This paper provides evidence that CSR (corporate social responsibility) forums and networks such as the United Nations Global Compact Local Network (UNGC), non‐governmental organizations (NGOs) such as the World Wide Fund (WWF) for Nature, and CSR standards such as International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 14000 play a significant role in driving CSR disclosure, using data from publicly quoted companies in Pakistan. The role of CSR‐promoting institutions in enhancing capacity can provide a key explanation for the previously noted differences in disclosure patterns between developed and developing countries, on the one hand, and the improved disclosure in developing countries linked to the development of such institutions, on the other. Academically, this research demonstrates the vital importance of CSR‐promoting institutions, and the related normative isomorphism logics, for CSR disclosure in lower‐income countries, which have previously been assumed to largely lack such institutions. In practical terms, the significant relationship between CSR‐promoting institutions and CSR disclosure suggests that we need stronger policies to encourage the development of such institutions. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment