Logo for InfluenceWatch InfluenceWatch

Donate
Non-profit

Business for Social Responsibility (BSR)

Website:

www.bsr.org
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Type:

Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG)
Formation:

1994
President:

Aron Cramer

Contact InfluenceWatch with suggested edits or tips for additional profiles.

Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) is an organization that partners with a network of nearly 300 member companies to develop sustainable business strategies and solutions. Founded in 1992, BSR provides executive-level consulting, collaborative industry initiatives, and cross-sector research. The BSR focuses on integrating environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations into core business operations. It operates offices in Asia, Europe, and North America to facilitate global corporate responsibility standards. Several of its listed member business and organizations include the Coca-Cola Company, Microsoft, Amazon, Google, Meta, Pfizer, Target, Uber, and the Walt Disney Company. 1  2  3  4

Background

Business for Social Responsibility began in the early 1990s, a period marked by the emergence of the “corporate social responsibility” movement. Initially established as a platform for businesses committed to left-of-center social change, it has evolved from a small advocacy group into a major sustainability consultancy. The organization has transitioned from environmental advocacy to the implementation of technical environmental, social, and governance (ESG) frameworks across international supply chains. 5  6

BSR is known for its “Collaborative Initiatives,” which bring together competing companies within a single industry to solve systemic issues. An example is the development of the “RISE” initiative, which consolidated multiple garment-industry empowerment programs into a unified framework for gender equality. The BSR’s work is categorized into several core pillars, including climate change, human rights, and building an inclusive economy. By leveraging its membership base, which includes many of the world’s largest multinational businesses, the BSR acts as a bridge between policy goals, such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and corporate application. Headquartered in San Francisco, BSR maintains an international footprint. 7  8  4  9

Financials

In fiscal year 2024, the Business for Social Responsibility reported total revenues of $37,966,283 and total expenses of $40,677,512, resulting in a net loss of $2,711,229. Program service revenue accounted for $33,967,816, or 89.5 percent of total income, while contributions totaled $3,982,921. Personnel costs represented the largest expense, with $20,319,550 reported as paid for salaries and wages. The organization held $30,004,193 in total assets and $14,978,448 in net assets at the end of the period. 10

DAFGiving360, a donor-advised fund provider, provided a $500,000 grant in 2024 for educational programming and research on global business sustainability models. The We Mean Business Coalition, of which BSR is a founding partner, issued a $275,000 grant in late 2024 for projects including Just Transition in Electrification and corporate climate action tools. The VF Foundation contributed $250,000 during the 2023 to 2024 period to support the “RISE” (Reimagining Industry to Support Equality) initiative, focusing on gender equality programs within the apparel supply chain in Guatemala. 11  12  13

The Gates Foundation has awarded two primary grants to BSR: a $649,802 grant in October 2022 under the Gender Equality division to empower women and girls and a $4,314,026 grant in August 2015 under the Global Growth and Opportunity division to support inclusive financial systems. The Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth serves as an anchor partner for BSR’s “RISE” initiative, with the Mastercard Impact Fund providing a $609,000 grant to BSR in 2023 for financial security programming. 14  15

Leadership

Business for Social Responsibility is led by an executive team and a board of directors composed of professional environmentalists and senior executives from various industries. As of March 2026, Aron Cramer works as the president and CEO, a position he has held since 2004, overseeing the organization’s global strategy and advising business executives on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) integration. As of March 2026, the executive leadership team also includes Matthew Welch as the chief operating officer, Laura Gitman as the chief impact officer, and Mike Zeitouny as the chief financial officer. 16  17  18

The board of directors provides governance and strategic counsel to the organization. As of March 2026, the board is chaired by Peter Herweck. Other board members include Susan Mac Cormac, a partner at Morrison and Foerster; Laurence Pessez, the global chief sustainability officer at BNP Paribas; and Alexandra Reeve Givens, the president and CEO of the Center for Democracy and Technology. 17  19

References

  1. Business for Social Responsibility (BSR). “Our Story.” Accessed March 29, 2026. https://www.bsr.org/en/about/story 
  2. Business for Social Responsibility (BSR). “Member List.” Accessed March 29, 2026. https://www.bsr.org/en/membership/member-list 
  3. Business for Social Responsibility (BSR). “Advisory Services.” Accessed March 29, 2026. https://www.bsr.org/en/advisory-services 
  4. Business for Social Responsibility (BSR). “Contact Us.” Accessed March 29, 2026. https://www.bsr.org/en/about/contact 
  5. Business for Social Responsibility (BSR). “Our Story.” Accessed March 29, 2026. https://www.bsr.org/en/about/story 
  6. Aron Cramer. “Six Key Questions That Will Shape 2026 and Beyond.” BSR Insights. January 27, 2026. https://www.bsr.org/en/sustainability-insights/insights-plus/six-key-questions-that-will-shape-2026-and-beyond 
  7. Business for Social Responsibility (BSR). “Collaborative Initiatives.” Accessed March 29, 2026. https://www.bsr.org/en/collaboration 
  8. RISE (Reimagining Industry to Support Equality). “About RISE.” Accessed March 29, 2026. https://riseequal.org/about-rise/ 
  9. Business for Social Responsibility. “Our Focus.” Accessed March 29, 2026. https://www.bsr.org/en/focus 
  10. Internal Revenue Service. “Business for Social Responsibility: Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax (Form 990).” 2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/521764268 
  11. DAFGiving360. “DAFGiving360 Donors Grant $7.7 Billion to Charity in 2024.” February 11, 2025. https://www.dafgiving360.org/press-release/2024-results 
  12. Internal Revenue Service. “We Mean Business Coalition Inc: Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax (Form 990).” 2024. Schedule I, Part II, line 1. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/854146520 
  13. Internal Revenue Service. “The VF Foundation: Return of Private Foundation (Form 990-PF).” 2023. Part XV, line 3. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/562322084 
  14. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. “Committed Grants: Business for Social Responsibility (INV-046643 & OPP1135581).” https://www.gatesfoundation.org/about/committed-grants/2022/10/inv-046643 and https://www.gatesfoundation.org/about/committed-grants/2015/08/opp1135581 
  15. Internal Revenue Service. “Mastercard Impact Fund: Return of Private Foundation (Form 990-PF).” 2023. Part XV, line 3. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/824717403
  16. Business for Social Responsibility. “Aron Cramer.” Accessed March 29, 2026. https://www.bsr.org/en/people/aron-cramer 
  17. Business for Social Responsibility. “Our People.” Accessed March 29, 2026. https://www.bsr.org/en/people 
  18. Trellis. “Aron Cramer, Author at Trellis.” Accessed March 29, 2026. https://trellis.net/article/author/aron-cramer/ 
  19. Morrison & Foerster. “Looking Ahead: What’s Next for Responsible Business in 2026.” January 29, 2026. https://www.mofo.com/resources/video-audio/260129-looking-ahead-what-s-next-for-responsible-business-in-2026
  See an error? Let us know!