Demo VideoThe Future of CSR Software: A Buyer’s Guide
Learn how to find the right features to support a new era of corporate giving and employee engagement
An introduction to the moment
As corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs mature, the technology that powers them needs to mature as well. In 2024, and beyond, CSR professionals will face new pressures, and they need technology that will help them live up to the increased demands.
Much of the pressure comes from employees and customers. In fact, 76% of employees want their employer to make a positive impact in their communities. On top of this, 70% of customers are more motivated to purchase from companies who take an active interest in improving the world.
This momentum puts pressure on organizations to double down on CSR.
But to meet these expectations, CSR teams need more support and resources. In 2023, one-in-five CSR professionals reported mental health concerns on account of rising job demands. Many of your teammates already have too much on their plate.
Good CSR software takes some of the load. It helps by making it easier to launch and track the impact of CSR programs. The right CSR software can also help you focus more on practicing good corporate citizenship, by removing the grunt work and making space for deeper strategic thinking.
And, as we’ll get into, it’s never been more important for CSR teams to think deeply and strategically about their programs. With the backlash against ESG, the rise of AI, and climate change impacting daily life, we’re approaching an inflection point on how companies engage with the communities they’re in. It’s an exciting time, and your CSR software needs to match the moment. Before we get into the specifics of how, let’s reflect on the trends influencing CSR practitioners today.
6 major trends impacting CSR today
The borders and expectations around CSR mirror today’s most pressing social issues. They are constantly evolving. The trends shaping CSR right now are redefining best practices and what “good” CSR software means.
1
ESG backlash may bleed into CSR programs
ESG initiatives are facing ongoing backlash, but business leaders seem to continue to affirm their commitments, albeit with new terminology. This shift may bleed into CSR programs and change how business leaders prioritize and speak about CSR.
Recent legislation understandably affects business leaders’ sentiment towards ESG. According to the Conference Board, 61% of companies surveyed think ESG backlash will continue or intensify in the coming two years. That said, in the same report, the Conference Board also indicates most anti-ESG shareholder proposals fail to gain traction.
61% of companies surveyed think ESG backlash will continue or intensify in the coming two years. Source: Conference Board
In the face of these shifts, a Wall Street Journal article recently reported that business leaders are moving away from “ESG” terminology, largely sticking to their commitments, and using different terminology, such as “responsible business.
Of course, ESG isn’t CSR. But they’re closely related, and however these shifts end up affecting ESG programs, CSR programs are bound to feel the shockwaves. These shockwaves may influence business leaders’ decision to invest in CSR software and their requirements for that software.
2
The “Catch-22” for CSR teams continues
In last year’s report, we identified a “Catch-22,” in which CSR is increasingly becoming a priority for businesses, but the budget and headcount don’t match the intention. This trend continued throughout 2023, and will likely continue throughout 2024.
According to one 2023 study by the Association for Corporate Citizenship Professionals (ACCP), CSR teams felt c-suite leaders were more committed to CSR in 2023, which is reassuring. But these teams also reported these same leaders don’t understand the role of CSR as well as they understand other concepts, like ESG.
As Caroline Berkowitz, CEO of ACCP, describes, this situation has the potential to lead to a “starvation cycle.” This cycle begins when demands on CSR teams increase, but they’re not given the resources to meet these demands.
For many, this cycle may become more intense in 2024, as ACCP’s report goes on to show that 2023 was the first year we’ve seen an uptick in the number of grantmaking budgets declining. In 2023, 21% of CSR grantmaking budgets declined, an increase from 14% in 2022. We’ll have to wait and see if this trend continues in 2024.
Most CSR budgets stayed flat in 2023. Source: ACCP
When it comes to advocating for CSR software, it may help to contextualize it as a way to interrupt this starvation cycle and truly fix the Catch-22 CSR teams seem caught within.
4
Rising pressure around climate change
Climate change is unavoidable—it’s impacting daily life for people across the world. The general public now expects companies to be proactive about their environmental impact, and CSR teams are central to that effort.
We’re at a tipping point when it comes to society’s perception of climate change. Seventy-four percent of Americans say climate change is happening right now. On top of this, two-thirds of Americans believe large businesses aren’t doing enough to combat climate change.
According to the 2023 ACCP study referenced earlier, environmental sustainability is the top social issue at companies with CSR programs. In 2024, this focus is likely to sharpen.
And yet, these trends don’t match philanthropic spending. In fact, only 2% of philanthropic funding goes toward climate change efforts. As more and more people both take note of and see the effects of climate change, it will be increasingly important for companies to prioritize this when planning CSR programs.
6
Participation is a persistent challenge
Although the majority of employees want CSR programs, many employee giving and volunteering programs continue to struggle with participation. In a recent survey, 71% of employees said they wanted a culture supportive of giving and volunteering. Contrast that with the latest CECP report, which shows a 19.4% participation rate for matching gift programs.
For CSR leaders and program managers, it’s essential to close the gap between the number of employees who are excited about CSR in theory and the number of them who actually show up to participate.
There’s no single button companies can push to improve participation. But many CSR leaders are starting to be more intentional about building programs around the employee experience. They’re thinking strategically about what keeps people from volunteering and how to remove those barriers. Beyond that, they’re taking a more holistic approach to employee engagement to help employees feel more connected.
Choosing the right CSR software is the key to creating a positive employee experience—it sets the tone for how employees view and interact with a company’s CSR efforts. Software that gives employees a personal experience and connects to other engagement programs can help employees get involved and stay involved in ways that feel meaningful to them.
Evaluating CSR software in 2024
When evaluating CSR software, it’s important to keep the above trends in mind and to think about the scope of your use case. Some CSR software is capable of delivering a very broad range of features, while others specialize to help companies with one type of CSR programs.
We break CSR programs up into three types:
Community investment: Grantmaking, scholarships, awards, and other community-focused efforts.
Employee volunteering: Efforts and initiatives driven by employee involvement.
Corporate giving: Company-fueled efforts that don't entail the same level of employee involvement.
Keep the following in mind when shopping for CSR software that fits your own use case. Making the right choice can allow you to act quickly, pivot on the fly, and get the most out of your CSR efforts.
Security: A #1 feature for all use cases
No matter your use case, top-notch security is a must for any CSR software you choose.
The cost of the wrong software: Compromised data for millions of customers, as in the case of Blackbaud’s breach in 2020.
Ask yourself:
Is the platform encrypting information?
What’s the company’s data storage policy?
Are they SOC 2 Type 2 certified?
Do they adhere to GDPR rules?
What’s their track record with customer data?
Dig deep and give security the attention it deserves. You and your customer’s depend on it.
7 Features to look for in community investment software
It’s not uncommon for community investment efforts—grantmaking and giving, scholarships, awards, etc—to require tons of paperwork and box checking, for both grantors and grantees. Ideal CSR software should streamline these processes and lower the applicant burden for your community.
The following features can make that a reality.
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1. Workflow automations
2. Built-in fraud prevention
3. In-app communication
4. Collaborative review
5. Two-way integrations
6. Funds tracking and distribution
7. Impact reporting
8 features to look for in employee volunteering software
Employee volunteer programs are a great way to get your team involved in the community, foster team building, and give people a chance to connect with others in a way work doesn’t normally allow. But, organizing employee volunteering efforts takes great effort, and getting them to actually sign up is another matter entirely.
The right CSR software should make it as easy as possible for employees to give back to the community and provide a home for ERGs.
Trulieve upped employee participation and logged 900 volunteer hours over 4 months because of Submittable’s ease of use for employees.
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1. Simple sign-up
2. Personal dashboard
3. ERG alignment
4. Event creation privileges
5. Participant visibility
6. In-app surveys
7. Automated waitlists
8. Dollars for Doers functionality
8 features to look for in corporate giving software
Corporate philanthropy is less hands-on for the bulk of your employees, but can result in a ton of work for your corporate giving, HR, and payroll teams. With the right CSR software, you can streamline corporate giving efforts and even improve your future initiatives overall.
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1. Automatic payroll deductions
2. Company matching
3. Personal impact account
4. Database of vetted nonprofits
5. Campaign creation privileges
6. Collective impact reporting
7. Automatically generated tax documentation
8. Multinational giving and volunteering
Find a CSR solution that keeps up
The trends that influence CSR are always evolving or changing entirely with each passing month. A great CSR platform can evolve right along with these changes. You need CSR software that keeps up with and even defines the trends.
Submittable is flexible, agile, and capable of keeping up with any changes the CSR industry can muster up. Our platform democratizes giving, making it easy for both leadership and your employees to create campaigns and affect change as you scale your CSR efforts.
But that’s not all Submittable can do. Submittable can:
Automate review workflows and save precious time
Streamline launch with drag-and-drop building
Measure impact with advanced, automated reporting
Simplify data with personalized dashboards
Foster collaboration with multiple users, internally and externally
Keep your community safe with SOC 2 Type 2, HIPAA, and GDPR compliance
Don’t let CSR software hold you back. Choose CSR software that helps you focus more on giving, and less on checking boxes.
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