What is a corporate social responsibility policy?
A corporate social responsibility policy is a workplace policy that sets out a company's commitments around environmental impact, community involvement, and ethical business practices, and explains how employees can take part.
When should your company use one?
A corporate social responsibility policy is worth having once a company wants to formalize commitments it's already making informally, or when customers, investors, or job candidates start asking about its environmental and social practices. It's especially valuable for attracting candidates who care about working somewhere with real values, not just stated ones.
Free corporate social responsibility policy template
Use the template below as your starting point. It covers environmental responsibility, community engagement, ethical sourcing, and charitable giving, and it's ready to copy into your employee handbook or company website.
Purpose
This policy sets out [Company Name]'s commitment to operating responsibly, beyond the minimum required by law, in how it treats the environment, the communities it operates in, and the people in its supply chain. It also explains how employees can get involved in these efforts.
Scope
This policy applies to all employees and to how [Company Name] conducts business with vendors, partners, and the communities where it operates. It sits alongside, and does not replace, [Company Name]'s code of conduct and any industry-specific compliance requirements.
Policy elements
[Company Name]'s corporate social responsibility program covers four main areas: environmental responsibility, community engagement, ethical sourcing, and charitable giving. Each area has a named owner within the company who tracks progress and reports on it at least annually.
Environmental responsibility
[Company Name] works to reduce its environmental footprint by:
- Reducing energy and water use across its offices and facilities where practical
- Minimizing waste and prioritizing recycling and reuse over disposal
- Choosing lower-impact options for business travel and shipping where they don't compromise the work
- Setting and reviewing environmental targets at least once a year
Community engagement and volunteering
[Company Name] supports employees who want to give back to their communities by offering [X] paid volunteer days per year, which employees can use for a cause of their choice or for company-organized volunteering events. [Company Name] also partners with [local organizations/nonprofits] to support causes aligned with its values.
Ethical sourcing and supply chain
[Company Name] expects vendors and suppliers to meet baseline standards on fair labor practices, safe working conditions, and environmental compliance. Procurement decisions above [$X] require a basic supplier assessment, and any known violations are escalated to [the CSR owner/legal] for review.
Charitable giving
[Company Name] matches employee charitable donations up to [$X] per employee per year, and may also make direct corporate donations to causes chosen by leadership or nominated by employees through [the internal nomination process].
Reporting and accountability
[Company Name] publishes a summary of its corporate social responsibility activities and progress against its goals at least once a year, [internally / on its website]. Employees can raise questions or suggestions about any part of this program with [the CSR owner/HR].
How to customize the template
Replace the placeholder programs and figures with commitments your company can actually deliver on, since a corporate social responsibility policy loses credibility fast if it promises more than the business follows through on.
Legal and practical considerations
Only include commitments the business can genuinely deliver on and measure, since vague or unmet CSR claims can create reputational risk and, in some jurisdictions, legal exposure under greenwashing or false advertising rules. If the policy includes public claims about environmental impact or sourcing standards, have them reviewed against any local disclosure requirements before publishing.
Rollout checklist
Once the template is customized, a few practical steps make sure it holds up:
- Replace placeholder programs and figures with commitments the business can deliver on
- Assign a named owner for each area (environmental, community, sourcing, giving)
- Add it to your employee handbook and, if appropriate, your public website
- Communicate it to all employees and explain how they can get involved
- Set a schedule for publishing progress updates
- Review it annually against actual results
