Canva details billions in social impact as it publishes first Step Two report
The design software company says it has pledged more than 30% of its equity to social causes, alongside large-scale spending on education, poverty reduction and reforestation.
Canva has released its first Step Two Impact Wrap, setting out how the company is directing money, products and equity towards poverty reduction, education and environmental restoration.
In a statement, Canva said the report summarises what it calls its “Step Two” commitments, an approach that embeds social impact into the company’s structure rather than treating it as philanthropy at the margins. The company said this includes $2.5bn in donated product value, a $150m commitment to help eradicate extreme poverty in Malawi, and a pledge of more than 30% of Canva’s equity to Step Two, meaning future growth in the business is directly tied to social causes.
Canva said more than 35m students and teachers now use Canva Education for free, while 935,000 non-profits have free access to Canva Pro. Together with crisis relief and other programmes, product donations and free access now total $2.5bn in value, according to the company.
A central pillar of the effort is poverty reduction. Canva said it has partnered with GiveDirectly since 2021, donating $50m to direct cash transfer programmes that reached more than 139,000 people. Direct cash transfers give households money with no conditions attached, allowing recipients to decide how best to spend it.
Field findings cited by Canva suggest that 90% of recipients rose above the extreme poverty line within three months of receiving funds. The company also reported a 48% decline in child mortality, a 27% decrease in illness and a 23% increase in school enrolments among recipient communities. Canva said it has committed a further $100m to reach another 185,000 people in coming years.
Education is another major focus. Since 2023, Canva said it has donated $12m to foundational literacy and numeracy programmes, reaching 789,000 learners across 166,000 schools in 17 countries. The company said this work is expected to improve instruction for 3.7m elementary students over the next eight years, reflecting a longer-term approach rather than short-term interventions.
The report also details Canva’s response to emergencies. The company said it has donated $4.2m in crisis relief since 2021, alongside providing free product access to organisations responding to natural disasters and humanitarian crises.
On climate and environment, Canva said it aims to reach net zero emissions by 2040 and has powered its operations with 100% renewable energy since 2022. It plans to set science-aligned interim emissions targets in 2026, aligning with frameworks used by larger industrial companies.
Through its One Print, One Tree programme, Canva said it has planted more than 13m trees across 13 countries, placed 10,900 hectares under planned restoration and benefited more than 13,500 people. More than 275 tree species have been planted, and restoration sites in Tanzania and the Philippines have received Ecosystem Restoration Standard certification. A site in Malawi is scheduled for audit in 2026.
The company also highlighted employee involvement. Staff can receive matching donations of up to $3,300 per year. In 2025, employees donated $37,500, which Canva matched to deliver $75,000 to charitable causes.
For a lay reader, the significance of the Step Two Impact Wrap is scale and structure. Rather than relying solely on annual donations, Canva has tied long-term resources, including equity, to social and environmental outcomes. That means the company’s impact commitments grow alongside its business.
Related reading
- Meta launches AI Glasses Impact Grants to fund social and economic projects in the US
- Nvidia’s Jensen Huang casts AI as the backbone of a once-in-a-generation infrastructure boom
- SEE Holding appoints Maye Musk to champion Sustainable City model globally
The report comes as technology companies face increasing scrutiny over how they balance growth with social responsibility. Canva’s approach positions impact as a core part of its identity, though the long-term effectiveness of such commitments will depend on continued transparency and independent verification.
By publishing its first Step Two report, Canva is signalling that it expects to be judged not just on financial performance, but on whether its resources translate into measurable improvements in people’s lives and the environment.
The Recap
- Canva published its first Step Two Impact Wrap report.
- $2.5 billion in product value donated to users.
- Canva will set science-aligned emissions targets in 2026.
