CECP Insights Blog

Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose’s Chief Communications Officer, Sara Adams, sat down with Elizabeth Doty, Executive Director, Third Side Strategies to explore how companies can protect their values — and their reputations, in today’s hyper-political environment. Sara: With so many companies quietly renaming or reframing their DEI and sustainability programs, how can leaders stay true […]

Despite having already made a substantial impact on Discovery Education and its community investment work, you are still relatively new to the CEO seat. What advice would you share with incoming or newly appointed CEOs to make the transition of leadership as smooth and effective as possible?   I think the first thing any new CEO […]

The industrial revolution reshaped communities. World wars tested the relationship between business and society. Economic recessions challenged assumptions about corporate responsibility. The internet transformed how people connect, give, and organize. Today, many of us working in CSR are facing a new set of questions shaped by AI, shifting employee expectations, and growing pressure on nonprofit […]

It seems that every few weeks another household name is making the news for rethinking where sustainability sits inside the business, with several companies restructuring sustainability leadership over the past year. Each time, the same question follows: is corporate sustainability shrinking, or simply changing shape? CECP’s own member data suggests it is mostly the latter, […]

When employees come together around a shared purpose, impact takes on a different meaning. At KPMG’s Community Impact Day—a nationwide day of service that brings employees together across offices to support local nonprofits—this collective energy comes to life in real and tangible ways. Stepping outside the day-to-day creates space to connect more deeply with communities, […]

The CECP Summit 2026 brought together more than 250 global leaders in corporate social responsibility, sustainability, and social impact for two days of honest dialogue, shared learning, and meaningful connections. What defined this year’s gathering was the unmistakable sense of community felt in every hallway exchange, breakout discussion, and shared moment of reflection.  Below are the core learnings from this year’s […]

In today’s uncertain world, converging pressures are testing how leaders make decisions, demonstrate value, and build trust.  Responsible businesses are building credibility from the inside out, grounding purpose in business fundamentals like workforce strategy, innovation governance, long-term value creation, trust, and resilience, rather than relying on reasoning that may no longer resonate across audiences.    Why It Matters: Action Over Advocacy  What’s emerging is not a retreat from purpose, but a […]

James D. White, Former Chair, President & CEO, Jamba Juice and co-author of Culture Design: How to Build a High-Performing, Resilient Organization with Purpose;  Krista White, founder of Kiki For The Future and co-author of Culture Design: How to Build a High-Performing, Resilient Organization with Purpose    As your forthcoming book, Culture Design: How to […]

As political and economic landscapes evolve and tensions rise, companies are being ever more thoughtful about how they engage with communities, employees, and the planet. In a February 2025 CECP Pulse Survey, a quarter of respondents reported focusing less on the terminology to describe what they were doing and more on the work to be done. This reinforces their intent in a way that connects with a broader range of individuals’ needs, who have a mix of political […]

2025 has ushered in numerous policies impacting the philanthropic sector—from tax changes to federal funding cuts—shifting how individuals, companies, and nonprofits may approach decision-making this year and beyond. This topic among many others rose to the top of the conversations among leading corporate responsibility professionals at CECP’s annual Summit. Research indicates that provisions related to […]

This year, July 4th brought more than just fireworks—it was a big day for the future of corporate community investments. Previously, companies were limited in the maximum amount (10% of taxable income) they could claim as a tax deduction. But now after the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) cleared Congress, companies also face a minimum amount […]

At Cisco, giving back isn’t just something we do—it’s part of who we are. Our culture of service is deeply embedded in our identity and has become a powerful driver of employee engagement, innovation, and impact. Central to this is our 80% Blueprint, a bold initiative that transformed employee giving from a 37% participation rate to […]

Times are changing fast. In a poll of corporate leaders in November 2024, the one to two words that described how they are feeling in the current business and sociopolitical environment were “optimistic” and “engaged”. And just last month, when polled at the CECP Summit, the sentiment shifted dramatically to words like “anxious,” “frustrated,” and […]

Why is it crucial for businesses to step up efforts in giving and volunteering?  I think members of the CECP community are already very motivated by the way we deepen ties with key stakeholders, enhance culture and employee engagement, and add tremendous impact to the community through giving and volunteering. On average, companies that offer […]

This Q&A features a conversation between two Digital Citizenship Initiative partners, Amy Nakamoto, Executive Vice President of Marketing and Corporate Partnerships at Discovery Education, and Donna Epps, Chief Responsible Business Officer at Verizon and President of Verizon Foundation.    Q: What roles do schools, families, and technology partners play in reinforcing positive digital habits beyond […]