CSR spend among the FTSE 100 companies has increased by 11 per cent over the last two years, according to research from recruiter EMR.
Two years ago FTSE 100 companies spent an average of £12.5 million on CSR but that figure has now increased to £13.9 million – equivalent to 0.8 per cent of pre-tax profits.
This news is likely to be well received in marketing circles, as the research also revealed that 72 per cent of marketers consider an organisation’s CSR performance to be an important factor when evaluating future employment opportunities.
Organisations looking to start carrying out CSR work are well advised to keep it local, as 56 per cent of respondents regarded local community projects as being the best use of CSR budgets.
Meanwhile, 19 per cent favoured environmental project work, 13 per cent preferred charity contributions and 12 per cent selected contributions to global health projects.
Simon Bassett, managing director of EMR, said: “In today’s digital age, brand commitment to corporate social responsibility is more important than ever before as customers, staff and even investors look for a degree of social conscience and accountability from the businesses they deal with.
“Making purposeful contributions to meaningful projects and campaigns plays a key role in businesses’ efforts to encourage loyalty and motivate employees. A positive CSR image can be an immensely powerful tool in attracting, retaining and empowering the best talent.”
