A study conducted by a team from the Prague University of Economics and Business examines how Czech companies approach volunteering and donating in environmental fields. It is based on an extensive quantitative survey of 275 companies and twenty in-depth interviews with owners, managers and CSR coordinators.
The quantitative part shows that most companies implement rather one-off events, while long-term projects are less frequent. Within CSR, the social sphere dominates, while culture and art are on the margins. Environmental and educational activities have a medium intensity, and their scope increases with the size of the company. Significant differences appear between regions and sectors — for example, Moravian-Silesian and Central Moravia are more active, while the Southeast lags behind. Large companies and companies under foreign control are more involved and prefer financial support, while small companies and domestic companies are more oriented towards local and community projects.
The qualitative part presents that CSR is often driven by the personal values of owners or managers. If nature conservation is important to them, activities tend to be more stable with a clear local impact. Where personal motivation is lacking, CSR tends to be marginal, one-off and often serves as PR. The economic situation of the company is also a strong factor — CSR tends to be the first area to be curtailed in times of crisis, especially for small businesses.
The interviews reveal differences among types of companies: multinational corporations have structured programs, Czech medium- and large-sized companies rely on the values of their owners, and small businesses take a more informal, spontaneous approach. At the same time, many companies do not know what projects they can support and are guided by personal contacts. They prefer to cooperate with local organisations, which seem more trustworthy than large national institutions.
The study’s recommendations include introducing simple internal CSR frameworks, supporting employee initiatives, and strengthening cooperation with local organisations. It recommends that the state reduce administrative burdens, simplify subsidies, offer tax incentives, and provide methodological support.
Overall, the study shows that CSR in Czech companies has significant growth potential, but its development depends primarily on the personal approach of company management and on an environment that facilitates their orientation and cooperation in environmental activities.
The entire analysis can be downloaded here.