The 2026 State of Corporate Purpose with Sona Khosla
- 17 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Episode 234 of Purpose 360 features Sona Khosla, Chief Impact Officer at Benevity, for a data-driven look at the state of corporate purpose in 2026. Sona joins host Carol Cone to unpack Benevity’s State of Corporate Purpose 2026 report, including why purpose has proven resilient despite intense political and economic pressure, what the shift from “quiet purpose” means for corporate storytelling, and how trust, AI, and a new approach to employee volunteering are shaping what comes next.
Corporate Purpose Moves from Defense to Offense
After a year of political scrutiny, regulatory shifts, economic uncertainty, and headlines suggesting companies were retreating from purpose, Benevity’s data tells a different story.
The 2026 State of Corporate Purpose report found that 78% of companies continued their purpose work as before, corporate giving rose nearly eight points year over year, and volunteer hours reached record levels. At the same time, 74% of companies said the political and regulatory environment influenced their purpose strategy, and 65% changed the nonprofits or programs they funded, revealing just how much the work has evolved beneath the surface.
In this conversation, Sona shares what these shifts mean for the next era of corporate impact. She and Carol explore why communications and storytelling have become one of the fastest-growing budget priorities; why trust must be built through authentic relationships with employees and nonprofit partners; and how companies can embrace AI without reinforcing existing inequities in philanthropy.
They also examine the next act for employee volunteering. As AI transforms the workplace, Sona argues that volunteering can become a form of experience-based learning, helping employees strengthen distinctly human capabilities like empathy, creativity, problem-solving, judgment, and social connection.
For purpose leaders navigating a rapidly changing landscape, the report offers a hopeful message: purpose has survived its pressure test. Now, the opportunity is to move beyond defense and build a more strategic, trusted, and business-aligned approach to impact.
Listen for Insights On
Why corporate purpose has proven more resilient than headlines suggest
How political and regulatory pressures are reshaping corporate funding decisions
What growing investment in communications signals about the future of “quiet purpose”
Why trust starts with employees and nonprofit partners
Where AI can strengthen purpose programs—and where bias creates risks
Why human judgment must remain part of AI-enabled grantmaking
How volunteering can build critical human skills in an AI-driven workplace
Why corporate cause strategies and employee engagement programs need different KPIs
Before You Listen
Q: Is corporate purpose retreating?
A: Benevity’s data paints a more nuanced picture. Despite significant external pressures, 78% of companies continued their purpose work as before, corporate giving rose eight points, and volunteer hours reached record levels. At the same time, many companies adjusted how they communicate and execute the work in response to political and regulatory scrutiny.
Q: What does the shift from “quiet purpose” mean?
A: While 94% of CEOs continue to support purpose internally, 76% of companies said they became quieter externally. But communications and storytelling rose from ninth among areas receiving budget increases in 2024 to number two in 2026—suggesting companies may be preparing to communicate their impact more actively again.
Q: What is the “AI paradox” for corporate purpose?
A: Impact leaders see significant potential for AI to increase capacity and personalize employee experiences, but they are also concerned about reinforcing funding biases and disadvantaging smaller, community-led nonprofits. Sona argues for thoughtful adoption that keeps human judgment firmly in the loop.
Q: How is the role of employee volunteering changing?
A: Companies are beginning to look beyond participation rates and view volunteering as a form of experience-based learning. Benevity’s research suggests volunteering can help employees strengthen empathy, creativity, problem-solving, social connection, and other human capabilities that will become increasingly valuable alongside AI.
About Sona Khosla
Sona Khosla, Chief Impact Officer at Benevity, has worked with mission-driven organizations for over 15 years. As Chief Impact Officer, she is responsible for infusing impact into Benevity's business and culture and overseeing the company's own impact and inclusion initiatives. At the helm of Benevity Impact Labs, an incubator and resource hub, Sona and her team bring cutting-edge data, research, insights and best practices to help organizations and individuals maximize their impact and authentically live their purpose. As the host of Benevity's podcast, Speaking of Purpose, she interviews top ESG, impact, culture, DEI&B leaders who are focused on using business as a force for good.
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