Well that’s about four per cent of them take home that much. Not bad eh?

Findings from a CSR (corporate social responsibility) salary survey show that the average wage of a CSR professional is between £40,000 and £60,000 a year, with 40 per cent of the sample earning that amount.

About 20 per cent take home £60,000–£80,000 and four per cent earn £120,000 or more.

Two-thirds of respondents worked in London – not surprising as the CSR function tends to be centred at company HQ.

The profession is evenly split between men and women (51 per cent female to 49 per cent male), yet there is a marked gap in the pay levels of the two sexes. A significantly larger proportion of men are in the top pay band, earning at least £120,000, and women are disproportionately represented in the two lowest bands. Only in the middle wage bands is there parity between the sexes.

The joint study by the consultancy Acona, recruitment agency Acre Resources and the Ethical Performance business newsletter shows that CSR managers are now as much a part of the scenery in British business as human resources professionals or marketing executives.

Our mate Tom Leathes, director and co-founder of Acre Resources says:

‘Our survey shows that CSR is not, as some may have believed, a passing fad, and that it is now deeply embedded in UK business.  Salaries in CSR are rising – and are perhaps higher in general than some will have expected – however they’re not in line with more established industry sectors. That CSR professionals choose – often despite the higher material rewards available elsewhere – to
work within the sector is powerful testimony to the attractiveness of helping organizations improve their social, environmental and ethical performance.’