Is CSR on the radar for private companies?

Results from the latest PwC Pulse Survey found that social responsibility and sustainability are low priorities for Canadian private companies.

• 21% of respondents currently have a corporate social responsibility (CSR) plan aligned to their business goals
• 53% of respondents view a CSR plan as a “nice-to-have”
• None of the private companies that have CSR plans are communicating them through recruitment initiatives


Insights into corporate social responsibility and sustainability provides a summary of the key findings from the latest PwC Pulse Survey and offers advice from Mel Wilson on what private company owners can do to stay ahead of the curve and position themselves for future success.

Also check out our Let’s Talk article, A business case for sustainability, as well as an As I see it piece, Responsible for success, that dive deeper into the issues discussed in the Pulse Survey report and demonstrate how CSR and sustainability can be integrated into your business plan. 

PwC Private Company Services Pulse Survey

We are taking a "pulse" of Canadian private companies to find out if sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) are on their radars.

Sustainability and CSR have become key elements of the business strategy for many organizations. In a resource constrained world, sustainability is increasingly important to managing cost and reputation risk, supply chain integrity, and ensuring compliance with laws and regulations. Sustainability has also presented new business opportunities as we see entrepreneurs emerge in the fields of green energy and carbon reduction. Many public companies report on their sustainability and CSR activities in their annual reports and sustainability reports. What are private companies doing? What is motivating them to take action?

This survey is now closed. We will share survey results with participants and post the findings to PwC's Private Company Services website in the coming weeks.