This chapter provides an overview of the national context, as well as the fiscal and corporate social investment (CSI) spend across 12 development sectors. CSI spend is based on data from the 70 large companies that participated in Trialogue’s primary research survey between March and August 2025. The sectors are presented in order of average CSI expenditure, from highest to lowest.
- South African companies do not generally practise focused CSI, with an average of five sectors supported in 2025, in line with 2024. Almost two-thirds of companies (60%) supported more than five sectors, with 31 companies (44%) supporting six or more sectors, consistent with previous years.
- Education remained the most popular cause in 2025, supported by 91% of companies. The average CSI spend on education was 44%, a marginal decrease from 45% in 2024 and 48% in 2023.
- Social and community development remained the second most popular cause, supported by 84% of companies in 2025, a notable increase of nine percentage points from 75% in 2024. The average CSI spend in this area remained consistent with 2024 at 14%.
- Food security and agriculture stayed in third position in 2025, supported by 64% of companies, a slight decrease from 67% in 2024. The average CSI spend on this sector increased slightly from 11% in 2024 to 13% in 2025.
- The percentage of companies supporting the health sector rose significantly from 36% in 2024 to 46% in 2025, with a small increase in average CSI expenditure from 9% to 11% during this period.
- There was a notable decline in companies that supported disaster preparedness and relief, continuing the downward trend from a high of 70% of companies in 2021 during the pandemic, to 57% in 2024, and 44% in 2025. Average CSI spend on this sector was 3% in 2025, down from 9% in 2021. Funding for this sector also decreased significantly in the US.
- More companies supported entrepreneur and small business development, environment, housing and living conditions, sports development and safety and security in 2025 compared to 2024, although average CSI expenditure in these sectors in 2025 was similar to 2024.
- Fewer companies supported arts and culture, and social justice and advocacy in 2025 than in 2024, and these sectors received the smallest amounts of average CSI spend.
