● The Azores Sustainability & CSR Services announces the launch of the results for the 7th edition of Community Index, the most comprehensive annual ranking of community investment projects in Romania, structured across 31 categories.
● Companies continue to position themselves as drivers of change in society, increasingly aligning their corporate values with community investment.
● The market for community investment and CSR projects is now more mature, more aware, and approaches sustainable development with a strategic perspective.
Community Index is the most extensive evaluation of community investment and CSR projects in Romania. The analysis is based on a database of over 1,200 projects and 31 categories, using 43 indicators aligned with international standards. In essence, it provides a 360° evaluation that offers companies a tool for measuring and managing their positive impact in society. Organizations recognized in the index benefit from increased visibility, enhanced credibility, and the promotion of CSR performance, drawing on expertise aligned with the highest international standards.
Community Index maps relevant projects across a wide range of fields, helping companies, NGOs, employees, and investors understand market dynamics and the directions of social involvement in Romania.
Community Index 2025 ranking results
The community investment and sponsorship market exceeds 100 million euros annually in Romania. According to the database, the largest investments were directed toward projects in the following categories:
● Environment – 13.6%
● Health and Well-being – 7.3%
● Student Education – 5%
● Environmental Education – 7.3%
● Disadvantaged Groups – 5.75%
● Arts, Culture, Tourism and Revitalization of Local Traditions – 7.2%
● Career Education – 4.3%
New categories were introduced in the 2025 edition of the Community Index: Environmental Education, Mentorship, Leadership & Nonformal Education, Protection of Tangible and Intangible Heritage, Biodiversity, and Mental Health & Emotional Balance. These new categories, along with the trend toward diversified causes, reflect emerging directions in CSR and community investment, as well as a visible maturation of the market.
One of the standout projects that received a Gold distinction in Community Index 2025 is In Stare de Bine, developed by Kaufland, a funding program offering annual non-reimbursable grants totaling over 1 million euros to non-governmental organizations in Romania. Another large-scale project recognized in the Mentorship, Leadership & Nonformal Education category is ZBOR, developed by BCR, the most extensive ecosystem dedicated to young people in Romania, with 9 hubs nationwide.
In the Student Education category, the What’s Next project developed by Banca Transilvania received the Gold distinction — a program dedicated to career counseling and orientation for students. In the Career Education category, Ucenic Electrician, developed by Distributie Oltenia, was recognized — a professional training program that prepares young people or adults to become certified electricians.
Also noteworthy are ReciCLARea e totul, a project by Nestle Romania promoting recycling and environmental responsibility among students, as well as Adopta un bunic by JYSK in partnership with Asociatia Ingrijire Acasa, which aims to connect people willing to offer emotional or material support to elderly individuals in need.
National and international trends
The 2025 edition of the Community Index highlights several key directions in the CSR market in Romania. Companies are paying increasing attention to impact measurement before project implementation, using research, surveys, and studies that allow them to define their strategies more clearly and effectively.
Mature projects are monitored across multiple levels, from input and output to impact, and evaluations now consider more indicators than in the past, offering a holistic picture of performance. Partnerships are expanding, involving the state, NGOs, and the private sector to maximize the efficiency and relevance of initiatives.
Additionally, the integration of environmental components into education and community activities is intensifying, with projects in the Environmental Education and Environment categories becoming more numerous and demonstrating a strategic focus on sustainability. These developments show that community investments are becoming increasingly strategic, and companies are prioritizing collaboration with NGOs and long-term impact measurement, aligning with international standards such as the B4SI Community Investment Framework or Social Return on Investment (SROI).
“In this year’s edition, we were pleased to observe a maturation of the community investment market – a market in which companies approach projects more strategically and choose to support increasingly diverse causes: from environmental education and mental health to cultural heritage or leadership. It is a sign that corporate responsibility is becoming an integral part of business strategy.
Through Community Index, we aim to provide a clear measurement framework that connects the local market with international impact measurement standards such as the B4SI Community Investment Framework. This year’s edition will even include an exclusive interview with an expert from the B4SI team, bringing to Romania reference models that can inspire a new generation of sustainable projects,” says Alina Liciu, Managing Partner, The Azores Sustainability & CSR Services.
Community Index analyzes over 1,200 projects annually in Romania. The ranking is a component of the Romania CST Index (Corporate Sustainability & Transparency Index), which evaluates indicators published by companies in sustainability reports. The index is based on projects carried out between May 2024 and August 2025 and takes into account both company-completed scorecards and projects detailed online, on corporate websites, or in project reports published by NGOs. The main objectives of Community Index are to structure all these projects into a database and analyze how they align with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
More details are available here: https://communityindex.ro/community-index-2025/
