Over the past decades, CSI has evolved from voluntary philanthropic pursuit to an absolute requirement of doing business in South Africa. We have seen the growth and development of foundations, CSI departments and corporate strategies and ring-fenced expenditure on CSI initiatives. 

With the release of the King Report on Corporate Governance for South Africa in 2002, triple-bottom-line thinking entered the corporate mainstream, although the degree to which companies embrace the principles and spirit of Social Responsibility varies considerably. In South Africa, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is closely aligned to the broad-based transformation agenda. As a formal component of that agenda, CSI has an explicit role to play in channeling corporate resources towards poverty alleviation and socio-economic development.