Purpose: With the objective of developing an evidence‐based corporate responsibility program aligned to core business functions, this article aims to outline the review process undertaken by AGL in identifying the long‐term focus for new strategic partnerships. It also seeks to lay the foundation for AGL to better assess the outcomes of the program in the future.

Design/methodology/approach: In undertaking the review, AGL drew on employee surveys, stakeholder consultation, sustainability indicators and new research on the demographics of customer hardship. Core focus points of financial hardship and household safety were identified as priorities for the program and new long‐term partnerships were developed to specifically address these causes.

Findings: The research underscores the priority placed by AGL on the development of long‐term strategic charity partnerships and the integration of various components of the program including employee giving, volunteering and specific targeted initiatives.

Research limitations/implications – There is greater scope to expand on the foundations laid in the paper, in particular to explore outcomes‐based measurement techniques as they are applied to community investments and employee engagement.

Practical implications: The paper outlines the potential benefit of developing an evidence‐based strategic approach to charity partnerships, which can be integrated with employee engagement opportunities.

Originality/value: This paper is intended to contribute to building the body of knowledge for the implementation of integrated, evidence‐based corporate responsibility programs. In particular, the authors hope that the framework provided in the paper can outline the practical steps companies can take in developing targeted, long‐term partnerships, moving towards outcomes‐based assessment.