With the adoption of the 2030 Agenda by United Nations members in 2015, corporate social responsibility has become an imperative for all businesses around the world. Each country, in accordance with its own priorities, should focus its efforts on achieving the goals of the Agenda, with special emphasis on the role of the economic sector as a driver of employment, innovation and development and a source of funding. In Croatia, the analysis of higher education reveals the problem of the obsolescence of the program and the lack of practical knowledge, which is why graduates have an employment rate among the lowest in the European Union upon graduation. In order for the system of higher education and the acquired competencies of graduates to be better harmonized with the labor market, educational institutions and companies must act together. According to the research, many companies are investing in student development for this very reason, and their contribution has been recognized as an act of corporate social responsibility and rewarded by the student population with the award Zlatni indeks. Based on two case studies and interviews with representatives of companies that won Zlatni indeks, the conclusion of the paper was reached. Through the project Styria: SCOOL academy and student internships in Plava tvornica, students gain valuable practical experience and skills which increases their employability and competitiveness in the labor market. Therefore, one of the roles of corporate social responsibility is for companies to launch student-centered initiatives and ensure their development in a personal and business sense.