Edelman has launched its eighth global practice, Business + Social Purpose, which will bring together the CSR, sustainability, and citizenship areas under one umbrella. The new practice will be led by global practice chair Carol Cone, who will work with regional leaders and 125 staffers to serve companies, NGOs, nonprofits, and other organizations.

The practice will provide services including brand and corporate citizenship strategies, reputation and image management, and sustainability. Clients include Adobe, Brita, PNC Financial Services, and Southwest Airlines.

Besides the services offered to others, the firm launched Edelman Citizenship in July of last year, which published its first Global Citizenship Report and donated $5.1 million in cash and pro bono services.

After the jump, we’ve got a few infographics with results from the 2012 Edelman goodpurpose study.

According to the research, the U.S. was the only country that saw a decline in consumer participation in good works over the past year and a half.

Sixty-three percent of respondents in “Rapid Growth Economies” (RGEs, which include China, Malaysia, Brazil, India, UAE, and Indonesia) donated money in the past year. Only 52 percent in “Bear Markets,” including the U.S. and Western Europe said the same.

Despite the drop off in cause activity in the U.S., this country agreed most with the idea that the responsibility for solving the problems in society is on the people (35 percent) rather than the government (22 percent).

The 2012 Edelman goodpurpose study was conducted by StrategyOne in January and February of this year. Polling was conducted across 16 countries; there were 8,000 respondents. For more about the new practice and the research, click here. Please note, the bottom infographic was abbreviated for space.