President and CEO, Andrea Wood, Unveils Three-Point Strategic Framework for Corporate Social Responsibility Teams Navigating Today's Turbulent Environment
ATLANTA, GA / ACCESS Newswire / September 17, 2025 / The Association of Corporate Citizenship Professionals (ACCP), the nation's leading advocate for corporate social impact professionals and purpose-driven companies, welcomed more than 400 corporate social impact leaders to Atlanta this week for their 2025 Annual Conference. This milestone event was the largest conference to date and marks ACCP's 20th anniversary, celebrating two decades of advancing corporate citizenship as an essential force in strengthening businesses and communities.
The conference arrives at a pivotal moment for the profession, as companies balance heightened public scrutiny, shifting political and economic dynamics, and increasing demands to align social investments with business strategy. Over three days, industry leaders shared innovative approaches, explored emerging trends, and spotlighted strategies for scaling community engagement and sustaining investments in areas most critical to business and society.
"Corporate citizenship isn't just about doing good - it's about building resilient, sustainable companies while creating positive change," said Andrea Wood, President and CEO of ACCP. "Our community of social impact professionals is rising to meet today's challenges with clarity and courage. As we celebrate 20 years, ACCP is equipping leaders with the tools, connections, and strategies to continue driving bold, purpose-driven impact."
Andrea Wood is a nationally recognized CSR leader with more than two decades of experience at Best Buy, Target, and now ACCP. During the conference, Wood unveiled a three-point framework to guide professionals navigating the turbulent landscape:
Develop allies within your company by aligning social impact with business priorities.
Build strong external partnerships with communities and nonprofit leaders.
Be relentless about making the business case for corporate social impact by demonstrating measurable impact and advancing both company and community goals.
CSR Insights Survey: Social Impact is Holding Strong
The conference builds on insights from ACCP's 2025 CSR Insights Survey, conducted in partnership with Blackbaud, which reveals that companies are not retreating from social impact amid scrutiny-but are adapting to align more closely with business needs. The survey and its insights were featured in an Inc.com piece during the summer.
A few of the survey's key findings include:
Shifting priorities: Companies are moving away from more polarizing issues and prioritizing education (particularly K-12), workforce development, and community revitalization.
AI adoption accelerating: CSR professionals report AI usage jumped to 73%, with productivity gains cited as a top benefit.
Employee engagement rising: Budgets for employee engagement saw the sharpest increase, while foundation and operations budgets largely held steady.
Increased visibility of CSR roles: Public scrutiny is elevating the profession, creating more opportunities for career advancement and reinforcing the need to link impact with business outcomes.
Political pressures reshaping DEI integration into CSR: As political scrutiny intensifies, corporate social impact professionals are navigating both real and perceived risks related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), resulting in 71% of CSR professionals report changing the language around DEI efforts, 44% have decreased external communications about DEI, and 36% have seen increased legal oversight of DEI initiatives.
Looking Ahead: Leading Boldly into the Next Era
ACCP's anniversary celebration highlights not only its 20-year history but also its evolving role as a career-long partner for social impact leaders. The organization announced new offerings including expanded learning opportunities, local community events in major U.S. cities, and expanded advisory services for companies.
"Now more than ever, corporate social impact professionals must lead boldly-telling their stories with clarity and conviction, and never losing sight of the measurable impact their work delivers," Wood concluded.
For more information about ACCP's Annual Conference, visit https://accp.org/conference/.
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About Association of Corporate Citizenship Professionals (ACCP)
ACCP is the preeminent membership organization advancing the practice of corporate social impact. ACCP increases the effectiveness of CSR & ESG professionals and their companies by sharing knowledge, fostering solutions, and cultivating inclusive and supportive peer communities. ACCP amplifies the voices of its practitioner network to elevate strategies that work, provide innovative solutions, and expand impact. Learn more at www.accp.org.
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SOURCE: Association of Corporate Citizenship Professionals ACCP
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:
https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/business-and-professional-services/accp-celebrates-20-years-of-advancing-corporate-social-impact-at-1074667
