Zoe Efstathiou: From the ground up: How Cyprus shaped my take on CSR

Zoe Efstathiou, Community Project Manager at Exness, believes giving should feel real, not rehearsed.

“To me, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) isn’t a checkbox,” she tells CBN. “It’s how we ought to show up — for everyone. For the elderly who deserve dignity and care. For patients struggling for access to life-saving treatment. For the dogs and cats waiting in shelters. For the forests that still breathe for all of us. For our communities.”

How did your professional journey begin?

My journey began with a degree in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) at the University of Warwick — not to study power from afar, but to understand where systems break down, and most importantly, why. Growing up in Cyprus, I witnessed firsthand how abstract policies could deeply shape real lives. PPE gave me a toolkit: to ask sharper questions, challenge flawed narratives, and seek out the mechanics of meaningful change, especially in Cyprus. Driven by a desire to use this toolkit, I transitioned from university to technology consulting, to help businesses become forces for good through technology transformation. There, I applied logic, strategy, and innovation to help organisations tackle complex issues and design smarter systems.

How did you then pivot from technology consulting to CSR?

Technology consulting was purposeful work, built on strategy and innovation. Still, I felt something was missing.

Over time, I felt a deeper pull — not away from technology, but toward something more human. I wanted to use that same problem-solving mindset to address inequality, and create opportunities where they’re needed most. That’s when I found myself in CSR — and it felt like coming home. Where PPE gave me the lens, CSR gave me the canvas. Where the values become action, and where the responsibility to show up — for our communities, for Cyprus, for each other — becomes not just a principle, but a practice. I’m deeply grateful to the Exness team for the opportunity to turn this belief into a way of working for me — and a way of living.

What is Exness’ approach to CSR?

At Exness, our approach to CSR is profoundly human. We’re not here to polish headlines or only chase metrics. We’re here to build things that last. We focus on what matters when no one’s watching. It’s not always easy to balance humility with visibility, but we try to lead with action and let the story tell itself. We involve our people, prioritising person-to-person giving. And when something works, we scale it — not for recognition, but for real-world impact. Whether we’re empowering bright young minds in Cyprus, South Africa, Kenya, and Vietnam through access to STEM education, helping patients receive life-saving treatment, or investing in sustainable development, our starting point is always the same: Who does this empower, and how?

At Exness, CSR is not a side activity — but a core part of our identity. We are committed to use the scale and reach of business to serve something bigger. Especially when no one’s looking. The field is changing. CSR is no longer about doing more — it’s about doing what’s right. Not just giving back, but giving forward — in ways that are authentic, effective, and deeply rooted in our values.

What is your vision for the future of CSR?

My vision? To help this space move beyond optics and toward ownership. Less transactional, more transformational. Because the most powerful thing a company can do isn’t just grow — it’s to grow with purpose. And that’s the legacy I want to help shape — one human story at a time.