Companies Are Strengthening Collaboration between HR and Corporate Philanthropy

More than 60% of companies report stronger collaboration between their HR and corporate citizenship teams over the past three years. But few have achieved full integration of these efforts into business and talent strategy—a missed opportunity according to a new report.

By connecting purpose-driven initiatives with workforce engagement, culture, and retention, organizations can demonstrate tangible value to boards, investors, and employees alike. The report from The Conference Board, in partnership with E4E Relief, finds that companies must position corporate citizenship not merely as philanthropy, but as a core talent strategy.

The research draws on a survey of 151 HR and corporate citizenship leaders across US and multinational firms. It identifies key drivers, barriers, and future opportunities for stronger partnership—offering senior leaders a roadmap for aligning culture, talent, and purpose to create measurable business value. Key findings include:

Collaboration is increasing through one-off projects, but not yet part of a broader strategy.

• More than 60% of companies report closer coordination between HR and corporate citizenship, yet most efforts remain limited to volunteering and employee giving rather than full strategic alignment.
• Nearly half (49%) of surveyed leaders expect collaboration between HR and corporate citizenship to deepen over the next three years, though most anticipate steady progression rather than dramatic transformation.

HR and corporate citizenship most often work together on volunteering and community engagement.

• Other areas for collaboration include diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, employee giving and donation-matching programs, and employee financial wellness and relief programs.

“Our findings show that the most forward-looking organizations are embedding citizenship into their talent strategy to drive engagement, resilience, and long-term competitiveness,” said Rita Meyerson, EdD, Principal Researcher, Human Capital Center, The Conference Board. “When HR and corporate citizenship work hand in hand, companies don’t just build stronger communities—they build stronger workforces.”

Culture and purpose are driving integration between the two departments.

• The top motivators for HR-citizenship collaboration include strengthening organizational culture, demonstrating societal commitment, and enhancing talent attraction and retention.
• A range of external forces are also driving collaboration, including employee and candidate expectations, crisis management, regulatory and policy uncertainty, and financial and economic conditions.

Resource and governance gaps pose barriers to a stronger partnership.

• Insufficient resources, unclear ownership, and lack of shared accountability structures limit progress. Only a minority of firms have formal governance models linking HR and citizenship.

A quarter of those surveyed are considering formal structures for collaboration.

• Companies can strengthen governance by building a dual executive sponsorship, institutionalizing metrics, clarifying the mandate, and leveraging regulatory momentum.

Employee relief programs illustrate untapped value.

• Most companies now offer financial relief for employees facing hardship, yet low awareness and limited coordination hinder impact. When managed jointly, such programs strengthen loyalty, productivity, and retention.
• 38% of respondents anticipate increased investment in employee relief programs over the next three years, and only 2% anticipate a decrease.

“This research underscores what we see every day in our work with global clients,” said E4E Relief CEO, Matthew Pierce. “When HR and corporate citizenship join forces—particularly through initiatives like employee financial relief—companies don’t just respond to crises, they build trust, loyalty, and long-term workforce resilience which ultimately strengthen communities.”

Growth depends on evidence of impact. Measurement is the next frontier.

• To elevate the partnership, organizations must develop finance-grade ROI metrics, define roles and accountability, create peer benchmarks, integrate metrics into human capital governance, and build an internal case study library.

“HR–citizenship collaboration is evolving from being a good practice to being a business imperative,” said Andrew Jones, PhD, Principal Researcher, Governance & Sustainability Center, The Conference Board. “Companies that move from coordinating ‘one-off’ initiatives to formalizing such efforts into their broader strategy will be best equipped to meet rising employee, investor, and societal expectations.”

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