Giving for Good: Asian Corporations Could Talk More About Their Efforts

Giving for Good: Asian Corporations Could Talk More About Their Efforts

December 2025

Joan Ng, Associate Director, Sandpiper

Even if you subscribe to Milton Friedman’s belief that a business’ sole responsibility is to increase profits for its shareholders, you wouldn’t want to include that opinion in your company’s annual report.

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has gone from boardroom buzzword to reputational requirement over the last few decades, and the world’s leading companies almost universally report activities such as charitable donations and employee volunteering arrangements.

They often seek media coverage of their philanthropic activities and amplify their voice through social media and owned platforms such as newsletters and blogs.

Such self-promoting behaviour has from time to time been criticised by some as charity washing or, worse, reputation laundering. Yet, talking openly about corporate giving can also be positive for communities.

Public donations can encourage others to give, normalise corporate giving, set benchmarks and hold organisations accountable.

So, how can companies talk more about their corporate giving in an effective way?

Setting the Asian Philanthropic Scene

A recently released report by philanthropy consultancy The Bridgespan Group on corporate giving showed that Asian corporates are trailing their North American and European peers on several fronts.

Of the 20 largest corporate givers globally, measured by average annual philanthropic giving from 2019 to 2023, only four are from Asia: The Hong Kong Jockey Club and its Charities Trust, Samsung Group, Tencent Holdings and China Three Gorges Corporation.

To some extent, this also reflects the size of Asian enterprises on the global stage. However, like-for-like measurement indicates Asian companies are slipping by the relative value of their giving as well.

The average giving of the 20 largest global donors increased by 87% between 2019 and 2023, while the average giving of the 20 largest Asian givers increased by only 40%, less than half the global average. Notably, giving among these Asian corporates fell 4% between 2022 and 2023.

How Asian corporations spend their money also differs. When broken down by modes of giving, Asian companies have a strong preference for direct services. All 20 of the largest Asian corporates had corporate-run initiatives benefiting individuals or communities, such as skills training or health clinics.

Compared with the global average, Asian corporates are less open to in-kind giving (donations of their products or services) and field-building activities (research, advocacy, capacity building and investment in external technology platforms).

This difference in modes of giving, Bridgespan says, suggests both a desire for more control over how money is spent as well as a lower level of trust between philanthropists and non-profit organisations in Asia.

Impactful Approaches to Giving

How much Asian corporations give and how they give will certainly evolve over time, but strategic communications could lead to bolder sums and actions.

Bridgespan’s report not only calculated total amounts given but also how money was spent in the most impactful ways. The three approaches that stood out were:

1. Giving to a community or region (place-based)
2. Giving that takes advantage of distinct corporate capabilities
3. Giving that complements the business

That such approaches should make the most impact is no surprise. Companies drawing on intimate knowledge of the specific needs of local communities and playing to their specific strengths will be able to make their dollars go further.

The report offers several case studies of these approaches, with learnings for companies.

In China, for example, tech group Tencent used its mobile payments platform Weixin Pay to facilitate the distribution of vouchers to victims of the 2025 Tibet earthquake. Weixin Pay’s digital redemption and user identity recognition functions were crucial to ensuring needy families received speedy assistance while limiting charity fraud.

We can analyse this case only because Tencent Foundation has disclosed it. When companies are open and honest about their philanthropic activities, it is possible to compare approaches and discover best practices. Companies might hit on new ideas or find new ways to collaborate.

Amplifying Impact Through Communication

Of course, disclosure needs to be calibrated to be useful. Purely self-serving communications are likely to backfire.

When it comes to CSR, the universal principles of communication hold true. First, companies should be honest about their experience. Rather than talk just about what they have accomplished, they should also talk about what they have learned. Doing so serves the community as it improves the quality of other CSR activities.

Second, make sure you are communicating something that others can or should care about. Rather than focus on corporate activity, focus on the cause. Make your communication an opportunity to raise awareness of a need and rally others to action.

Finally, ensure you consider local and cultural context. In an increasingly polarised world, it may be difficult to say something that doesn’t offend someone. Yet, the solution shouldn’t be to say nothing at all. Taking time to understand your audience and potential reactions to your communications ensure incorporation of necessary nuances.

Doing well in communication can support your doing of good.

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