This study examines the determinants of voluntary Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) disclosure in Germany, where CSR reporting is not legally mandated. The authors construct a CSR disclosure index based on the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) guidelines and analyze 130 listed German companies' CSR disclosures (470 firm-year observations). The results support the political cost theory, indicating that company visibility, shareholder structure, and relationship with US stakeholders significantly influence CSR disclosure. Higher profitability is associated with more environmental disclosures, while industry membership and firm size also affect the amount of CSR disclosure. The study contributes to the understanding of CSR disclosure by providing empirical evidence from a country without mandatory CSR reporting requirements.This study examines the determinants of voluntary Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) disclosure in Germany, where CSR reporting is not legally mandated. The authors construct a CSR disclosure index based on the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) guidelines and analyze 130 listed German companies' CSR disclosures (470 firm-year observations). The results support the political cost theory, indicating that company visibility, shareholder structure, and relationship with US stakeholders significantly influence CSR disclosure. Higher profitability is associated with more environmental disclosures, while industry membership and firm size also affect the amount of CSR disclosure. The study contributes to the understanding of CSR disclosure by providing empirical evidence from a country without mandatory CSR reporting requirements.