Corporate Social Responsibility: Rethinking Impact to Address Structural Inequality

On this Gandhi Jayanti, I find myself reflecting on a topic that has been on my mind for quite some time. Taking a break from the usual grind, I finally found some time to write about something that’s been on my mind for a while. So here are some thoughts.

CSR has come a long way in India where the law mandates businesses to contribute a percentage of their profits toward social good. From supporting education to improving healthcare access, CSR projects are making a visible difference. I’ve spent over a decade working in CSR, and I’ve seen firsthand how these initiatives touch lives and uplift communities. But as CSR professionals, I think we have an opportunity to ask ourselves some deeper questions - Are we doing enough? And more importantly, are we addressing the root causes of the inequalities we hope to reduce? Many CSR projects bring positive, measurable outcomes, yet sometimes it feels like we’re addressing symptoms rather than the root causes. This isn’t a failure of CSR - far from it - but it’s an area where I believe we, as CSR leaders, can evolve our thinking. With that in mind, I want to share some reflections on how we can deepen our approach, while still celebrating the good work being done.

The Importance of Long-Term Commitment: CSR initiatives often prioritize measurable, short-term outcomes - and that makes sense. Stakeholders want to see the impact of their investments. Projects like building schools or organizing health camps create visible results. These projects are important, but they tend to offer immediate relief rather than lasting change. Structural inequality, on the other hand, is deeply rooted in historical, economic, and social systems. Addressing it requires sustained, long-term engagement. What I’ve observed in my years in the field is that the most transformative changes happen when companies commit to multi-year, or even decade-long, partnerships with communities. These long-term collaborations allow us to move beyond quick fixes and focus on empowerment, capability-building, and local ownership. It’s a different kind of success - one that may not be easily captured in annual reports but leaves a lasting imprint.

Supporting Communities, Not Just Projects: One of the great strengths of CSR is its flexibility. We can respond to a wide variety of needs - education, health, livelihood, environment. However, we sometimes fall into the trap of delivering solutions to communities, rather than working with them to co-create lasting change. A school can provide access to education, but the deeper question is whether it transforms a community’s access to opportunity. Without parallel investments in teacher training, infrastructure upkeep, and equitable access, a school might become just another building rather than a catalyst for change. Similarly, vocational training programs can equip individuals with skills, but unless we address the systemic barriers - like access to markets, financial services, and networks - those skills might not translate into meaningful opportunities. CSR can achieve greater depth when we approach communities as long-term partners. Co-creation with local stakeholders, listening to their insights, and involving them in decision-making is key to addressing the broader structural issues that limit access to opportunity. This shift from project-focused thinking to community-focused strategies has the potential to generate sustained change.

The Nuance of Economic Empowerment: Take, for instance, the idea of economic empowerment - a cornerstone of many CSR projects. I’ve been involved in initiatives focused on financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and skill development. These programs are invaluable, especially when they give marginalized individuals a chance to improve their livelihoods. But empowerment isn’t just about providing resources or training. It's also about addressing the broader economic systems that may limit the impact of these initiatives. For example, I’ve seen instances where small businesses established through CSR initiatives still struggle because they lack access to broader markets or face entrenched economic hierarchies. Despite their new skills, they remain disconnected from supply chains that could genuinely scale their enterprises. These barriers often extend beyond the scope of a CSR project, but they are real challenges to consider if we want to ensure our efforts are truly transformative.

Measuring Impact Differently: One area where we can push the envelope is how we measure success. The traditional CSR model often relies on tangible, quantifiable outcomes - how many ponds were rejuvenated, how many children were made literate, how many people attended a health camp. These are important metrics, but they don’t always capture the full story of impact, especially when it comes to complex issues like inequality. What if, instead of focusing solely on outputs, we started to prioritize outcomes that reflect systemic change? This might mean tracking changes in income disparity, improvements in social mobility, or shifts in community self-reliance over the long term. These metrics are harder to measure, but they’re often a better reflection of whether we’re helping to dismantle the structures that perpetuate inequality.

Following a Balanced Approach: To be clear, CSR has played and continues to play a critical role in addressing many social challenges. The projects we implement are often a lifeline for communities, providing essential services that might otherwise be unavailable. But I believe we have an opportunity to amplify our impact by asking deeper questions and evolving our strategies to address inequality more structurally. By focusing more on long-term partnerships, empowering communities as co-creators, and embracing more nuanced ways of measuring success, we can ensure that our CSR efforts contribute to not just short-term relief but long-term systemic change. The solutions may not always be easy or quick, but as CSR leaders, we are uniquely positioned to drive meaningful change if we’re willing to rethink our approach. Let’s continue the work we’re doing but let’s also push ourselves to think bigger, act longer, and ensure that our efforts are laying the groundwork for a more equitable future.

Finally, A Shift in Perspective: As CSR leaders, we stand at an exciting juncture. The work we’re doing is important, but it’s also a chance to reflect on how we can take things further. By focusing on long-term, sustainable, and community-driven solutions, we can move from addressing symptoms to tackling the underlying causes of inequality. This isn’t about fixing everything at once. It’s about taking that extra step, asking the tougher questions, and embracing a mindset that seeks not just to help, but to empower. In this way, CSR can evolve to become not just a tool for corporate good, but a driver of real, structural change.