Career Zone
Career ZoneCareer Research and PlanningExploreEmployment SectorsBusiness Operations and ManagementCorporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) refers to a company’s commitment to ethical and voluntary practices that benefit society beyond adhering to legally binding compliance regulation. CSR policies are reflected in a company’s responsible business practices, frequently integrating ethical, social, philanthropic, environmental or economic corporate responsibility into their operations and interactions with stakeholders.  

CSR roles can be found across all industries. Increasingly, organisations are expected to demonstrate a positive impact on society beyond financial profit. Common activities include supporting community initiatives, implementing sustainability programmes, improving workplace diversity, and ensuring ethical supply chains. In the UK, CSR roles are found in both the private and public sectors, ranging from dedicated CSR departments in large corporations to consultancy work for smaller firms seeking guidance. The rise of ESG investing*, increased regulatory pressures, and growing public expectations have further elevated the importance of CSR.  

Professionals in this field often collaborate with compliance teams, marketing and HR, among others, to align corporate actions with stated values and social commitments. A career in CSR typically demands, strategic thinking, strong communication skills and a genuine passion for making a positive difference. As UK businesses face increasing scrutiny from consumers, investors, and regulators, CSR offers a dynamic and meaningful career path. 

*ESG stands for environmental, social and governance. ESG investing is an investing strategy based on companies’ commitment to one or more ESG factors.  

Further reading: 

Skills employers look for

Every employer is different so there are no definitive lists here. These are meant as a guide and should be considered in addition to fully exploring role requirements outlined in person specification, job description and advert for each role you consider applying for.  

  • Ability to develop strong business relationships with internal stakeholders and external partners
  • Communication – written & verbal
  • Strategic Thinking
  • Collaboration
  • Leadership
  • Prioritisation
  • Innovative mindset
  • Commercial awareness – good understanding of issues relevant to the organisation and wider corporate social and sustainability issues
  • Presentation skills & business case preparation
  • Curious mindset – ability to keep up-to-date with new sector developments. 

To develop these skills, remember Career Zone offers a range of Personal and Professional Development sessions which are available to book on Handshake and run at least once per term.  Please also read through the sections about Gaining Experience and Further Study and Professional Development to discover how you can develop your skills through experience and by gaining further knowledge or qualifications.   

Gaining Experience

All experiences ranging from volunteering to active involvement in clubs/societies can help you to develop relevant and transferable skills. You may wish to consider involvement in: 

Volunteering 

Voluntary work experience will give you an opportunity to develop your communication, organisation and other skills.  Perhaps you might also be able to analyse data or make suggestions for improved charity processes which would provide useful experiences for a career in consultancy.   

University of Exeter Employability Schemes 

  • Green Consultants  is an award-winning, interactive programme with 3 elements: Online training, a live group project and the opportunity to apply your skills to a paid internship with an external organisation.
  • Professional Pathways is a suite of sector specific training courses and paid week-long internships that take place in June. Whichever of the 4 pathways you wish to explore (Charity & Development, Marketing, Higher Education or Arts, Culture & Heritage), you will gain transferrable skills which would help you in a consultant or analyst role.
  • Career Zone Internship schemes: Internships can be extremely useful, so try and get relevant vacation work or placements. Search for Student Campus Partner (SCP)or Student Business Partner (SBP) roles on Handshake.
  • Exeter Award: The Exeter Award will help you stand out from the crowd and give you the confidence to shout about the experiences you've had at university.
  • The Global Leaders Experience is a unique opportunity to develop your intercultural skills as part of a short, outbound mobility experience.
  • Grand Challenges is a project week in June each year in which you work in interdisciplinary groups with other like-minded students to design innovative solutions to real world challenges. Many of these will relate directly to CSR activities.  

Consider joining a related student society for example:  

  • Be the Change Society (Exeter) – campaigning for sustainability and environmentalism.
  • Enactus (Exeter) – social enterprise society, undertaking projects to tackle projects such as poverty, waste or homelessness.
  • Green Living Society (Cornwall) – For nature lovers, green activists and foraging fanatics.
  • Eco Society (Cornwall) – gain skills in ecology and conservation. 

Speculative applications and where to find opportunities 

Undertaking relevant work experience will also allow you to develop new skills and gain a valuable insight into the sector. As jobs and opportunities are not always advertised, it can be useful to develop your networking skills and apply speculatively. Before visiting the sites below, you may find it useful to read our Researching employers page. 

Finding Part-time Work  

Many students work part-time during their studies. Part-time jobs are often in the hospitality or retail sector where you can gain transferrable interpersonal, communication and teamwork skills.   

Search for part-time work here: 

  • Handshake.
  • General job sites such as Find a Job or Indeed (filter on “part-time” and “Exeter” or “Penryn”).
  • Identify and call into local businesses with your CV to ask about part-time jobs.
  • Attend the part-time / casual jobs fair, held twice yearly on Streatham Campus.
  • Penryn Campus Careers Fairs 

Virtual Work Experience 

  • Forage provides short virtual internships in a range of sectors, with opportunities to connect with employers.
  • The Bright Network provides virtual internships in a range of sectors and fast-track opportunities for graduate programmes and internships for virtual-intern alumni. Look out for the Bright Network annual summer internship week. 

Finding advertised graduate roles, placements and internships

Competition can be strong, especially for entry-level positions. Use the following resources to find advertised vacancies and research employers.  

For general information about finding graduate opportunities, please visit our Graduate Jobs page.

Graduate Schemes  

It is likely that CSR will feature as part of many business graduate scheme rotations. However, there are very few pure CSR graduate schemes.  CSR teams are typically small and progression may be quite quick.  As you can enter this sector with any degree, you should be able to evidence your genuine interest in the sector either through degree electives, projects or extra-curricular activities.  Filter sustainability/CSR when you search on the jobsites below.   

Internships 

Similarly, use keywords to filter for internships in this area, searching the same jobsites as above   

Handshake link to current advertised internships 

Placements  

If you are interested in finding out more about work placements, you can also access the Work Placements SharePoint via Single Sign-On. This resource covers all aspects of credit-bearing work experiences as part of your degree, including what a placement is, how to apply for them, and bespoke information for international students or those interested in working abroad.  

Recruitment Consultants

There are a wide range of recruiters who advertise roles in compliance and corporate social responsibility. 

Further sources of support 

If you are an international student, visit our international webpages for help finding opportunities both in the UK and globally. 

To find opportunities outside the UK use GoinGlobal.

Local and Regional Opportunities   

Areas of opportunity in Devon and Cornwall can be explored on the following websites: 

Further study and professional development

Some individuals decide to undertake further study to develop their skills and knowledge of the sector and related occupations. Not all roles or employers will require this, so it is important to research entry requirements and employer preferences before committing to additional training or qualifications.  

Find a Masters.Com is a website which enables you to research masters courses around the world.  

Advice 

If you are considering postgraduate or doctoral level study before entering your chosen sector, please visit our Postgraduate Study page for more information about choosing further study.     

If you are interested in the compliance aspect of CSR, you may wish to follow the links below to organisations who offer additional specialist qualifications (most in the field of finance or banking): 

Information and links from professional bodies 

If you have studied a related degree, check if your course is accredited by one of the professional bodies. Being a member of a professional body is voluntary; however, it can be valuable for developing networks, continuing your professional development, and generally keeping up to date with what's happening in the sector.