9 Corporate Social Impact Initiatives Thriving in 2025 (And What They Reveal About the Future of CSR)

In a time when many corporate social responsibility programs are stalled, underfunded, or performative, a select few are thriving—and reshaping what's possible.

Earlier this year, we published a post about the 8 most common traps corporate social impact leaders fall into. At the top of that list? Short-term thinking. We cited the stat that 60% of CSR initiatives fail to meet their objectives, often because they prioritize visibility over long-term value.

But here's the good news: a growing number of companies are proving there's a better way.

The CSR programs below all share four things in common:

1. A long-term vision that aligns business strategy with societal needs

2. Leverage of corporate assets to meet real-world needs in underserved communities

3. Employee engagement at scale in ways that create meaningful social impact and professional growth

4. A commitment to system change, not just charity

These are the programs that corporate social impact leaders can learn from—and proudly share with business leaders as examples of what works.

(And if you think we missed a good one, please let me know: mark@movingworlds.org)

1. SAP: Building an Impact Ecosystem Through Social Procurement and Skilled Support

SAP's CSR strategy isn’t a department—it’s an ecosystem. The company invests in impact at multiple levels: through its Acceleration Collective which sponsors employees with time off to help social enterprises scale, and through its rapidly growing impact supply chain initiatives (check out this case study).

In 2024, SAP supported over 160 social enterprises and nonprofits through skills-based consulting engagements, totaling 47,000+ hours of pro bono service. At the same time, it expanded its Buy Social B2B marketplace, now connecting 4,400+ social enterprises with SAP's massive corporate procurement network.

SAP's strategic integration of social enterprises into its supply chain is helping reshape how business gets done—and building the infrastructure for a thriving impact economy.

Check out more highlights here.

2. Microsoft: Entrepreneurship for Positive Impact

Microsoft's "Entrepreneurship for Positive Impact" program is a global effort to empower social enterprises with the tools, training, and networks they need to grow.

Through strategic partnerships, mentoring, access to Microsoft technology, and local accelerator support, this initiative helps early- and growth-stage social enterprises leverage digital transformation to scale their impact. In doing so, Microsoft isn't just funding innovation—it's enabling system-level change by backing entrepreneurs solving for equity, education, climate, and more.

This program exemplifies long-term thinking: Microsoft invests in the future enablers of progress, not just immediate outputs.

3. EY Ripples: Impact at Scale Through Employee Engagement

EY set an ambitious goal: impact 1 billion lives by 2030 through its Ripples program. It's well on its way.

In FY2024 alone, over 40,000 EY employees contributed more than 280,000 hours to pro bono consulting, mentoring, and environmental projects around the world. Crucially, these aren’t off-the-shelf volunteer opportunities—they're strategic engagements aligned with EY’s core capabilities in finance, consulting, and systems building.

EY Ripples is a masterclass in employee-led impact. It enriches employee experience, contributes to measurable societal outcomes, and reinforces the firm’s purpose: Building a better working world.

Check out more highlights here.

4. Barclays & Unreasonable Group: Fueling the Impact Startup Ecosystem

Through its partnership with the Unreasonable Group, Barclays is doing more than donating to causes—it’s accelerating impact-focused companies that are solving global challenges at scale.

Since launch, the Unreasonable Impact program has supported 340+ ventures, which have collectively:

• Raised $14B+ in funding

• Created 31,000+ jobs

• Prevented over 100M tons of CO2 emissions

These companies receive mentorship, exposure, and long-term support from Barclays, whose executives also serve as advisors. The partnership gives Barclays a front-row seat to emerging innovation—and positions the bank as a catalyst for inclusive economic growth.

5. F5: Volunteer Sprints for Scalable, Skills-Based Impact

F5’s Volunteer Sprint program reimagines how tech companies engage employees in community service. Rather than relying on traditional volunteer days, F5 created structured, time-bound "sprints" where employees across the company use their skills to help nonprofits solve real operational challenges.

Whether it's improving data systems, designing new workflows, or building websites, these sprints match employee expertise with high-impact needs.

The result? A scalable, replicable model for tech-enabled social good that delivers real outcomes for nonprofits and meaningful experiences for employees.

Check out more highlights here.

6. Accenture: Redefining Procurement as a Driver of Equity

Accenture is turning its supply chain into a force for good.

In FY2024, the company spent over $1 billion with small and diverse businesses across 10 countries—including women-, minority-, and LGBTQ+-owned enterprises. Its Diverse Supplier Development Program (DSDP) pairs Accenture leaders with small business owners to help them grow, scale, and thrive.

By linking procurement to equity, Accenture is building more resilient supply chains, unlocking innovation, and advancing economic inclusion. It’s a powerful example of how companies can use everyday business functions to catalyze long-term, systemic change.

7. Buy Social Corporate Challenge (UK): A Coalition of Corporate Buyers Driving Change

Led by Social Enterprise UK, the Buy Social Corporate Challenge brings together 30+ companies (including Johnson & Johnson, PwC, and Santander) to shift procurement dollars to verified social enterprises.

By the end of 2023, the program had:

• Directed £477M+ in spend to social enterprises

• Created 4,500+ jobs in underserved communities

• Grown a supplier base of 1,000+ mission-driven businesses

The model is simple but powerful: redirect what you already spend toward businesses that build a better world.

8. IKEA: Partnering with Accelerators to Grow Social Enterprises

IKEA's Social Entrepreneurship program exemplifies how a global brand can drive long-term change by supporting the growth of social enterprises.

Through partnerships with accelerators and intermediaries around the world, IKEA provides funding, mentorship, and market access to early-stage impact ventures—many of whom are led by marginalized entrepreneurs and working in underserved communities. But IKEA doesn’t stop at grants. Its program is focused on building inclusive value chains by bringing social enterprises into its sourcing ecosystem where possible.

By collaborating with expert partners, IKEA ensures that its support meets real market needs and enables entrepreneurs to access the knowledge, tools, and networks that help them scale. In doing so, IKEA is helping to build a future where the products on our shelves reflect a more just and inclusive global economy.

9. Reckitt Global Impact Programme: Supporting Social Business for Health Equity

Reckitt is leveraging its brand and global reach to back social enterprises working on hygiene, health, and sanitation through the Reckitt Global Impact Programme.

Through partnerships with Yunus Social Business and MovingWorlds, Reckitt provides unrestricted funding, technical assistance, and skills-based volunteer support to social entrepreneurs. This model not only empowers the next generation of changemakers, but also brings Reckitt closer to communities and innovations that align with its mission of a cleaner, healthier world.

Reckitt’s program is a rare blend of philanthropic flexibility, corporate strategy, and ecosystem support. It’s not just CSR—it’s co-creation for long-term change.

Check out more highlights here.

Final Thought: CSR Isn’t Dead. But Check-the-Box CSR Is.

The most successful corporate social impact leaders aren’t chasing trends or copying competitors.

As we wrote last week, the innovative leaders behind these programs are avoiding the 8 common pitfalls that CSR Leaders tend to make.

They’re building authentic strategies that:

• Align with their company’s mission

• Tap into the unique assets only they can offer

• Invest in the future, not just the quarter

If you’re ready to build a program that inspires employees, earns executive buy-in, and creates real-world change—MovingWorlds is here to help.

Let’s build the next generation of CSR. Together.