In 2024, people donated about £15.4 billion to charity, and roughly three-quarters of adults took part in at least one charitable activity. That shows people care, and they act on it. However, while the charity sector overall remains active, corporate giving does not reflect a universal upward trend. In fact, donations from some large companies have declined over the past decade, with FTSE 100 corporate giving falling by roughly a third in that period.
At a time when trust and transparency carry more weight than ever, companies have a real opportunity to rebuild confidence through clear reporting, authentic partnerships and working with value-aligned suppliers. For example, adopting this values-based approach can include using CSR software to measure activity accurately or choosing responsible manufacturers such as House of Flags, whose ECO products and UK-based production support sustainability goals without adding unnecessary complexity
How Can Organisations Get Involved?
Every action counts, and when organisations get these foundations right, proving the positive impact they are having becomes simpler. These changes in charitable giving align with market data that indicates the UK CSR software industry is expanding, with projected steady growth and market revenue of approximately US$48.5 million in 2023.
A recent platform-level analysis revealed that employee engagement with corporate giving and volunteering increased significantly in the UK in 2023, indicating that employee involvement with giving back is also undergoing a market shift. In certain datasets, participation rates increased, and overall involvement increased by about 25% annually.
So what does this mean? It shows that when companies measure the right things, it’s possible not only to deliver meaningful positive impact but also to turn goodwill into verifiable business results.
To put those principles into practice, here are five ways organisations can build a more effective CSR strategy.
1. Measure KPIs and Map Them
It is impossible for every company to make an impact in every area or to create translatable business impacts in every department. Selecting three to six metrics that align with business and personal priorities is a good place to start. This can include metrics such as volunteer hours, employee participation rates, supplier local spend, pounds donated, and CO₂ reductions.
The key is to pick metrics that matter, both to your business and to the wider community. Using CSR software is especially helpful here, as it centralises your KPIs so the data is clear, consistent, and easy to interpret. CSR platforms allow you to record volunteer hours, donations, emissions data, and other key indicators in one place. They then convert this information into dashboards and reports, giving you centralised, reliable KPIs.
This makes quarterly and annual reporting far simpler and significantly reduces the amount of manual reconciliation required.
2. Design Programmes Around the Employee
Employees are more likely to engage with programmes that resonate with them and that are easy to find, sign up for and track the impact of.
Combining a volunteering system, payroll giving, and donation matching into a single employee experience helps staff to better engage with programmes. These systems can also allow staff to increase engagement through creating profiles, logging hours and sharing impact stories. KindLink’s volunteering marketplace and employee profiles make it simple for staff to discover opportunities and for HR to measure engagement.
3. Make Suppliers Part of Your CSR Plan
Even ethical businesses can be negatively impacted if they work with unethical suppliers. Make suppliers part of your CSR plan and set simple requirements, such as recycled content, local production, and audited social standards, to create a truly positive impact and grow your reputation within the market.
Track spend with those suppliers and, where appropriate, prefer suppliers who publish eco options or local manufacturing. Log supplier-related KPIs in your CSR platform so you can show what proportion of supplier spend meets your sustainability criteria. This turns procurement choices into reportable impact.
4. Make Storytelling Part of Measurements
Numbers are important, but people are more likely to connect with real-world stories than data sets. When you log volunteer hours or publish funds raised in your CSR software, ask partners or employees for one-paragraph impact notes and photos to bring their journey to life and make it a more personal experience. Use your platform’s profile and social integrations to publish short case studies and social posts that pair the KPI with a human angle.
5. Automate Reporting and Keep Compliance Simple
Regulations and stakeholder expectations around CSR/ESG reporting are rising.
Reduce auditing complications by capturing evidence at the point of activity. This can include timestamps on volunteering logs, receipts for donations, and supplier certifications attached to procurement records to create concrete evidence.
Use a CSR platform that supports SDG mapping, ESG/CSRD reporting templates and audit logs so you can export compliant reports without last-minute data hunts.
In Conclusion
An effective CSR strategy is built on clarity, transparency, and consistency. When organisations focus on measurable goals, support employees with simple participation pathways, and maintain transparent partnerships, their impact becomes easier to demonstrate and grow.
CSR software helps bring structure to these efforts, and responsible suppliers, such as House of Flags, strengthen the credibility of the overall approach. By keeping the process organised and aligned with real priorities, businesses can show meaningful progress that feels genuine to both their teams and the communities they support.