Advancing corporate philanthropy: New research to analyse social value creation in the Chinese Mainland
Corporate giving has become a dominant pathway of philanthropy in the Chinese Mainland. According to the China Philanthropy Donation Report 2024, businesses contributed more than three‑quarters of all charitable donations, showing how companies, with their scale, corporate resources, and networks, are helping to drive social impact.
To better understand this shift, the Institute of Philanthropy has partnered with Peking University’s Guanghua School of Management on a three‑year research collaboration. The study will move beyond donation figures to examine the strategies, motivations, and practices that underpin corporate philanthropy, as well as the policy frameworks and incentives that encourage participation.
This work comes at a pivotal moment. PKU has observed that many Chinese enterprises are moving from “scale expansion” to “value creation,” balancing economic growth with long‑term social impact. By analysing this transition, the project aims to generate practical insights that can help businesses strengthen their giving strategies, inform policy development, and build capacity across the sector.
For IoP, the collaboration reflects a broader narrative across its initiatives: philanthropy in Asia is evolving through distinct pathways, with corporates among the leading roles. By working alongside leading academic institutions and engaging diverse stakeholders, IoP highlights how corporate philanthropy is not only a financial contribution but also a driver of innovation, policy influence, and sustainable progress. This partnership also builds on IoP-supported reports from Economist Impact and The Bridgespan Group released in 2025, which examined corporate giving from Asian and global perspectives. By now turning the focus specifically to the Chinese Mainland, this research will produce insights that are locally grounded while remaining connected to regional and international contexts.
To better understand this shift, the Institute of Philanthropy has partnered with Peking University’s Guanghua School of Management on a three‑year research collaboration. The study will move beyond donation figures to examine the strategies, motivations, and practices that underpin corporate philanthropy, as well as the policy frameworks and incentives that encourage participation.
This work comes at a pivotal moment. PKU has observed that many Chinese enterprises are moving from “scale expansion” to “value creation,” balancing economic growth with long‑term social impact. By analysing this transition, the project aims to generate practical insights that can help businesses strengthen their giving strategies, inform policy development, and build capacity across the sector.
For IoP, the collaboration reflects a broader narrative across its initiatives: philanthropy in Asia is evolving through distinct pathways, with corporates among the leading roles. By working alongside leading academic institutions and engaging diverse stakeholders, IoP highlights how corporate philanthropy is not only a financial contribution but also a driver of innovation, policy influence, and sustainable progress. This partnership also builds on IoP-supported reports from Economist Impact and The Bridgespan Group released in 2025, which examined corporate giving from Asian and global perspectives. By now turning the focus specifically to the Chinese Mainland, this research will produce insights that are locally grounded while remaining connected to regional and international contexts.