TL; DR
CSR spending in India has crossed ₹2.2 lakh crore since 2014-15, with consistent annual growth. Maharashtra leads in total CSR funds received. While businesses are adopting responsible practices, true CSR must go beyond spending to deliver real, lasting impact.
Context
As the world becomes increasingly complex, there’s a growing understanding that businesses not only affect the economy but also impact people’s lives and the environment. Companies are now focusing on the ‘triple bottom line’- people, planet, and profit, by adopting socially and environmentally responsible practices that support sustainable and ethical growth. Let’s take a closer look at how Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) spending has evolved over the years.
Who compiles this data?
The data is sourced from the National CSR Portal and is available in multiple levels of detail- by year, state, district, aspirational vs. non-aspirational districts, and the sectors in which CSR funds are spent. This granularity helps in understanding spending patterns and identifying priority areas for CSR initiatives.
Where can I download clean & structured data related to CSR Spends?
Explore the CSR Statistics collection on Dataful, featuring detailed, year-wise datasets by region and sector. It simplifies access to detailed reports across years, making analysis and insights much easier.
Key Insights:
- Between 2014-15 and 2023-24, companies in India have spent over ₹2.2 lakh crore on CSR initiatives. Annual spending has consistently grown, tripling from ₹10,000 crore in 2014-15 to nearly ₹35,000 crore in 2023-24.
- In cumulative terms, Maharashtra tops the list of states with nearly ₹35,000 crore in CSR spending between 2014-15 and 2023-24. It is followed at a distance by Karnataka with ₹13,344 crore and Gujarat with ₹12,604 crore, highlighting a significant concentration of CSR funds in a few key states.
Why does it matter?
As societal challenges grow more interconnected, businesses are under increasing pressure to show they contribute meaningfully to equity and sustainability. While many have embraced CSR, the focus often remains on spending rather than impact. True CSR must go beyond spending and focus on real impact.
