despite an intense political environment, DEI, CSR and ESG programs progress as executives continue to strongly support the work given the business advantage they provide,” said Association of Corporate Citizenship Professionals (ACCP) president and CEO Carolyn Berkowitz. “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 programs. It is good news for the profession as budgets, staffing and leadership’s commitment remain flat or increase, despite a politically turbulent backdrop and intense scrutiny.”

The survey was conducted in April of 2024 by ACCP and YourCause from Blackbaud. The survey provides unique insight from professionals on the frontlines who are responsible for carrying out corporate social impact programs at many of the world’s major employers, providing a first-hand perspective on what, if any, effect intense political and legal debates are having on corporate citizenship. 

“This data is in alignment with what we are hearing when meeting directly with CSR leaders across the industry and we are happy to see that organizations and their employees are deeply committed to engaging with social impact activities through increased participation in volunteerism, sustained employee engagement budgets, heightened visibility in the C-suite, and an increased focus on impact measurement.” said Andrew Troup, director, Giving and Engagement, YourCause from Blackbaud. “The need to measure impact goes hand in hand with the importance of leveraging new technology – especially when the data may live in disparate locations within an organization – and we agree with the respondents that artificial intelligence will play a key role in allowing their organizations to aggregate and analyze their data, enabling them to tell a holistic story of impact.”

Full survey results and topline data illustrations can be viewed here.

A briefer on key toplines from the survey is included, below.

Although there is continued commitment by corporate leaders to stand firmly in support of their company’s CSR, ESG and DEI initiatives, they are demanding an enhanced focus on measuring the impact of their companies’ social impact work to fully understand the positive contributions the initiatives have on the business. In fact, 71% of those surveyed in this year’s survey report an increase in demand from corporate executives to measure the impact of their work, up from 54% in last year’s survey

Another positive development for corporate commitments to DEI remaining strong in the long-term, the survey reported an 11% decrease in the level of concern corporate social impact professionals have about the impact of last year’s Supreme Court of the United States Affirmative Action ruling. Only 25% of those surveyed report significant concern about the future of corporate DEI initiatives, compared to 34% in last fall’s ACCP Pulse Survey.

The survey also discovered 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. The fear, experts have inferred, is that increased reporting requirements detracts from resourcing impactful social impact programs. In fact, 35% of respondents have witnessed more resources going towards ESG reporting or reporting technology.

2024 CSR Insights Survey: Top Six Takeaways

  1. The demand to measure impact continues to increase, but more budget, staff experience, and updated technology are needed. There is also increased exposure to the C-suite regarding CSR, ESG and DEI efforts, while commitment to those areas has remained the same or increased. Overall, the C-suite is committed to the work – but still wants to see the hard data.
    • Increased demand to measure impact continues to grow, as 71% are experiencing this, compared to 53% in 2023.
    • The number of respondents with increased exposure to the C-suite continues steady at 49%, compared to 51% last year. 
    • The number of respondents who need more focus or buy-in from senior leadership dropped by 12% over last year.
    • However, 28% of respondents said they need more staff with impact measurement experience to meet current demands and expectations.
  2. There is significant uncertainty around the implications of the SEC ruling on climate reporting for companies.
    • Fifty percent of respondents remain unclear on the implications of the SEC announcement on climate change reporting requirements.
    • Thirty-five percent of respondents have allocated more resources to ESG reporting or reporting technology with the new ruling.
  3. The level of corporate commitment to DEI has not wavered, although the language being used, and legal/compliance oversight have changed.
    • Eighty-three percent of respondents said their company leadership’s commitment to DEI has remained the same this past year, while 13% say it has increased.
    • With the current political, legal and news environment, 31% of respondents have seen a change in the language (31%) their companies use and the amount they talk externally (17%) about DEI.
    • Another 33% have seen additional oversight or legal review of DEI-related initiatives.
    • Twenty-five percent of respondents are either very concerned or concerned about the SCOTUS Affirmative Action ruling, compared to 34% in the ACCP Pulse Survey in the fall of 2023. However, there was a shift in those somewhat concerned as it increased to 40% from 31%.
  4. Leveraging new technology is becoming increasingly important in implementing and reporting the impact of corporate social impact work.
    • 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.
    • Twenty-six percent 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.
    • Fourteen percent of respondents have invested in ESG reporting technology because of increased reporting regulations.
    • Thirty-one percent of respondents say they need improved technology to meet their team’s demands and expectations.
  5. There is a continued increase in the importance of and participation in employee volunteerism.
    • Seventy-seven percent of respondents have seen increased participation in volunteerism overall, compared to 61% in 2023.
    • Eighty-eight percent of respondents said their employee engagement budgets increased or remained the same, compared to 70% in 2023.
    • Twenty-two percent of respondents said they have seen increased expectations from employees to have a voice in CSR decisions in their companies, compared to 18% in 2023.
  6. CSR teams and leaders are gradually becoming more diverse.
    • Twenty percent of respondents indicated 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.

About Association of Corporate Citizenship Professionals (ACCP)
ACCP is the preeminent membership organization advancing the practice of corporate social impact. ACCP increases the effectiveness of CSR & ESG professionals and their companies by sharing knowledge, fostering solutions, and cultivating inclusive and supportive peer communities. ACCP amplifies the voices of its practitioner network to elevate strategies that work, provide innovative solutions, and expand impact. Learn more at www.accp.org.

About Blackbaud
Blackbaud (NASDAQ: BLKB) is the leading software provider exclusively dedicated to powering social impact. Serving the nonprofit and education sectors, companies committed to social responsibility and individual change makers, Blackbaud’s essential software is built to accelerate impact in fundraising, nonprofit financial management, digital giving, grantmaking, corporate social responsibility and education management. With millions of users and over $100 billion raised, granted or managed through Blackbaud platforms every year, Blackbaud’s solutions are unleashing the potential of the people and organizations who change the world. Blackbaud has been named to Newsweek’s list of America’s Most Responsible Companies, Quartz’s list of Best Companies for Remote Workers, and Forbes’ list of America’s Best Employers. A remote-first company, Blackbaud has operations in the United States, Australia, Canada, Costa Rica and the United Kingdom, supporting users in 100+ countries. Learn more at www.blackbaud.com or follow us on X/Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

Forward-looking Statements 
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