Corporate social responsibility has taken center stage and has been focused on the integration of social and environmental concerns in a company’s business operations.

For the second consecutive year, volunteers from CITGO Petroleum Corporation, Houston Audubon Society and the Galveston community converged on the Smith Oaks Sanctuary in High Island to plant trees and remove invasive vegetation. The Houston Audubon Society-owned sanctuary, which protects 177 acres of field, woods, wetlands and ponds, is still recovering from damage inflicted over years of hurricane seasons and needs help in order to protect the many species of migratory birds who call it home.

You can set up a program focused on donations or make grants the focus. Both contribute to social change though each has its own unique benefits. Which path should you take, or should you have both grants and donations programs?

It’s a question all sustainability practitioners face: is sustainability reporting making a difference? At GRI, we believe the answer is yes. But we also know there’s still much more that needs to be done to create a sustainable economy and world that lifts people out of poverty while preserving our precious resources. Still, it’s important to keep in mind how much progress we’ve collectively made in a short period of time.​