Social Impact Alliance for Central & Eastern Europe (CEE) has recently launched the study "Philanthropy and Corporate Social Responsibility in CEE".  The survey conducted in 2022 in Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, and Slovenia clearly indicates that with proper motivation, CEE citizens would be willing to donate almost twice as much as they are donating at present. Moreover, companies are starting to operate in a responsible and sustainable manner, motivated by increasingly conscious employees, investors, and consumers. As many as 28% of Latvians are already willing to pay more for products and services offered by socially responsible brands. One thing is certain – individuals and businesses have more and more resources and willingness to effectively support nonprofit organizations and public administration in tackling the most pressing social and environmental challenges. 

The report also provides some valuable takeaways and recommendations in the realms of tax reform, cultivating social preconditions for donors, as well as implementing various legal and educational changes to increase donations. Currently, social enterprises struggle to diversify funding due to limited commercial activity. Simplifying financial reporting and creating a cross-ministerial body could help. Benefits and preferential conditions for socially responsible companies could be introduced in public and private tenders as well, while tax relief for donations could be increased to motivate donors. Furthermore, legal and educational changes could encourage management boards to get socially engaged. Lastly, organizations with public benefit status should be allowed to engage in profit-making activities, and more favorable financing conditions should be granted to impact investors, with tax benefits for individual and corporate investors.

The report for Latvia is part of a larger study conducted in 11 countries of Central & Eastern Europe. The aim of this study is to identify the barriers and potential incentives to a greater social engagement of individual and corporate donors and to recommend changes. It will provide key Latvian actors and decision-makers with a powerful tool that will enable them to strengthen their social impact ecosystem and facilitate more informed, intentional, and impactful giving.

The report is available for download in English and Latvian: 
https://ceeimpact.org/latvia-philanthropy-and-csr-in-cee/ (English)
https://ceeimpact.org/latvija-filantropija-un-ksa-cae/ (Latvian)

The study was conducted by Social Impact Alliance for Central & Eastern Europe – an independent, a political
think tank with financial support from Google.org. Invaluable pro bono support was provided by the Institute for Corporate Sustainability and Responsibility and TGS Baltic Legal Firm.