Winner of 2026 Trialogue Strategic CSI Award To Receive Feature in Business in Society Handbook

Now in its thirteenth year, the award recognises CSI programmes that represent Trialogue’s definition of strategic CSI: programmes that go beyond traditional corporate philanthropy to deliver measurable societal impact alongside tangible business benefits.

What the award is about

Strategic CSI is distinguished by its alignment of social purpose with core business practice. Rather than treating community investment as a reputational exercise, strategic CSI programmes are designed to address genuine developmental needs in ways that also strengthen business competitiveness, build stakeholder relationships and create lasting shared value.

"The Strategic CSI Award celebrates programmes that demonstrate deeper, more insightful approaches and lasting impact," said Trialogue director Cathy Duff. "We look forward to seeing the innovative approaches companies are taking among this year’s entries."

The prize

The winner of the 2026 Trialogue Strategic CSI Award will receive a complimentary double-page feature in the next edition of the Trialogue Business in Society Handbook valued at R110 000, as well as extensive media coverage. This recognition positions the winning programme as a benchmark for strategic CSI practice in South Africa.

Judging criteria

Entries are evaluated by two independent judges drawn from South Africa's development and social investment sector: National Business Initiative (NBI) head of economic inclusion Gugu McLaren-Ushewokunze and Centre on African Philanthropy and Social Investment (CAPSI) deputy director Jacob Mati. Judges look for programmes with clearly articulated theories of change, supported by precise measurements and data. Entrants are expected to demonstrate both the social impact of their initiative and its strategic relevance to the business, including how the programme contributes to business competitiveness, stakeholder value or sectoral development.

Last year's winner

The 2025 award was won by Sanlam's Youth4Tourism initiative, which addressed youth unemployment while supporting the recovery of South Africa's tourism sector post the Covid-19 pandemic.

Developed in partnership with the Youth Employment Service (YES) and a range of corporate and implementing partners, the programme trained and placed over 1 000 young people in internships and supported 60 small and medium-sized enterprises through incubation and mentorship. The programme contributed more than R60 million in cumulative value to the tourism sector and strengthened Sanlam's supply chain, employer brand, and broad-base black economic empowerment (BBBEE) positioning.

Commendable mentions were awarded to Absa's X YAEI Youth Entrepreneurship Development Programme and AECI's Level Up programme with Siyabonga Africa.

How to enter

Entries for the 2026 Trialogue Strategic CSI Award are now open. For more information or to submit an entry, contact az.oc.eugolairt@otarel.

For additional background on the award and previous winners, visit https://trialogue.co.za/strategic-csi-awards/.