Published Paper Details:

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has become a defining aspect of contemporary corporate strategy as it marks the growing trend toward linking business activity with larger societal goals. CSR includes a vast range of topical themes, among which education has taken on an especially prominent position as it underpins sustainable development, diminishes social inequalities, and helps bring about equitable society. Companies are increasingly investing in educational programs as a strategic instrument for the mitigation of structural inequities, increasing inclusivity, and building socio-economic resilience. This paper attempts to critically discuss the complex interface between CSR and educational development by exploring the company motivations, modality of implementation, and multi-levelled effects of such interventions. Based on conceptual foundations like stakeholder theory and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the research questions the normative and strategic requirements that frame corporate involvement in education. The research critically examines the qualitative and quantitative results connected with CSR-motivated education initiatives, such as increased access to education, the deployment of digital infrastructures, and professional development of educational staff. To support its theory, the paper integrates illustrative case studies of multinational companies that have been able to integrate educational progress into their CSR initiatives successfully. These examples shed light on the potential of corporate interventions in bringing about positive change, especially in socio-economically deprived and resource-limited settings. Concurrently, the research presents a critical examination of the shortcomings that limit the effectiveness of CSR in education, such as the sustainability of programs, disjointed stakeholder coordination, and the lack of solid impact assessment approaches. The paper ends with formulating strategic suggestions to improve the efficacy of educational CSR. These are encouraging long-term stakeholder involvement, encouraging cross-sector collaboration, aligning with national policy priorities, and internalizing participatory practices that integrate community voices. Through this, the study helps respond to the growing intellectual literature on corporate responsibility, strategic philanthropy, and sustainable development in the educational sector.