CSR & COMPETITIVENESS Nov-Dec 2013 by CSR & COMPETITVENESS

INDEX Bhaskar Chhatterjee

Views

Sachin Pilot

Cover Story

Lt Gen Rajender Singh

Interview

Head- CSR JSPL Group

Col. Prakash Tewari

Interview

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‘Companies Should Look Beyond Financial Gains’

Govts Can’t Tell Companies How to Spend on CSR

We Believe Business and Society can Always Strengthen Each Other

CEO, DLF Foundation

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CSR is About a Company Owing its Impacts on Individuals and Communities

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Jatinder Singh Secretary- Innovation, CSR, Education & Skill Development Committee PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry Vijay Kapur Eminent CSR Consultant & Author Director – Kohana CSR Enakshi Sengupta Eminent CSR Consultant & Author Director – Kohana CSR Prof BD Singh Renowned Academician & Author Dr K K Upadhyay Head CSR-Ficci Aditya Birla CSR Centre of Excellence Monaem Ben Lellahom Co-Founder & Head of Sustainability Advisory Services Sustainable Square Consultancy and Think Tank UAE

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CSR & Competitiveness | November-december 2013

EDITORIAL

Rusen Kumar Editor & Director rusenk@indiacsr.in

>> The various echelons of the organization are struggling to evolve a roadmap for scrupulous compliance of the provision (section 135) which is likely to be applicable from 2014-15. The challenges faced by the organizations are manifold including paucity of time, lack of clarity, knowledge and skills gap, technology framework, legal and compliance.

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Dear Readers, The economy is witnessing a paradigm shift in the CSR domain as it is undergoing a phase of transition from the socio-political perspective. The government has issued the cost audit draft rules and sought feedback till December 6, from various stakeholders. The Cost Accountants of India have raised their concerns in the light of recently introduced audit draft rules for the companies. ICAI, the premier body of the Chartered Accountants of India has also shared its own view of reservations over the draft cost audit rules. The ICAI has been concerned about the increase in threshold limit for net worth of companies which has been increased to Rs 500 crores from the existing Rs 5 crores. ICAI is also concerned regarding turnover which has been raised to Rs 100 crores from Rs 20 crores. The Draft Rules taken as excerpts state, “CSR projects/programmes of a company may also focus on integrating business models with social and environmental priorities and processes in order to create shared value.” Michael E. Porter, is a Professor at Harvard University and is a leading authority on competitive strategy; the competitiveness and economic development of nations, states, and regions. The term ‘shared value’ was coined by the Harvard Professor, Michael E. Porter, who introduced in a HBR (January-February 2011) article defining shared value as, “policies and operating practices that enhance the competitiveness of a company while simultaneously advancing the economic and social conditions in the communities in which it operates.” The various echelons of the organization are struggling to evolve a roadmap for scrupulous compliance of the provision (section 135) which is likely to be applicable from 2014-15. The challenges faced by the organizations are manifold including paucity of time, lack of clarity, knowledge and skills gap, technology framework, legal and compliance. Major stakeholders from CSR domain deliberated their thoughts, views and ideas at CSR Conference recently organized at Radisson, Gurgaon which was attended by various stakeholders from the CSR domain. The daylong event was very insightful and elaborates discussions on the various contemporary issues concerning CSR. The academicians, business schools, institutions, organizations and universities across the world are compelled to explore new possibilities, innovations, redesign and radically restructuring in curricula and training programs in the light of exponentially growing challenges in the area of CSR and sustainability. Riding the international trends and global bandwagon, IICA has been contemplating the launch of training program on CSR to cater to the ongoing requirements of the corporate world. The organizations should radically reorient the learning and development function to cater to the dynamically changing needs of knowledge, skills and attitude of the people working in their organization. The people working in the CSR domain should be dynamically adaptive to the latest changes in the corporate world from the various perspectives including financial, social, legal and other allied perspectives. The corporate world is eagerly looking forward to the government for enhanced level of clarity in the nitty gritties of the recently amended companies Bill. The corporate world is eager to have clear cut standard operating procedures, and other do’s and dont’s for the corporate world. The enhanced level of clarity will go a long way in the area of scrupulous compliance to the various stipulations of the recently amended companies act.

CSR & Competitiveness | November-december 2013

COVER NEWS

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Govts Canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Tell Companies How to Spend on CSR

Sachin Pilot

Union Minister of State, Ministry of Corporate Affairs Government Of India CSR & Competitiveness | November-december 2013

COVER NEWS

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Ultimate decision on how to spend money towards CSR activities would be with the board of the company

With the new company law in place, some legal experts feel that Schedule VII has to be amended if company boards are to get the power to decide on the areas of CSR spending. NEW DELHI: With the new law requiring certain class of companies to spend on CSR efforts, Union Minister Sachin Pilot on Friday, December 20, 2013 said neither the central nor state governments can tell corporates on how to spend money towards social welfare activities. The new Companies Act, 2013, requires certain class of profitable entities to shell out at least 3% of their three-year annual average net profit towards corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities. Sachin Pilot, who is at the helm of Corporate Affairs Ministry, which is implementing the legislation, said the ultimate decision on how to spend money towards CSR activities would be with the board of the company. “I am very clear that it cannot be the ministry or the secretary or the state government that will tell you on how to spend the (CSR) money,” Pilot said at a CII-ITC sustainability awards 2013 event here in Delhi. “We don’t want to be the judge and jury on how to spend the CSR money,” he said. The government is in the process of finalising the new Companies Act. “We have made sure that environment, ecology, wildlife... all of these have been put as part of areas where companies can spend the money if they wish,” the minister said. Under the Companies Act, 2013, that replaces the nearly six-decade old legislation governing the way corporates function and are regulated in India, profitable companies with a sizeable business would have to spend every year at least two per cent of three-year average profit on CSR works. This would apply to the companies with a turnover of Rs 1,000 crore and more, or net worth of Rs 500 crore and more, or net profit of Rs 5 crore and more. The new rules, which would be appli-

cable from 2014-15 financial year, also require the companies to set up a CSR committee of their board members, including at least one independent director. Emphasising that the priority is to protect the interest of investors, Pilot said all options are available before the government to deal with the NSEL crisis and its fall out. The Corporate Affairs Minister said the ministry is expected to receive the final report on the issue in the “next few days”. “All options are available in front of us... Like in company law there are many provisions that can be invoked depending on what the (final) report says,” Pilot said. National Spot Exchange Ltd (NSEL) promoted by Jignesh Shah-led Financial Technologies is grappling with Rs 5,600-crore payment crisis. The Exchange, Financial Technologies, Shah as well as some other group companies are already under the scanner of various authorities. On the NSEL crisis, Pilot said his ministry is also looking at “fit and proper aspects” of certain entities, adding the government has already taken “enough steps” in this regard. The CSR provisions in the new company CSR & Competitiveness | November-december 2013

law are yet to come into effect. The Corporate Affairs Ministry will by this month end come up with the final rules on CSR provisions, Pilot said. The seven phases of draft rules on the new company law have seen tremendous response from stakeholders. The Corporate Affairs Ministry has apparently received more than 25,000 responses to the draft rules. The proposed final rules are expected to clear the air on CSR spends. The Corporate Affairs Ministry has several options to change the prescriptive regime of CSR spending. With the new company law in place, some legal experts feel that Schedule VII has to be amended if company boards are to get the power to decide on the areas of CSR spending. According to the new company law, the CSR committee of a company will have to formulate and recommend to the board a policy. This policy will have to indicate what the company proposes to do from the Schedule VII list of 10 activities, including ‘such other matters as may be prescribed’. Indications are this phrase will be replaced with “such other activities that a company may deem fit”.

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CSR Spend Below Target NEW DELHI: Companies prefer to spend on education the most as part of their corporate social responsibility (CSR) but only one in four meet the desired level of investing in social causes, a study has found. The analysis, conducted by professional services firm Deloitte India, suggests that 27% of the 91 top companies studied spent at least 2% of their net profit on CSR-related expenses in 2011-12. Some 37% of the companies spent between 1 and 2%. The remaining 36% spent less than 1 %, according to the Annual Status of Higher Education of States and Union Territories in India, 2013, a report brought out by the human resources development ministry and industry body CII. Setting aside a part of their profits for social causes was not mandatory for India Inc., but the recently passed Companies Act, 2013, says business houses have to spend at least 2% of their average net profit on CSR-related support. “The CSR has remained less than 2% for most companies because spending on CSR has been voluntary all along. Companies have been spending on social causes as per their mission and vision of the promoters,” said Rohin Kapoor, senior manager, tax, at Deloitte. The new law, passed in the last session of Parliament, has already got the President’s assent. Now the rules, being drafted by the ministry of corporate affairs, have to be notified. While the study found that companies invest in multiple social service causes, education stood out as the most preferred sector. Some 79% of the companies studied were found to have invested in education, followed by 73% in environment and 69% in health. The report does not give a break-up of sector-wise investment. Kapoor quoted corporate ministry estimates to say that potential investment in CSR was expected to be between Rs 15,000 crore and Rs 18,000 crore annually from next year with the participation of 8,000 to 9,000 eligible companies. A

major chunk of this investment is likely to be on education, particularly higher education, he added. Sobha Mishra, education officer at industry chamber FICCI, said CSR-related investment had remained low mainly because growth has been limited to mostly companies in the service sector, which does not depend much on the local population. On the other hand, infrastructure companies, which require large tracts of land, have to depend on local people for day-to-day functioning. “The Tatas, Birlas and other such companies have done a lot on CSR. But the companies which came up in the last two decades, mostly in the service sector, do not depend much on local people,” Mishra explained. “These are exportoriented companies and they do not spend that much on CSR.” Mishra agreed with Kapoor, the Deloitte manager, on the possibility of education getting the maximum share of CRS funds, saying the sector was at the centre of economic planning. Shalini Singh, who heads the higher education cell at industry body CII, said 60% of Indians were young, but the potential demographic dividends could turn into a disaster if the youths were not educated and trained. “I think the CSR spending on education is certainly going to increase,” she said.

CSR & Competitiveness | November-december 2013

“Companies Act Allows Contributions to Political Parties” NEW DELHI: Section 182 of the Companies Act permits companies to contribute amounts, directly or indirectly to a political party subject to limitations and disclosure requirements laid down therein. Giving this information in written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Sachin Pilot, Minister for Corporate Affairs, said that it has recently been clarified that companies making contributions to a political party or parties through ‘Electoral Trust Companies’ constituted in pursuance of the scheme notified by the Ministry of Finance will be required to only reflect the amount contributed by them to an Electoral Trust company in its books of accounts. The Electoral Trust Companies are, however, required to indicate the amounts passed on to them to a political party or parties in the manner laid down in Section 182(3).

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CSR Thought Leader

Bhaskar Chatterjee

As Secretary in the Department of Public Enterprises, he was leading reform and change among Indian State Owned Enterprises laying special emphasis on Corporate Governance, revitalization of the MOU system, Human Resource Management, Sustainable Development and Corporate Social Responsibility.

Dr. Bhaskar Chatterjee is presently the Director General and CEO of the Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs. This Institute is an autonomous organization established by the Indian Ministry of Corporate Affairs and is intended to function as a capacity-building institution and a think-tank for knowledge development/ dissemination and for rendering policy advice to the Government of India on issues relating to Corporate Affairs. Dr. Chatterjee graduated from Hindu College, Delhi and did his Post graduation in History from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi University. Thereafter, he completed his MBA from the All India Management Association. He received his M. Phil from the Indian Institute of Public Administration in 1989-90 and his Doctorate from the Chitkara University in 2011. He joined the Indian Administrative Service in 1975 and has held many distinguished positions. In 2008-09, he was Principal Adviser in the Planning Commission. Here he was deeply involved with a number of micro and macro-economic measures. He was also a part of the team responsible for shaping India’s response to the global economic crisis of 2009. As Additional Secretary, Ministry of Rural Development, in 2006-08, he was associated with the complete overhaul of the National Rehabilitation and Resettlement Policy of India. Earlier (2004-06) he functioned as Principal Secretary, Steel and Mines in the State Government of Orissa. Here he was part of the core team that negotiated the single biggest Foreign Direct Investment in India with the South Korean Steel Giant, POSCO. The POSCO steel and port complex will

come up in Coastal Orissa with a projected investment of Rs. 51,000 crores or US $ 51 billion. Before this, he made significant contributions to higher education as Member Secretary of the Indian Council of Social Science Research (2001-2004) and to the advancement of Literacy as Director General of the National Literacy Mission (1995-2000). For his outstanding work

in the field of literacy, he was presented with the UNESCO NOMA Award by the President of India in 1999. He has presented several papers and articles on education and management and has made significant contributions to the Dang Committee set up by the Steel Ministry in 2006 and the Hoda Committee on the mining sector set up by the Planning Commission in 2007. Dr. Chatterjee is also a widely acclaimed management practitioner, theorist and teacher. He has written and lectured over many years on issues of motivation and team building. In 1990, he authored his first book – a path breaking work entitled Japanese Management – Maruti and the Indian Experience. Thereafter, he wrote his now famous Human Resource Management – A Contemporary Text which has gone into its fourth revised and enlarged edition in 2009.

Dr. Bhaskar Chatterjee Director General & CEO, Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs Ministry of Corporate Affairs CSR & Competitiveness | November-december 2013

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OP Jindal Scholarship to Meritorious Rural Students in Odisha

Ranjit Kumar Mohanty, District Collector and Magistrate, Angul handed over the scholarship certificate and cheques to the meritorious students at Angul Zilla Parishad Conference Hall, Angul on the occasion of Children’s Day. Out of these 158 merit scholarships, 85 students have been selected on the basis of their performance in High School Examination - 2013 by the Board of Secondary Education Odisha and one student has been selected on the basis of his performance in Odisha JEE – 2013. Remaining 72 Students, awarded with the scholarship are pursuing skill education and ITI Training in 6 trades in O.P. Jindal Community College in Angul. The selection process is well documented in a transparent institutional mechanism in consultation with the Govt. mechanism. The High School Pass

ANGUL (Odisha): Pursuant to its CSR Mission of providing the key enabler for the meritorious rural students belonging to the economically backward section, Jindal Steel Power Limited awarded O.P. Jindal Rural Scholarship 2013 to 158 students of Chhendipada and Banarpal Block in Angul, Odisha. It is one more step to ensure that economic backwardness should not be a constraint for education of meritorious students. JSPL has production steel production facility in Angul.

Scholarship initiative for rural students, announced by the Group reflect the passion of the JSPL Group and its Chairman Naveen Jindal for inclusive and quality education for the needy sections of the populace. Subrat Ratho, MD and Head of Odisha Business Jindal Steel & Power Limited out students will be given Rs 12,000 as scholarship and the Engineering Student will be given Rs 24,000 as scholarship for the current education year. The amount is being disbursed in two installments, half yearly, through cheque in the name of the Awardee based on study continuation and performance. Total commitment for this year Rural Scholarship launched by JSPL , Angul works out to Rs 25.46 lakh. Addressing the large gathering Students, Parents and Teachers, the District Collector Mohanty said, “This

Scholarship will support the economically backward meritorious students for their higher education. Students should best utilize this opportunity to make this scholarship programme by JSPL fruitful and fulfill the dreams of their parents, society and the nation.” He praised JSPL’s initiatives for various CSR initiative which has been impacting the quality of life of the community. Subrat Ratho, MD and Head of Odisha Business of JSPL said that the scholarship initiative for rural students, announced by the Group reflect the passion of the JSPL Group and its Chairman Naveen Jindal for inclusive and quality education for the needy sections of the populace. The great visionary O.P. Jindal had been a strong advocate of education as key enabler for nation building and hence this scholarship programme is named after him, said D.K. Saraogi, Executive Director, JSPL Angul. Prashant Kumar Hota, Head CSR briefed the gathering about objective of the scholarship programme. C.D. Mathew, Asst Vice President, HR and Dr. Suresh Padhy, Vice President of JSPL inspired the students to live up to the expectation of their Parents and the society to drive the future of this country with knowledge and responsibility.

Family Planning Camp at Libra in Tamnar Mines Area RAIGARH: Jindal Steel and Power Limited (JSPL) and Primary Health Centre, Libara and Tamnar, organised a mega family planning camp at village Libra, in Tamnar Block of Raigarh on December 15, 2013. In all, 148 women underwent tubectomy at the camp. A free medical camp was also organized on this occasion for the local populace, wherein free medicines were distributed. Sanjeev Chauhan, Associate Vice President - CSR and Public Relations, JSPL, Raigarh informed that Family Planning Camp has received a positive response

Coal mines, JSPL said that we are committed to promote population stabilization programme in coal mines area in very systematic manner.

from the local women. Women from 24 villages including village Saraitola, Rabo, Saraipali, Jarekela, Jobro, Milupara of JSPL Gare 4/6 coal mines area The Doctors from the primary health centre performed surgeries on approx 147 ladies during the camp. Satyarakash, Vice President, Gare 4/6 CSR & Competitiveness | November-december 2013

“Rural healthcare and support is a prime area of the organizations concern. The most unique aspects of JSPL’s health initiatives include family planning camps in and around the company’s plants in Chhattisgarh.”, Dayanand Awasthi, Sr. Manager-CSR, JSPL coal mines said. “In the last 10 years, this was only family planning camp held in Libra Primary Health Centre, where 148 women adopted family planning.”, he added.

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Wealth From Waste

Vedanta Commissions First Red Mud Powder Plant in the World LANJIAGARH: Red Mud is a waste from Alumina Industry and its disposal and utilization has always been a matter of concern for Environmentalists as well as Alumina industry. Although, the Alumina technology is more than 100 Years old but no solution could be evolved by the Industry to avoid storage of Red Mud slurry. As, the slurry is alkaline in nature and its generation is nearly one and a half time of Alumina, world over several billion tons of Red mud is lying in various Red mud ponds except in some countries where it is being discharged into the sea. In any Alumina refinery, a major portion of land is used for handling this waste. Although, red Mud is rich in Iron and Titanium but no use could be made till now mainly due to presence of Caustic Soda. In several places, lot of

ground water contamination also has been observed due to seepage. Looking into the serious nature of hazard such Red Mud pond may have, MoEF has formed a special project only few months back as National Mission for Red Mud to sponsor and promote research in Red Mud Utilization. Vedanta alumina refinery has commissioned a project of producing Red Mud Powder in a fully mechanized and automatic plant. Dr. Mukesh Kumar, President and COO of VAL said, this is first of its kind project in the world which has been set up at a capital expenditure of approx Rs 50 crores. The system has been developed in house after a continuous research of more than 3 years. Besides numerous advantages the system will have like saving

in Caustic consumption by 10-15 Kg per tone of Alumina, minimizing land requirement by 50-60%, elimination of wet red mud storage and thus eliminating all environmental hazard, now the powdery red mud can easily be utilized in Cement Industry as well as in other Industry. Dr. Mukesh Kumar further informed that they believe in expertize available in the country and thus signed MoUs with several institutions including CSIR laboratories in the country under Industry –Institution Interface promoted by Eastern Regional office of MoEF as well as SPCB Odisha to develop more such technologies so that refinery can be made as Zero Discharge and Zero Waste Refineries and optimum utilization of Natural resources can be ensured without any environmental risks.

Samsung Volunteers Set up ‘Samsung Smart Class’ in Sriperumbudur Sriperumbudur : Strengthening its commitment to contributing to the communities where it operates, employees from Samsung Electronics’ head quarters in Korea participated in a unique employee volunteer program, focused on educational initiatives in India. As part of this Program, these volunteers set up the first Samsung Smart Class in the Keeranallur Government High School in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu. R. Suryanarayan, District Education Officer, Kancheepuram along with Ookki Kim, Managing Director, Samsung Chennai factory inaugurated the Samsung Smart Class. “It is a proud moment for us as we inaugurate the Samsung Smart Class in the Keeranallur Government High School”, said Ookki Kim, Managing Director, Samsung Chennai Factory. “The Samsung Smart Class that has been set up by Samsung volunteers will undoubtedly contribute to improving the quality of education provided to the students in this

school. Samsung’s employee volunteer program is one of Samsung Electronics’ global CSR programs. Through our Corporate Social Responsibility programs, we are harnessing our legacy of innovation to transform communities and their lives for the better while opening a new world of possibilities for them.” The Samsung Smart Class is equipped with 20 computers and will be the first step towards ensuring that the 300 students of this school from classes 6 to 10 get basic computer educaCSR & Competitiveness | November-december 2013

tion on a regular basis. The Samsung Smart Class is one of several initiatives that the volunteers undertook. Besides setting up the computers, they also helped improve other facilities in the school by carrying out repair works on the water tank and toilets. Theyregularly interacted with the students and taught them basic hygiene and involved them in various physical education activities. In addition, some volunteers also supported Health Check up camps organised by Samsung India in around 10 villages in Sriperumbudur. Nohcheon Park, the group leader of the volunteer team from Korea, stated, “We are happy that our work has come to fruition today with the inauguration. We hope that the Samsung Smart Class will serve as an enabler to help these children realize their potential. We are thankful to Samsung Electronics for giving us the opportunity to come here and participate in this initiative.”

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Unilever to Motivate People to Live more Sustainably MUMBAI: Unilever is following up its Sustainable Living Plan with the launch of Unilever Project Sunlight, a new initiative to motivate millions of people to adopt more sustainable lifestyles. Project Sunlight aims to make sustainable living desirable and achievable by inspiring people to look at the possibilities of a world where everyone lives well and within the natural limits of the planet. Project Sunlight, which has launched on November 20, 2013, on Universal Children’s Day, in Brazil, India, Indonesia, the UK and the US, is designed to appeal to people everywhere, and in particular parents, encouraging them to join what Unilever sees as a growing community of people who want to make the world a better place for children and future generations. To mark the launch of Project Sunlight on Universal Children’s Day, Unilever will be helping 2 million children through its ongoing partnerships, providing school meals through the World Food Programme; supporting Save the Children to provide clean, safe drinking water; and improved hygiene through UNICEF. As part of this campaign, Unilever in partnership with Unicef aims to reach out to 500,000 school children in 3,500 schools across India and set up hand-

washing facilities. HUL CEO & MD, Sanjiv Mehta said, “The launch of Project Sunlight is a significant milestone in the history of our company. We believe that large companies like ours have to be part of the solution to the problems the world is facing. Adopting sustainable lifestyles and people using their purchasing power to make consumption choices that are good for them and good for the world are important factors in the drive to reducing social inequality and averting the worst climate change predictions – to make sustainable living commonplace.” Unilever Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, Keith Weed, explains, “Project Sunlight aims to galvanise and build momentum behind a movement that is already happening. We know people all over the world want to adopt more sustainable behaviours, but need these to be easy and to fit with the way they live their lives. As a global consumer goods company, we have the means to help people realise this ambition. We have extensive experience and research into what drives – and what limits – mass behaviour change. From this experience, we know that parenthood creates a profound shift in people’s view of the world and what the anticipated future will mean for the lives of their children.”

Sanjiv Mehta CEO & MD, HUL

Tim Hunter, UNICEF Deputy Director of Fundraising, said, “Unilever’s support to UNICEF’s sanitation programmes has already made a lasting impact on the lives of thousands of children, and the funding from this new initiative will help reach a further 500,000 children. By supporting us in providing handwashing facilities and promoting group handwashing programmes across 3,500 schools in India, Project Sunlight will be helping these children to have a healthy start in life.”

Dasra Girl Power Awards to Empower Adolescent Girls MUMBAI: Dasra, India’s leading strategic philanthropy foundation, has today announced the launch of the Dasra Girl Power Awards. These awards, which total an amount of Rs 30 lakh, will recognize and support high impact organisations that work towards empowering adolescent girls in India. Despite their numbers, the 113 million adolescent girls in India are a largely invisible and vulnerable group. India is home to the largest population of child brides, 60% of the three million sex workers are young girls, 95% girls drop out of schools by age 15 in leading states and over 50% girls face domestic violence. The Awards which total an amount of

Rs 30 lakh will be given to three Indian nonprofit organizations that deliver programs in areas of health, education and life skills for adolescent girls. In a unique initiative, the Dasra Girl Power Awards will also provide capacity building support to 15 shortlisted organizations that will undergo an intensive two day workshop and network with potential funders. Neera Nundy, Partner Dasra, said, “Most programs either focus on issues (such as education or health) or children or older women. Adolescent girls are a frequently overlooked beneficiary group when it comes to program design or focus. With the Dasra Girl Power Awards, we aim to build urgency around issues faced by CSR & Competitiveness | November-december 2013

adolescent girls and establish the need to focus on their empowerment”. She further added, “Investing in girl specific programs translates into better futures for women, children and families thereby creating intergenerational impact”. The Awards are part of Dasra’s larger focus on adolescent girl empowerment; early this year, Dasra launched a fiveyear, $14 million initiative in collaboration with USAID and Kiawah Trust that seeks to achieve systemic change by fostering innovation, improving outcomes and reaching scale to improve the reproductive, maternal , neonatal, child health and empower adolescent girls in rural and urban India.

Philanthropy

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Azim Premji the Most Generous Indian with Donation of Rs 8000 Cr

Hurun India Philanthropy List is a ranking of 31 Indians who donated more than Rs 10 crore in cash or cash equivalent during April 1, 2012 till March 31, 2013.

MUMBAI : When it comes to philanthropy, Indians don’t share the table with the likes of Bill Gates but still there are a few who do really donate and the latest list is topped by Azim Premji of Wipro. Close on the heels of releasing the second edition of Hurun India Rich List, China-based Hurun Report Inc launched the inaugural Hurun India Philanthropy List 2013, with IT tycoon Azim Hashim Premji emerging as the most generous Indian with a donation of Rs 8,000 crore in the past year. Hurun Report included donations made by companies in which an individual had a significant share, by applying the percentage the individual has of the company on the donations. Education was the most important area for the Indian philanthropists with a total contribution of Rs 12,200 crore. It was followed by social development (Rs 1,210 crore), healthcare (Rs 1,065 crore), rural development (Rs 565 crore), environmental cause (Rs 170 crore) and agriculture (Rs 40 crore). “This list demonstrates the responsibility taken by entrepreneurs,” Rupert Hoogewerf, chairman and chief researcher of Hurun Report said. HCL group chairman Shiv Nadar is the second highest contributor in the list with a donation of Rs 3,000 crore. The Shiv Nadar Foundation, which completed 20 years in philanthropy this year, works towards educational initiatives and expansion programmes, directly benefiting 15,000 students across India. Hurun India Philanthropy List is a ranking of 31 Indians who donated more than Rs 10 crore (equivalent to $1.6

million) in cash or cash equivalent during April 1, 2012 till March 31, 2013. GM Rao, through GMR Varalakshmi Foundation, donated Rs 740 crore for the education of underprivileged children, becoming the third biggest philanthropist in India’s corporate world. Nandan and Rohini Nilekani stand fourth in the list with a contribution of Rs 530 crore. Ronnie Screwvala, whose initiatives are housed under the Ronnie Screwvala, whose initiatives are housed under the Swadesh Foundation (UTV group), contributed Rs 470 crore for achieving rural empowerment through the best practices and modern technology values.

CSR & Competitiveness | November-december 2013

“Biotech Queen” Kiran Mazumdar Shaw made a donation worth Rs 330 crore, while Ratan Tata donated Rs 310 crore to various charitable organizations for the underprivileged through the JRD Tata Trust and Sir Ratan Tata Trust. London-based mining major Vedanta Resources chairman Anil Agarwal donated Rs 290 crore to support the cause of healthcare. PNC Menon of Sobha Developers and DLF chairman Kushal Pal Singh contributed Rs 270 crore and Rs 200 crore, respectively for programmes like adoption of villages and skill training of the youth. The average age of the philanthropists in the list is 62 years while the average age of the top 10 donors is 64 years. Region-wise, the report said, south Indians showed the way for making contributions with a cumulative donation of Rs 10,000 crore while north Indians pitched in with contributions of Rs 4,865 crore. The Companies Bill, 2013 mandates companies, with a net worth of more than Rs 500 crore or revenue of more than Rs 1,000 crore or net profit of more than Rs 5 crore, to earmark at least two per cent of their average net profits of the preceding three years for CSR activities. “This amendment to the Companies Bill should provide more transparent reporting of corporate donations,” said Anas Rahman Junaid, publisher at large of Hurun Report India.

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‘Companies Should Look Beyond Financial Gains’

The Institute is an autonomous organisation established by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs. Chatterjee has been closely associated with the framing of the current set of corporate social responsibility (CSR) guidelines in the Companies Act, 2013, that make CSR spend mandatory for companies. “We are evolving a model that is truly Indian, developed for India, by India and in India. The idea is to address the lack of social and economic development in many areas, as also to reach out to the poor and the marginalised,’’ he said. The rules and provisions related to the new Companies Act are to be notified by the first half of January 2014. “Corporates need to go beyond financial gains and must be accountable for social, economic and environmental effects of their businesses. The corporate social responsibility legislation provides an opportunity to refocus by catalysing a process of national regeneration, wherein Corporate India can

work hand in hand with the government,’’ said Chatterjee. Stating that CSR means different things to the western world than in India, Chatterjee said, “For us in India, social development is more important. The ministry wants companies to take part in the development of society.’’ The Act enjoins that CSR moves away from the backroom to the boardroom. “This CSR is not about charity, not about philanthropy, nor giving away freebies to people. This is about corporates actually engaging their businesses in doing good for society,’’ he said. “In the government system, we have large resources. We tried for more than 60 years to remove poverty and we know that companies want to join in that effort. We are looking to synergise their efforts to drive our social agenda,’’ he added. Chatterjee said though there were more 800,000 registered companies in India, “the legislation applies only to 2% of these. About 16,000 companies will fall within the ambit of the legislation. These are the fat cat companies, those who have enormous turnover and consistent profits. Not the smaller ones.’’ Incidentally, not spending on CSR or even failing to report it to the Ministry of Corporate Affairs is set to attract a fine of Rs 50 lakh and even imprisonment of two years.

CSR & Competitiveness | November-december 2013

“We are evolving a model that is truly Indian, developed for India, by India and in India. The idea is to address the lack of social and economic development in many areas, as also to reach out to the poor and the marginalised.’’ Bhaskar Chatterjee DG & CEO Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs

MUMBAI: The government wants Indian companies to take part in the development of society and the new Company’s Act provides an opportunity for corporations and the government to work hand in hand for this purpose, according to Bhaskar Chatterjee, CEO, Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs.

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‘Companies Act Will Make Corporates More Responsible’ VISAKHAPATNAM: Private sector should not be like a rein-less horse and the Companies Act, 2013, will make corporates more accountable and more responsible to the society, according to Bhaskar Chatterjee, Director General and CEO of the Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA) under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs. He was speaking here on December 10, 2013 at a workshop on ‘Companies Act, 2013: A new vista for corporate responsibility’ organised by the institute. He said that in the aftermath of Satyam scandal the searchlight had been turned on the responsibility of the private sector and the need for having good corporate governance. “In fact, the whole economic downturn in the West can be blamed on the malpractices and skullduggery indulged in by the corporate giants there and not on the inefficiency or corruption of the governments. The naked greed and ambition of the corporates in the West is seen to be believed. They think they are above the law

and regulation. It is that kind of attitude which triggered the economic crisis in the US and Europe,’’ he said.

where they are spending the CSR funds. At a later stage, we may even have CSR rating for the companies,’’ he said.

Keeping in view these factors, Chatterjee said that the Companies Act, 2013 was enacted to regulate the corporates, but at the same time without impinging on their freedom to grow. “The act sets a new agenda, a new path. It paves the way for good corporate governance and protection of the interests of the shareholders and stakeholders,’’ he said.

Earlier, E.A.S Sarma, a former bureaucrat, launched a scathing attack on the Companies Act, 2013, and remarked that certain sections relating to CSR almost read like the manifesto of some political parties.

He also spoke at length about corporate social responsibility (CSR) and how it was made mandatory for the corporates to spend two per cent of the average net profit of the past three years on CSR.

He said the corporates in India were getting away with murder and even the public sector companies were no exception. There was no check on the shell companies being floated by corporates for various malpractices.

Companies would have to lay down the CSR policy and also appoint a CSR board within the company to monitor the activities. “CSR can no longer be viewed as merely a charitable activity. The companies - public or private - should have to report to the Government on how and

He said the Act was disappointing in many respects and it should have been prepared with greater care to rein in the corporates.

D.V. Subba Rao, former Chairman of the Bar Council of India, remarked that corporates should not be allowed to deal with other people’s monies as they please and there should be strict regulation and enforcement to keep them in check.

Steel PSUs Contribute Rs 50 crore for Odisha Flood Relief NEW DELHI: The Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) under the Ministry of Steel handed over a cheque of Rs. 50 crore to the Union Minister of Steel, Beni Prasad Verma towards Chief Minister’s Relief Fund Odisha for those affected by floods in the state. PSUs under the Ministry of Steel namely SAIL, NMDC, RINL, MSTC, MOIL, KIOCL, MECON and OMDC contributed Rs. 20 Crore, Rs 20 crore, Rs 4 crore, Rs 2.6 crore, Rs 1.5 crore, Rs 1 crore, Rs 0.5 crore and Rs 0.4 crore respectively. While handing over the cheque, Minister of Steel expressed his condolence over the loss of life caused by the calamity. He also assured that the Nation and the Ministry of Steel in particular stand with the people of Orissa in these hours of turmoil

and loss. Verma assured continuing support and assistance to the state. The contributions made are in addition to other CSR and sustainability activities to be undertaken by the Central Public Sector Enterprises under the Ministry of Steel in the calamity affected areas. The cheque was received from the Minister of Steel by J.K. Mohapatra, Chief SecreCSR & Competitiveness | November-december 2013

tary, Government of Odisha on behalf of the State Government, in the presence of the Secretary, Ministry of Steel, G. Mohan Kumar, Joint Secretaries of the Ministry and CMDs of PSUs under the Ministry.

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Hindustan Zinc to Train 500 Rural Youth in Rajashtan

Hindustan Zinc has also made a provision for free stay and boarding and lodging facilities for the trainee.

UDAIPUR: 500 youths of rural Rajasthan of Udaipur, Bhilwara, Ajmer and Chittorgarh are all set to get vocational job oriented training from Vedanta group company Hindustan Zinc Limited (HZL). The company will spend Rs 80 lakhs (8 million), in one year to train these youths most of whom could not finish their formal education and are unemployed. The program was launched on November 2013 at Debari, Udaipur. “The Rural Youth Training Program has been launched in association with Udaipur based SANKALP NGO and will train these youths in fields like helpers in mining, welding, drilling, electrician, cutting, tailoring, embroidery to name a few.”, Head Corporate Communication of Hindustan Zinc, Pavan Kaushik

informed. Hindustan Zinc has also made a provision for free stay and boarding and lodging facilities for the trainee. The cost per trainee is estimated to be Rs 15,700 per candidate. The training in the given fields and trades has been identified on the basis of the market demand of skilled people and is expected to give ample opportunities to these candidates. The program also has provision to add new programs as per the growing market demand. Also present on the occasion were Dr. Vikas Goswami, Head-Corporate Relations, Vedanta Group, Mr. Manish Nalwaya – President, SANKALP and Sushma Sharma – CSR, HZL and other dignitaries.

Hindustan Zinc has been keenly working in the areas of training of rural youth. In the past also the company has conducted such training programs. Through the current program Hindustan Zinc is trying to help rural youth, particularly those who have dropped out from their education, to come come forward get trained in various vocational fields. The fields selected are all market driven and we expect these youths will get good opportunities. Pavan Kaushik Head-Corporate Communication Hindustan Zinc Ltd

CSR & Competitiveness | November-december 2013

Lotus Greens Making its Office ‘Carbon Neutral’ NEW DELHI: Lotus Greens, a real estate developer set to create a difference in the perception of the real estate sector, has become the first real estate company in the country to make its office environment completely ‘Carbon Neutral’. The company has recently been awarded a certificate by a leading carbon offsets agency, which recognises and applauds efforts to make its office carbon neutral. Lotus Greens plans to become a 100% green company and has started moving in this direction. Lotus Greens promotes its employees to use public conveyance like Delhi Metro for commuting. To encourage such practice, it reimburses the cost of transportation for every single employee. Company uses recycled products and stationeries at its office. Company has joined the league of the global multinational giants like Microsoft, Woodland and Lamborghini who are striving to reduce carbon footprint by 2015, and sets precedence for its Indian peers. Lotus Greens has planted 21,000 saplings on the periphery of Sariska Tiger Reserve on Aravalli Hills in Alwar, Rajasthan, under ‘Green’ initiative. It has embarked on a mission to maintain environmental balance and improve biodiversity from the very first day of its inception. The move is in line with the company’s efforts to limit and balance the usage of natural resources like timber, a high demand commodity for the real estate sector. Company aims to contribute towards a development model for environment by planting such massive forest covers and setting an example that a real estate developer too can do what it takes to make a difference for the society. The drive will benefit about 300 surrounding villages in sensitive Aravalli Hills. “We believe in responsible urbanization and our green initiative will help maintain the biodiversity of the mountain range. Prioritizing ecological balance and minimizing damage to environment is actually the only way to promote and sustain real estate development in today’s ecologically fragile world. We have not been lacking in taking singular initiatives at the community level as well.” P Sahel Vice Chairman & Co – Promoter Lotus Group

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IOC to Produce Fuels from CO2 NEW DELHI: Indian Oil R&D Centre and VITO, Belgium, have signed a Statement of Intent (SOI) for joint research into utilisation of CO2 as a renewable and sustainable feedstock for the production of fuels and chemicals. This agreement was signed recently by Dr. R.K. Malhotra, Director (R&D) and Dirk Fransaer, Managing Director of VITO in the presence of HRH Princess Astrid, Belgium and Didier Reynders, Deputy Prime Minister of Belgium. Kris Peeters, Minister-President and Minister for Economy, Foreign Policy, Agriculture & Rural Policy, Government of Flanders, Belgium, said, “Indian Oil has chosen a right partner”.

VITO (Flemish Institute for Technological Research) is a leading European independent research and consultancy centre in the areas of clean technology and sustainable development. This alliance between Indian Oil and VITO is for setting up a long term multidisciplinary collaborative R&D programme in the field of bio-electrochemistry. It rides on the fact that electro-bio-catalyzed conversion of CO2 to fuels and chemicals offers new possibilities to develop innovative approaches for CO2 re-use. This research will also be beneficial to climate change mitigation.

GMR Sets up Tent School for Migrant Labourers’ Children in Odisha

Clean Energy

This school will provide bridge education to 30 out of school children and mainstream into formal education in a systematic manner. Along with educational inputs there will be active focus on imparting life skills and health care inputs to the children.

DHENKANAL: In order to benefit the children of construction workers who can’t attend the regular school, GMR Infrastructure Limited (GIL)-EPC Division has started one alternative education centre known as Bhima Bhoi Tent School with the technical support of GMR Varalakshmi Foundation near the GMR Kamalanga Energy Limited (GKEL) Township. The tent school was inaugurated Damodar Tanguturi, General Manager-Project, GIL-EPC, GKEL, on November 14, 2013. Speaking on the occasion, Tanguturi said, “This is an initiative of GIL-EPC employees with the support of GMRVF to educate the children of migrant labourers and to get self-satisfaction by doing our bit for the deprived children. We are really happy to start the same on children’s day.” GMRVF has provided a teacher and teaching learning materials for the classroom transaction in the tent school. As most of the parents are construction workers who live in one place until the construction is complete and then move to the next construction place, tent school will serve the educational needs of the most deprived children. Besides providing the teacher, GMRVF will make provision regular health check-ups, awareness sessions on health and hygiene and exposure trips for the children with active support from the GIL-EPC employees.

“This strategic alliance shall fast track IndianOil’s efforts to realise our dream of sustainable and cleantech production.” Dr. R.K. Malhotra Director (R&D) Indian Oil On the occasion, senior officials from IndiaOil R&D Centre, including BP Das, ED (Refining Technology), Dr. Anurag A Gupta, GM (Fuels) as well as senior scientists from Industrial Biotechnology department - Dr. MP Singh and Dr. Manoj Upreti were present. The research work in the areas identified in this agreement is being spearheaded by the Industrial Biotechnology group of R&D Centre.

National Seminar on Revitalizing Public Libraries at Vizianagaram on Feb 8-9, 2014 VISAKHAPATNAM: Visakhapatnam : Society for Promotion of Public Libraries (SPPL)-Visakhapatnam is organizing two days national seminar on Revitalizing Public Libraries through Public Private Partnership (PPP) on 8th – 9th February, 2014 at Zilla Granthalaya Samstha- Vizianagaram. Seminar is being organized in association Zilla Granthalaya Samstha- Vizianagaram. Event is Sponsored by Raja Rammohun Roy Library Foundation, Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India. INDIACSR is the online media partner and CSR & COMPETITIVENESS, foremost monthly CSR magazine is the magazine partner for the seminar. This seminar is aimed at promoting Public Libraries through the concept of Public-Private Partnership. The objective of the seminar is to provide a platform to deliberate on the problems and issues of Public Libraries and provide alternative solutions for their development. Today Public Libraries are going through difficult times due to bureaucratic apathy and lack of esources. Although public libraries form part of educational system, they have been neglected for various reasons. Keeping this in view, the National Knowledge Commission suggested that libraries should adopt Public-Private Partnership model for their growth and development. Contact information: D. Muralidhar, Secretary Society for Promotion of Public Libraries Door No. 7-1-63/7, Flat 1/F, R.K. Sivaramdas Estates China Waltair, Visakhapatnam – 530 017. A.P., INDIA. Mob: 9248463918 (or) 9949473411 e-mail: dmdher@gmail.com

CSR & Competitiveness | November-december 2013

AWARDS

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Infosys Science Foundation Announces Winners of the Infosys Prize 2013

United Nations seventh secretary-general Kofi Atta Annan will felicitate the winners at an award ceremony Feb 8, 2014, in Bangalore.

The Infosys Prize is awarded under the aegis of the Infosys Science Foundation, a not-forprofit trust set up in February 2009 by the management of the company. The Infosys Science Foundation is funded by a corpus which today stands at over Rs 100 crore (US$ 18 million), contributed by the trustees and Infosys.

BANGALORE: Five eminent scientists, a noted historian and a reputed linguist from premier Indian institutes and overseas were declared winners of the Infosys Science Foundation awards for 2013 in Bangalore on November 12, 2013. The winners were recognized for their outstanding achievements and contributions to scientific research in six categories: Engineering & Computer Science, Humanities, Life Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, Physical Sciences and Social Sciences. The Infosys Science Foundation also announced an increase in the prize purse by Rs 5 to Rs 55 Lakhs for each category for 2013. The prize for the Humanities category will be split equally between the two winners.

The seven winners were chosen based on significant progress showcased in their chosen spheres, as well as for the impact their research will have on the specific field. In addition to the prize purse, each category award includes a gold medallion and a citation certificate. The winners of the Infosys Prize 2013 were evaluated by a panel of jurors comprising eminent scientists and professors from around the world. The jury chairs of the six categories are: Prof. Pradeep K. Khosla, Engineering & Computer Science; Prof. Amartya Sen, Humanities; Dr. Inder Verma, Life Sciences; Prof. Srinivasa S. R. Varadhan, Mathematical Sciences; Prof. Shrinivas Kulkarni, Physical Sciences; and Dr. Kaushik Basu, Social Sciences.

Dr. V. Ramgopal Rao Enginee ring and Computer Science

Prof. Nayanjot Lahiri

Prof. Ayesha Kidwai

Dr. Rajesh S. Gokhale

Humanities – Archaeology

Humanities – Linguistics

Life Sciences

Prof. Shiraz Naval Minwalla

Mathematical Sciences

Physical Sciences

N.R. Narayana Murthy Founder, Executive Chairman of the Board, Infosys, and Trustee, Infosys Science Foundation

Securing India’s Scientific Future

Laureates Infosys Prize 2013

Prof. Rahul Pandharipande

“Science and Research are imperative pillars in any nation’s progress. By honoring outstanding researchers and celebrating their achievements, the Infosys Prize aims to inspire young minds in India to explore the sciences and increase innovative work being done in the country today.”

Prof. Aninhalli R. Vasavi Social Sciences – Sociology and Anthropology

The Infosys Prize endeavors to elevate the prestige of scientific research in India and inspire young Indians to choose a vocation in scientific research. The award is given annually to honor outstanding achievements of contemporary researchers and scientists across six categories : Engineering and Computer Sciences, Humanities, Life Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, Physical Sciences and Social Sciences, each carrying a prize of a gold medal, a citation and a purse of Rupees 50 Lakh. The award intends to celebrate success in scientific research and stand as a marker of excellence in these fields. A jury, comprising eminent leaders in each of these fields, evaluates the achievements of the nominees against the standards of international research, placing the winners on par with the finest researchers in the world. The Infosys Prize in Mathematics was first given in 2008. Following the establishment of the Infosys Science Foundation, the Infosys Prize was given in 4 other categories. The ISF announced a sixth category – the Infosys Prize in Humanities – in January 2012. Categories. For the Infosys Prize 2013, nominations also accepted in Archaeology, Legal Studies, Linguistics and Philosophy under the Humanities category and under Social Sciences in Anthropology and Sociology.

CSR & Competitiveness | November-december 2013

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SBI Donates Water Purifiers to 15,000 Schools Across India The CSR spend of the Bank touched an all-time high of Rs 123 crores during 2012-13 bringing solace to underserved sections of society all over the country. MUMBAI: Fifteen thousand branches of State Bank of India have provided water purifiers to 15,000 schools across the country on the occasion of Children’s Day, 2013. Apart from this, branches of Associate Banks have also participated in the programme. This was made possible through the active involvement and able direction given by the top Management of the Bank i.e. Arundhati Bhattacharya, Chairman; A. Krishnakumar, MD & GE (NB) and S. Visvanathan, MD & GE (A&S). Earlier also, the Bank and its Associates had provided fans / water purifiers to needy schools across the country. This initiative of the Bank has so far benefited over one lakh

schools and millions of children. With all our branches participating in providing water purifiers on the occasion of Children’s Day, the Bank is making a gift of health to the future citizens of the country, thereby contributing to the creation of a healthy, vibrant and educated citizenry for the country. Water borne diseases have always been a scourge and in recent times, it has shown an increasing trend in India. Children are affected more by water borne maladies. This was the trigger that made State Bank decide to provide clean drinking water to school children. Apart from education, the Bank’s focus was also on healthcare especially for the under privileged in the remotest parts of the country.

Many a life is lost due to lack of timely healthcare and lack of facilities to shift patients to hospitals from remote areas. To overcome this lacunae, the Bank has donated over 400 ambulances in the last two years. These ambulances are rendering this essential service in the remotest parts of the country. The CSR spend of the Bank touched an all-time high of Rs 123 crores during 2012-13 bringing solace to underserved sections of society all over the country. The Bank is contributing to an inclusive growth paradigm in building a strong nation. Thereby, State Bank of India continues to serve the community, everywhere in the country.

DAV Vedanta International Celebrates Children’s Day school situated at Lanjigarh and the students basically from tribal community will show such type of science exhibition.

LANJIGARH: Children’s day have been observed at the DAV Vedanta International School (DAV VIS) at Lanjigarh on November 14, 2013 among the students and Parents of the peripheral area in Lanjigarh, Odisha, where Vedanta Aluminum Ltd has production facility. The students has also observed the day with a two days programme where they observe the diabetic day as well as arranged a Science Exhibition. Satya Narayan Dash, Sub-collector, Bhawanipatna Range (Kalahandi) attended the function as the Chief Guest and addressed the children on the importance of Children’s day celebration and advised all the students to be a good citizen of India and take part actively in the development of our country. Dr. Mukesh Kumar, Chairman, DAV Management Committee as well as COO of Sesa Sterlite Limited has also visited the School and praised the student on their science exhibition show. Dr. Mukesh advised the students to give more concentration on research on science and to follow the famous scientist & Former president Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kallam. He also

said the school is doing a commendable work by providing quality of education to nearly 700 children in the Lanjigarh area which is mostly populated by tribal inhabitants. Before the inaugural function what followed was a day-long ‘Science Exhibition’ organized by the students of the school which marked the Children’s Day and the exhibition mesmerized the guests and visitors. In this function Dr. Gyan Ranjan Padhy, Sardar Raj Medical College, Bhawaniptna has attended as Judge of Science exhibition. On the occasion he expressed that he had never thought about such type of wonderful CSR & Competitiveness | November-december 2013

Principal of the school Smt. Chakrobarty praised Dr. Mukesh Kumar for taking all necessary steps to make the school world class in terms of facility and infrastructure. The school children, nearly 700 in numbers from the nearby vicinity of Lanjigarh, were captivated on the speech of the Sub collector along with the parents of the children who were also present on the occasion. Others guests attended the programme were K.R.Kundu (Head HR), Jalaj Malpani (Head Finance), V Prem Kumar (Head Commercial), Sanjiv Kumar, D. Ravindranath from Sesa Sterlite, Adarsha Gupta-President Ladies Club, Dr. Sabita Swain, Dr. Chinky Gupta and Sidhartha Behera, Alok Gaya, Debajyoti Mohapatra, Asutosh Behera, Manoj Behera. Vedanta is providing quality of education to nearly 700 children in the Lanjigarh area which is mostly populated by tribal inhabitants.

Interview

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We Believe Business and Society can Always Strengthen Each Other Col. Prakash Tewari (Retd), Group Head- CSR and Education, Jindal Steel and Power Limited (JSPL), shared about various CSR projects, vision of his company and views on contemporary issues in the area of responsible business and social responsibilities. In an Interview with Rusen Kumar, Editor, CSR & COMPETITIVENESS he said, we believe business and society can always strengthen each other, when they are integrated in mutually reinforcing partnerships.

The new CSR policy is a step in the right direction by the Government. This policy will bring in transparency and accountability on CSR spending of Corporate. Most of the big corporate were already doing CSR and developing areas or locations where they were operating. However this policy will compel other Corporate as well to assist in social development of the nation by doing sustainable developmental projects at their locations and be an agent of change in the lives of people in a structured way.

Col. Prakash Tewari (Retd), Group Head- CSR and Education, Jindal Steel and Power Limited CSR & Competitiveness | November-december 2013

Interview

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Kindly brief us about your Company’s core business interests?

those involved with our operations, and the communities we work with.

JSPL’s objective is to strengthen country’s industrial base by aiding infrastructural development, through sustainable development approaches and inclusive growth. The company deploys its resources to improve infrastructure, education, health, water, sanitation, environment etc. in the areas it operates in.

We have adopted the best practices on environment, occupational health and safety areas. The organisation pursues the Environmental Management System (EMS) ISO 14001 and the Occupational Health and Safety Assessment System OHSAS 18001 at its units. This helps it improve waste management, water and energy conservation, noise reduction, control of stack and fugitive emissions.

JSPL is partnering the nation’s aspirations as India continues its journey towards emerging as a two trillion dollar economy with consistent focus on social justice and participatory growth. Our competitive strengths – strategic global expansion, strong distribution network, product differentiation, raw material security, operational excellence and global integration – position us well to help meet India’s long-term socio-economic priorities. We are also significantly present in mining, power and infrastructure segments, catering to a large part of India’s domestic energy and infrastructure requirements. Our business operations span across Asia, Africa and Australia. In just one and a half decades of operations, we have considerably expanded our presence in the global landscape. Steel, power and mining impact environment adversely. Does your company have any sustainable project that mitigates environment damage? JSPL is committed towards protecting the environment through its various policies and practices. It has institutionalized a fully-functional system to take ahead its ‘green’ agenda. Some of the notable achievements are: every drop of water is recycled; coal rejects are utilized to generate power; and the residue (fly ash) is used in making bricks used for construction of roads, houses for employees and other buildings. Even the waste heat generated during the production of Sponge Iron is used to generate electrical power. JSPL is partnering the nation’s aspirations by conducting business in a manner that protects and promotes the safety and health of our employees,

How much Corporate Responsibility is attached to the business and operations? Our community development initiative extend well beyond business objectives. We are developing an ecosystem in which business achievement is woven with community pride. The company’s social entrepreneurship is evident from our multiple initiatives to help elevate people’s quality of life. Our intervention focuses on key areas of Health and Hygiene, Educational and Skill development, Women Empowerment and Vocational Training, Self-Employment and Income generation, Safe drinking water and sanitation, Capacity building, Youth and Sports and Infrastructure development. Business can gain three important advantages by serving the community. A new source of revenue growth, greater efficiency, and access to innovation. CSR brings together multiple customers and the company must explore how best to serve those customers. Do you have Corporate Social Responsibility policy for the group companies and when it was adopted? Yes our company has a written uniform CSR policy for all our group companies. It was adopted in 2002 and updated in 2012 with the formation of a Committee at Board level to address the subject of CSR and Sustainability called ‘Health Safety, CSR and Environment Committee’. What are your CSR focus areas and various ongoing programmes?

CSR & Competitiveness | November-december 2013

Col Prakash Tewari (Retd) is the Group Vice President, CSR and Education of the Jindal Steel and Power Limited. He has been awarded the United National Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) - Global Alliance for Disaster Reduction 2005 Award for distinguished professional leadership and personal commitment to ongoing programs in Asia and Indian Government Commendation Card for Exemplary service and dedication to duty for Conflict Resolution in North Eastern States of India. Since the last three decades has been working in the field of social, environmental, disaster and conflict management. While executing projects in various countries he felt that the only way to resolve conflict was through developmental work and inspiring people to work for a culture of peace and tolerance while enhancing their capacity, knowledge and skills. To this end, he worked hard and acquired state-of-the-art knowledge appropriate to the needs of the region through education and practical fieldwork application. He was able to contribute to the shaping of the policy at national, regional, and international levels and understand the skills and methodologies for mapping and analyzing these application through appropriate processes for social and cultural transformation.

Interview The budgets for all locations are compiled at the Corporate to arrive at CSR annual budget. The total spending on Corporate Social Responsibility for FY 2012-13 was 6.22% of PAT. Our emphasis is on implementation of CSR Projects by involving people through local panchayats, following the triple bottom line approach. The seven pillars on which we focus are: Education: Capacity building through education and enabling environment for children to evolve as responsible citizens. Health: Establishing multiple charitable clinics, hospitals and providing worldclass health facilities to our employees and the communities. Livelihood: Development of self-dependency and encouragement for practical skills for individual community and long term prosperity. Infrastructure Development: Improve quality of life by reducing rural urban divide. Easy access to modern amenities and improved surroundings. Livestock Management: Improved animal husbandry practices to improve health and productivity status of livestock. Youth and Health Club: Channelizing the energy of the youth towards the development of communities by giving opportunities in various activities. Environment: Protecting the environment through the company’s policies and practices. We believe business and society can always strengthen each other, when they are integrated in mutually reinforcing partnerships. What kind of positive impact you have made through projects in community? Recently we carried out a Socio-Economic Impact Assessment (SEIA) study by NABCONS in all our plants and coal mines periphery to analyse and document the social and economic changes in the area since our inception. We found that major activity, pursued by people in terms of its share in total income was service followed by crop farming. A large number of people benefitted and the status and income of the people has gone up considerably. The seasonal mi-

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gration has decreased from about 10 per cent to almost zero. The decreased migration was due to opportunity for livelihood within village. CSR activities have also brought a number of social changes and some of them were promotion of community based organisation (Self Help Groups), narrowing down of differences between SCs/STs and others which could be the effect of urbanization and inward migration, reduced extent of child marriage (15 to 2%), reduced school dropout rate (from 10% to less than 5%), improvements in institutional delivery (82%), antenatal care (75%), breast feeding (95%), immunization of children (90%) and reduced child mortality (less than 2% ). The Company, since inception has made sustained efforts for upliftment of the underprivileged and backward people. As a responsible corporate citizen, the Company is committed to community development and believes that an effective growth policy must also take into account the fulfillment of basic needs of people around its plants. It deploys resources to help improve infrastructure, education, health, water, sanitation and environment, in its areas of operations. A number of world class institutions have been developed across India strengthening health, school education and technical education. Prominent among them are O.P. Jindal Global University at Sonepat, Haryana, O.P. Jindal Schools at Raigarh, Tamnar, Nalwa, Angul and Patratu, where quality education is being imparted to over 10,000 students, O.P. Jindal Institute of Power Technology, O.P. Jindal Institute of Technology, fostering technical education, O.P. Jindal Community Colleges (OPJCC), transforming the rural economy through skills training. Fortis O.P. Jindal Hospital and Research Centre at Raigarh providing superior healthcare in the Eastern Region of the Chhattisgarh State. What kind of a model have you adopted to implement the project for wider impact? We feel that CSR can be a win-win business model, if we are able to align our CSR activities with our processes. We look not only into the social impact of activities on the society, but also the impact of the outside society on our company’s activities. Hence, an appropriate

CSR & Competitiveness | November-december 2013

CSR approach is taken, that can give us enhanced advantage and benefit the society at the same time. This helps, not only in reducing the friction between the business and the society, but also in integrating the two. We do not believe in a responsive approach and our focus is on doing CSR activities from a value-chain and competitive context. Do you have annual budget for social projects and how big is your team for CSR? We have a very methodical way of making our Annual CSR Plan and Budgets. The social projects are finalized each year for all locations based on the Social Impact Assessment Report, Community Satisfaction Index and Need Assessment. All social projects are based on outcomes with clear cut deliverables with efficiency and effectiveness index. These projects are also aligned to various Government programs through leveraging/ convergence. Thereafter budgets are allotted for each program with monthly cash flows. The budgets for all locations are compiled at the Corporate to arrive at CSR annual budget. The total spending on Corporate Social Responsibility for FY 2012-13 was 6.22% of PAT. How do you rate yourself on CSR scale? It is not possible to rate on CSR Scale. Different corporate are doing different CSR activities from different perspectives. For instance in JSPL Group our business is linked to our CSR strategic goals and we have strategic objectives with key performance indicators, goal and time lines for achieving them. All locations have an annual business plan which clearly defines the deliverables, proposed outcomes and the output. We carry out an impact assessment of our activities through an independent agency. What do you think of the India government’s emphasis on CSR amount spending? The new CSR policy is a step in the right direction by the Government. This policy will bring in transparency and accountability on CSR spending of Corporate. Most of the big corporate were already doing CSR and developing areas or locations where they were operating. However this policy will compel other Corporate

Interview

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and operates, will ultimately find that its success is temporary.

The advancement of CSR lies truly in understanding the interrelationship between corporate and society and using it in strategies and activities of specific companies.

Social programmme cannot rival the business sector when it comes to creating jobs, wealth, innovations, improving living standards and social conditions. The support of the Government, NGO’s and other participants in the civil society is essential. What are your recommendations to combat the challenges in the global market? I recommend that all businesses should have a very clearly defined community engagement strategy which clearly lists down their principles of community engagement, processes for mapping and segmentation of their communities, processes for engaging with the project affected communities, value chain and the methodology of governance and management.

as well to assist in social development of the nation by doing sustainable developmental projects at their locations and be an agent of change in the lives of people in a structured way.

nities and hence CSR is not strategically aligned and fails to identify and prioritize values. The complete process is uncoordinated and philanthropic and not linked to internal and external activities.

According to you, what are the recent trends in CSR in India?

Are you in favour of CSR to be integrated into the heart of business policy and strategy?

In India and the World, CSR over a period of time has moved from defensive to charitable to promotional to strategic CSR. CSR means business making choices, not only based on profit margins but also the best options for all stakeholders including society. I am deliberately using the word stakeholders as CSR encompasses both internal and external stakeholders. I am deliberating on external stakeholders i.e. communities in particular. This means doing CSR is an area as small as communities surrounding the business - to communities at large to even beyond geographical locations. I feel that CSR trend in India are based more on a transactional approach rather than a strategic approach. In all the four perspectives mentioned above it is observed that CSR is based or focused more on reducing the tension between the business and commu-

The advancement of CSR lies truly in understanding the interrelationship between corporate and society and using it in strategies and activities of specific companies. This would reform the companies by pulling them out of the quicksand created by their current CSR approach. A successful corporation comprises of the need of basic elements such as a healthy society, safe products and working environment, efficient utilization of natural resources and strategic regulatory standards, catered to with utmost efficiency. A healthy Society creates an expanding demand for business, as more human needs are met and there is also a certain asp rational and motivational growth. Any business that cultivates its harvest at the expense of the society, where it exists

CSR & Competitiveness | November-december 2013

I also recommend that companies should follow the GRI guidelines and publish their Sustainability Report so that they are transparent and voluntarily disclose their triple bottom line performance, externally verified by an outside agency. This action would generate a relentless quest to create a larger societal and environmental capital and sub serve larger national priorities. All corporate have to understand that CSR is not an add-on function but something which is the core and needs to be embedded in all their business processes. In your opinion, what are the most burning issues in Indian business today? The most urgent ethical issues in CSR today are financial concerns ie how much to spend and being clear as to where it has to be spent. With large numbers of socials issues and different stake holders the dilemma whom to support and how much to support. How to meet the expectations of the people as there is no limit to satisfying the needs of the people and the goal post keeps increasing as expectations of the communities keep rising. CSR professionals also face the dilemma when dealing with labor markets as business generally likes to shift to countries or area where the wages are low. Thus how to deal with the HR issues in different cultural and geographical areas, is our long term target.

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BHEL Supports to Built 50-bed Mental Hospital & Rehabilitation Centre

“We are proud to say that all our activities, including CSR initiatives are dedicated to the growth and prosperity of our great country.” B. Prasada Rao CMD, BHEL

KOLKATA: State run electrical engineering major Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has extended a helping hand for creation of infrastructure for the mentally challenged in Kolkata. The company extended financial support of Rs 1 crore to NGO ‘Sane and

Enthusiast Volunteers Association of Calcutta’ for construction of a 50-bed mental hospital and rehabilitation centre, a day care centre and an education facility at Thakurpukur, Kolkata benefiting 500 patients. The facility was inaugurated by Gov-

NTPC Sipat Donates for Development of Baiga Tribe Baiga tribe are those primitive tribes found in central India’s dense forest of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. BILASPUR (Chhattisgarh): In a major flip towards nurture and enrich the lives of primitive Baiga tribe, NTPC Sipat has provided Rs 4 lakh financial assistance to district administration. This money will be spent for running the developmental programmes more effective way to make them socially and economically empowered to lead a dignified meaningful life. Baiga tribe are those primitive tribes found in central India’s dense forest of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. After independence various developmental programmes have been carried out by central and state governments towards their development. In Chhattisgarh also various developmental programmes are carried out by state government. Under these developmental schemes action plan on education, health and employment of Baiga’s are being running by Bilaspur district administration. In order to educate the children of Baiga tribe, they are getting enrolled in

residential schools, where they get good environment for education and sports. Apart from this various self employment training programmes are being running to provide them self employment to earn their daily needs. As a dedicate player in carrying out its corporate social responsibility and to implement those developmental programmes more effectively members of NTPC Sipat management handed over the cheque to Nilkanth Tekam, Addl. Collector, Bilaspur. Earlier in the year 2011 also NTPC Sipat had provided this much amount to district administration. CSR & Competitiveness | November-december 2013

ernor M.K. Narayanan in the presence of B. Prasada Rao, CMD, BHEL. “We are proud to say that all our activities, including CSR initiatives are dedicated to the growth and prosperity of our great country,” Rao said.

ONGC-ALIMCO Join Hands for ‘Swavlamban Abhiyan’

KANPUR: The ONGC and Kanpur-based PSU Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation Of India (ALIMCO) which is a fully-owned PSE of Union Ministry Of Social Justice and Empowerment inked an agreement on December 12, 2013 at ONGC’s CSR corporate headquarters in New Delhi. The agreement valuing Rs 250 million for the first phase of ONGC’s CSR initiative named ‘ONGC’s Swavlamban Abhiyan’, is for the purpose of providing aids and assistive devices to persons with disabilities (PwDs) and other differently-abled population including children with special needs on pan India basis. The agreement was signed by Lt Colonel (Retd.) P.K. Dube, GM, ALIMCO and Prakash Chandra Agrawal, GM, CSR, ONGC.

NEWS

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GMR Contributes Rs 50 Lakhs to CM’s Relief Fund affected people of Odisha,” he added. The GMR Group is establishing GKEL, the 3×350 MW coal-based thermal power plant at Kamalanga in Odisha’s Dhenkanal District.

DHENKANAL (Odisha): The GMR Group has extended its support to the victims of Cyclone Phailin by contributing Rs 50 lakhs to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. The cheque was formally handed over to the Chief Minister of Odisha, Naveen Patnaik, at the State Secretariat by R.V. Sheshan, President & Director, GMR Kamalanga Energy Limited (GKEL). “We are grieved to witness the havoc created in Odisha in the wake of Cyclone Phailin and its aftermath,” Sheshan said. “All the employees of the GMR Group in the country and abroad have made a token contribution to support the massive

relief operations being undertaken by the State Government for the cyclone

So far, GKEL has commissioned two units of 350 MW each, on April 30 and November 11, respectively, this year. Power produced from GKEL is being supplied to GRIDCO Limited in Odisha in line with the long-term Power Purchase Agreement. Besides Odisha, GKEL would supply power to Haryana, Bihar and other parts of the country.

NINL Donates Rs 20 Lakhs for Phailin Relief Neelachal Ispat Nigam Limited, situated in the Kalinga Nagar Industrial Complex in Odisha’s Jajpur district, donated Rs 20 Lakhs to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund for restoration and relief operation of the people affected by the cyclone Phailin and the resultant flood in the state. NINL Director (Finance) S.P. Padhi, accompanied by Executive Director (HR/IR) C.K. Podder and A.K. Satapathy (GM, Law), handed over the cheque to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

UK Set to Invest in CSR in India LONDON: British companies are expected to contribute as much as 100 million pounds per year for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) work in India under the country’s new Companies Act. The research conducted by NextGen, one of India’s largest sustainability and CSR management company working with Fortune-500 clients across 16 sectors, was hailed by Hugo Swire, Britain’s Minister of state for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, during his visit to Delhi on November 12, 2013. “The Companies Act (2013) will have a profound impact on the CSR landscape, and I am delighted that British companies are working closely with Indian business and developing partnerships to help share UK expertise in this area,” Swire said. “The wide range of work and

initiatives already being undertaken emphasises that we are here as a longterm partner with India, working in support of India’s goals and objectives,” he added. Swire hosted a roundtable with some of Britain’s top businesses in India, including Rolls Royce, John Lewis Partnership, Standard Chartered, JCB, Pearson, BAE, HSBC, PwC, AoC, KPMG, British Airways and Rio Tinto, at the recently launched UK India Business Council’s (UKIBC) British Business Centre in Gurgaon to analyse their inputs in various CSR initiatives in India. The minister also oversaw the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the UKIBC and Delhi British Business Group (BBG) as part of a broader partnership to strengthen the support network availCSR & Competitiveness | November-december 2013

able to British companies seeking to enter or expand into the Indian market. Under the latest arrangement, BBG members will receive discounted rates for using the UKIBC Business Centre’s facilities, including hot-desking, meeting, event and training space. They will also receive complimentary market intelligence, including sector and market reports from the UKIBC. “The MoU between the UKIBC and the British Business Group in Delhi will enhance collaboration between UKIBC and the BBG in order to provide British businesses looking to enter or expand into the Indian market with an even better support system,” said UKIBC managing director Richard McCallum. (Agency)

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Top 200 Companies in Country Employ Less than 10% Woman Staff NEW DELHI: With the Women’s Reservation Bill for more participation of the women in politics still waiting for Lok Sabha clearance, India Inc too does not appear to be a happy hunting ground for the fairer sex. According to a CII survey, women employees account to less than 10% in more than half of the top 200 companies in India, while 50% of these companies have no women representative in the top management or board. This comes at a time when the Women’s Reservation Bill - to reserve 33% of all seats in the Lok Sabha and in all state legislative assemblies for women - is waiting for the clearance of the Lower House, after smooth passage through Rajya Sabha three years ago in March 2010. Companies with female staff in the range of 20 to 40% mainly comprise service sector companies. Companies with female staff less than 10% mainly comprise mining, manufacturing, oil exploration, construction and engineering. Survey findings suggest that many

Companies with female staff in range of 20 to 40% mainly comprise services sector companies

companies are already spending 2% or more on CSR. However, the companies find it difficult to exhaust this budget if areas and methods of spends are restricted. The major respondents to the survey were TCS, Cairn India, Mahindra & Mahindra, Ambuja Cements, Sterlite Industries (India), GAIL, YES Bank, BHEL, Godrej Consumer Products, Infosys, Larsen & Toubro, Maruti Suzuki, Tata Power, Simens, BPCL, Hindustan Unilever, ITC, JSW Steel, Titan Industries, Wipro, SAIL, Apollo Tyres, Central Bank of India; Piramal Enterprises, Shree Cement and Biocon. It also stated that human rights, supply chain, and corruption are poorly regulated areas in India – therefore, currently rank lower as potential risk areas to companies. Almost all companies have procedures in place to identify and manage corporate risks with ‘environment’ being the most considered factor (91% compa-

nies) among others. It added that more than 90% of the top 200 companies include CSR/Sustainable Development including CSR in their mission or vision statements, with 60% of the respondents having board level committees to engage on CSR/Sustainable Development related activities. In addition, 50% of the top 200 companies have their board of directors headed by an ‘Independent Director’. The survey states that more than 97% of the companies publicise their initiatives on business responsibility or sustainability issues. On the other hand, almost all the respondents have health and safety management systems in place. Though the number of women employees is less, more than 90% of the companies have a policy or procedures in place for sexual orientation, and prevention of harassment, coercion, and any form of intimidation and abuse (physical, sexual or verbal) towards employees.

Think Media to Organize Odisha CSR Conclave on 17 Jan 2014 in Bhubaneshwar NEW DELHI: THINK MEDIA INC is organizing Odisha CSR Conclave, Panel Discussion & Award Ceremony on ‘Integrating CSR into strategic Management Processes’ on 17th January, 2014 at Hotel Swosti Premium, Bhubaneswar, Odisha. The Conclave is structured towards sharing perspectives, experiences and good practices in CSR that will enable business leaders, Government representatives, CSR Professionals and members from the Civil Society to analyze different strategies for mainstreaming CSR and work towards equitable overall development. Think Media Inc. will host a series of events in the Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities initially to promote its Tagline- ‘Sharing Posi-

tive News’. Focusing on the theme of ‘Embedding CSR into Business Strategy’, the objectives of the Conclave will be as follows: Create a knowledge platform at a state level by bringing together policy makers, media, civil society, academic and development agencies, to disseminate and discuss the issues of integrating CSR into strategic management processes. The conclave will be an advocacy and capacity building initiative providing an orientation on the ‘how’ and ‘what’ of CSR with a special emphasis for the medium and emerging corporates especially with respect to the Clause 135, of the recently passed Companies Bill 2012. Leveraging CSR for achieving the State Development Goals. Exploring linkages between CSR and CorCSR & Competitiveness | November-december 2013

porate Sustainability using concepts and frameworks like NVG Guidelines, Global Compact, GRIs etc. Leverage on the learning, by showcasing innovative CSR practices with significant contributions to development to inspire and lead change and explore ways / strategies for scaling up. Contact information Ekhlaque Ansari G-44, Nizamuddin West, New Delhi – 110044 Call: 91-8130786718; 91-11-45758814; 45758811 Email: ansari@thinknewsmedia.com Website: www.thinknewsmedia.com

SURVEY

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Restricting Spend Methods to Make Complying with CSR Difficult

About 25% of the companies are spending at least 2% of PAT on CSR activities.

NEW DELHI: Pitching for broadening the areas for social welfare spending, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) on November 5, 2013 said corporates would find it difficult to comply with new CSR norms if methods of expenditure are restricted. As per the new Companies Act, activities that would fall under CSR net include reducing child mortality and improving maternal health, combating human immunodeficiency virus, acquired immune deficiency syndrome, malaria and other diseases, ensuring environmental sustainability, employment enhancing vocational skills and social business projects. Certain class of companies are required to shell out at least 2% of their three-year annual average profit towards social welfare activities.

Companies will face difficulty in spending 2% of their profits towards CSR activities if areas and methods of this expenditure will be restricted, a CII survey said. As per the new Companies Bill, which was approved by Parliament after a long wait on August 8, 2013 requires companies to shell out two per cent of three-year average annual profit towards Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities. The survey said that strengthening or creation of new institutions, research, debate and on ground action should be qualified as CSR spends. “...companies find it difficult to exhaust this (2%) budget if areas and methods of spends are restricted,” it said.

panies to spend on CSR activities, it said that it was too early to tell whether making sustainability a core aspect of businesses would happen through mandatory regulatory frameworks or voluntary efforts. “Perhaps, a middle path is the most pragmatic and effective solution,” it suggested. The Business Responsibility India Survey 2013’ found that about 75% of the 200 companies surveyed have already incorporated business responsibility (BR) into purchasing policy or supplier code of conduct. It said that about 25% of the companies are spending at least 2% of PAT on CSR activities.

On making it mandatory for the com-

Corporation Bank Donates a Mid-Day Meal Delivery Vehicle to Akshaya Patra Foundation BANGALORE: The Corporation Bank, one of the oldest banks of India, has contributed one meal distribution vehicle to The Akshaya Patra Foundation, the world’s largest NGO run school meal program which currently feeds over 1.3 million children across the country every day. S.R. Bansal, Chairman and other top officials of Corporation Bank flagged off the mid day meal vehicle along with the presence of Madhu Pandit Dasa, Chairman, The Akshaya Patra Foundation. The inauguration was followed by a visit to the Akshaya Patra kitchen to understand the process that caters the needs of millions of children on each school working day. The custom-designed vehicle is in-

sulated to maintain optimal temperature, is dust-free and helps to retain the freshness of the meals. The meal delivery vehicle will help transport hot, nutritious meals from the centralized kitchens to about 4,000 children daily in 40 schools each day.

The Akshaya Patra Foundation a non-profit organization is in a public private partnership with the Indian government, which implements the world’s largest NGO managed mid-day meal programme CSR & Competitiveness | November-december 2013

Madhu Pandit Dasa, Chairman, The Akshaya Patra Foundation, said, “Corporation Bank commenced its partnership with Akshaya Patra back in 2009 and till today they have continued their support that enable us to reach more hungry children in India. We hope to continue and strengthen our relationship to reach 5 million children by 2020 across India.”

AWARDS

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Sachin Pilot Recognises Sustainable India’s Most Sustainable at CII-ITC Sustainability Award 2013

>> “Human beings are custodians of natural resources. In tackling sustainability issues such as climate change, the poor will be most affected. It is our responsibility to empower them so as to conserve and nurture natural resources.” Sachin Pilot, Minister of State for Corporate Affairs & YC Deveshwar, Chairman, ITC Ltd. at the Sustainability Awards 2013 organised by CII-ITC Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Development in New Delhi

NEW DELHI: Sachin Pilot, Minister for Corporate Affairs recognised India’s Most Sustainable companies at a special presentation of the CII-ITC Sustainability Awards 2013 in New Delhi on December 20, 2013. The Awards are a part of the CII-ITC Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Development’s continued efforts to create awareness, promote policy and practices, and create capacity to mainstream sustainability practices. Not only do the Awards help reward exemplary enterprises for their pioneering efforts, but this recognition also helps create beacons of inspiration for others to follow. Sachin Pilot while congratulating the winners said the CII-ITC Sustainability Awards highlight and reward what companies do beyond balance sheets. He said, “Human beings are custodians of natural resources. In tackling sustainability issues such as climate change, the poor will be most affected. It is our responsibility to empower them so as to conserve and nurture natural resources.” Speaking of company efforts on sustainability, the Minister said that “the top management and the Boards have to drive the agenda, and allow middle management the elbow room to execute. Sustainability has to be built into company ethos.” Y.C. Deveshwar, Chairman, Advisory Coun-

cil, CII-ITC Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Development said, “By depleting natural resources we are not just borrowing but stealing from future generations. Business has the genius, innovation capability and creativity to change this. Champions in the industry are investing in sustainability for their competitiveness in the future. While business continues to be rewarded only on the basis of shareholder value, the CII-ITC Sustainability Awards are required to encourage companies to become sustainable.” Suresh Prabhu, Chairman, Jury, CII-ITC Sustainability Awards emphasised the rigour of assessment process. He said, “Finding the best is always challenging. Over the years, the Jury has witnessed phenomenal change in the type of response and excellence among applicants. Sustainability has gone from fashion to passion. In my opinion every applicant is a winner in taking away enormous learning.” The Awards were presented to 23 winning companies. 3 companies win Sustainability Prize • Tata Steel Limited, ACC Limited and SRF Limited 13 companies receive Commendation Certificate for Significant Achievement • Yes Bank limited • Infosys Limited CSR & Competitiveness | November-december 2013

Sachin Pilot Minister for Corporate Affairs • • • • •

Ambuja Cements Limited Tata Power Company Limited Shree Cement Limited UltraTech Cement Limited Mahindra and Mahindra Financial Services Limited • Mantri Developers Private Limited • Nicco Parks and Resorts Limited • Automotive Sector – Mahindra and Mahindra Limited • Rourkela Steel Plant – Steel Authority of India Limited • JSW Steel Limited – Vijayanagar Works • Reliance Industries Limited – Hazira Manufacturing Division 7 companies receive Commendation Certificate for Strong Commitment • Dalmia Cements (Bharat) Limited • Hindustan Zinc Limited • Toyota Kirloskar Motor Private Limited • Grundfos Pumps India Private Limited • Ayurvet Limited • Ambuja Cements Limited – Maratha Cement Works • Ambuja Cements Limited – Bhatapara Unit. Sustainability Trophy goes unclaimed

AWARDS

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Kapil Sibal Felicitates Winners of Tata Chemicals Best Chemistry Teachers Awards MUMBAI: Winners of the third edition of Tata Chemicals’ Best Chemistry Teachers Awards (BCTA) were felicitated on November 7, 2013 by Kapil Sibal, Minister of Communications and Information Technology and Sanjiv Lal, Vice President, Corporate Projects from Tata Chemicals. These awards are organized in collaboration with the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), Association of Chemistry Teachers (ACT), Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) and Godrej. Educators across the country have welcomed BCTA awards and perceive it as recognition in their field. The winners were selected by an eminent panel of academicians and scientists from the leading institutions of India. The winners felicitated today in the four distinct award categories were: • Best Chemistry Teacher (Class XI/ XII) – Dr. Yogendra Kothari from Government Excellence Higher Secondary School, Madhavnagar, Ujjain • Best Chemistry Teacher (Bachelor’s Degree) – Prof. Sunita Bhagat from

>> BCTA is a part of a larger initiative by Tata Chemicals called the ‘Human Touch of Chemistry’. The aim of these awards is to appreciate exemplary work put in by Chemistry Teachers across India.

An award winner with Kapil Sibal, Minister of Communications and Information Technology and Sanjiv Lal, Vice President, Corporate Projects Tata Chemicals

ASRD college, Delhi University and Prof. Suhas Pednekar from Ramnarain Ruia college, Mumbai • Best Chemistry Teacher (For Master’s Degree) – Prof. Anil Elias from IIT Delhi • Best Chemistry Teacher for promotion of Chemistry as a subject – Prof. Prodeep Phukan from Gauhati University, Guwahati Congratulating the teachers, Sanjiv Lal, Vice President, Corporate Projects at Tata Chemicals said, “Such an overwhelming response in the third year of our BCTA is heartwarming and reassures us that we are on the right track of encouraging the valuable chemistry teachers who contribute immensely to the growth of this field.” “This initiative is our way of saluting the teachers for their distinguished efforts in shaping the young minds of our nation through Chemistry, providing them with impetus to innovate and achieve greater success in their field of study. It is an honor to be associated with CII, ACT, RSC and Godrej for this award and leverage this platform to felicitate the deserving BCTA winners. We look forward to the continued enthusiasm and support which will enCSR & Competitiveness | November-december 2013

able BCTA to climb greater heights.”, he added. Prof. Prodeep Phukan said “I am grateful to receive this award from Shri Kapil Sibal, and would like to thank Tata Chemicals and all other partners for providing us this platform and encouraging outreach in Chemistry.” Dr. Yogendra Kothari said, “I would like to congratulate Tata Chemicals for introducing this award wherein contributions of chemistry teachers are recognized and they are motivated in making chemistry an interesting subject. Such awards not only encourage younger Chemistry teachers to do well, but also popularize chemistry education”. Prof. Sunita Bhagat said, “I am deeply honored to receive this prestigious award. This award undoubtedly encourages more teachers in the education fraternity to apply and further strengthen the bond with Chemistry.” Prof. Anil Elias said, “An award of this stature provides the much needed impetus for revitalizing Chemistry education. I am honoured to be selected as this year’s winner in the postgraduate category.” Prof. Suhas Pednekar said, “The BCTA is a well rounded award that looks into all aspects of a good teacher- research, innovative teaching and chemistry outreach. Am happy to receive this award. ”

CSR & Competitiveness | November-december 2013

Awards

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President Honors 36th Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation Awardees

Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation was established in 1977 in the memory of Jamnalal Bajaj, a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi. The Foundation strives to serve the ideals to which Jamnalal Bajaj had dedicated his life and promotes the kind of Gandhian constructive activities in which he himself was deeply involved during his life-time.

MUMBAI: The Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation honored awardees for 2013 at the 36th Jamnalal Bajaj Awards function. The four awardees were felicitated by President of India, Pranab Mukherjee in the presence of Governor of Maharashtra K. Sankaranarayanan, Chief Minister of Maharashtra Prithviraj Chavan, Rahul Bajaj Chairman, Board of Trustees and Justice C. S. Dharmadhikari (Retd.), Chairman, Council of Advisors of the Foundation. Each Award consists of a Citation, a Trophy and a Cash Prize of Rs 5 lakhs (The

International Awardee receives a cash prize of Rupees Five Lakhs in equivalent foreign exchange). Rahul Bajaj, Chairman, Board of Trustees, Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation speaking at the occasion said, “We are truly honoured to be graced by the presence of Hon’ble President of India Shri Pranab Mukherjee this year, to felicitate those chosen individuals, who have devoted their lives advocating Gandhian values. We are also thankful to respected Shri K. Sankaranarayanan and Shri Prithiviraj

The awards were presented in the following categories: Award Category

Awardee and Designation

Award for outstanding contribution in G. V. Subba Rao (President) of the field of Constructive Work Gramdhan Nirman Samithi, Andhra Pradesh Award for Application of Science & Snehlata Nath (Director) of KeyTechnology for Rural Development stone Foundation, Tamil Nadu Award for Development and Welfare Vidhya Das (Joint Director) of Agragof Women and Children (Instituted in amee, Odisha memory of Smt. Jankidevi Bajaj) International Award for Promoting Jean-Marie Muller (Founder) of Gandhian Values Outside India Movement for a Non-Violent Alternative, France

CSR & Competitiveness | November-december 2013

Chavan for partaking in this award ceremony. The awards were instituted by the Foundation to recognize and reward the enduring efforts of the men and women who have devoted their life to promote Gandhian Constructive Work and Values. In my view economic growth and social development can, are and should be complementary processes. The persistence and commitment showcased in the efforts undertaken by this year’s winners is truly meticulous.”

News

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Lodha Foundation Empowers Senior Citizens in Computer and Smart Phone Education

Lodha Foundation, a Corporate Social Responsibility wing of Lodha Group, is a non-profit organization registered under the Bombay Public Trust Act in March 2007. The trust is currently undertaking various programs for the benefit of people in South Mumbai, Thane & Dombivali area.

MUMBAI: In today’s fast-paced world, it is becoming extremely challenging and even more perplexing for senior citizens of our community to keep pace with life today. Not only do senior citizens feel displaced in light of today’s technological advancements, but they find it increasingly difficult to communicate effectively with their loved ones. Instead of feeling valued, they end up feeling more disconnected from the ones they love. This widening generational gap can seem frightening, and most people do not know how to bridge it. The Lodha Foundation has taken a step in this direction towards empowering senior citizens to communicate more effectively. As part of its Education Initiative, Lodha Foundation initiated Computer and Smart Phone Training for Senior Citizen Members of Housing Societies and Clubs in South Mumbai. The main objective of this course is to enable people to use technology to better communicate and educate themselves. The course is offered free of cost to all senior members in Mumbai, which include men over 50 years and women over 45 years of age. No doubt, this Initiative has been well received by all senior citizens alike, and the numbers speak for themselves. Since June 2013, Group has conducted computer and smart

phone training for over 1,200 senior citizens covering around 50 buildings and 5 Clubs in Mumbai. There are individual stories of success. 92-year old woman, for instance, expressed her joy to be able to now communicate effectively on her own through Skype with her granddaughter in Delhi. The eldest lady trained through this program is 96 years of age, proving that age is no bar. Trainings have also seen the likes of celebrity Tarla Dalal at Welington Club and Home Minister RR Patil as well as other senior members of the NSCI and Radio Club. Malabar Hill Club has already participated in 4 batches and have requested for more. The course is of a minimum five-day du-

ration, conducted for two hours daily. At present, trainings have expanded to five prominent areas namely Malabar Hill, Kalbadevi, Colaba, Worli, Sewri and Byculla. At least two buildings of the said area are trained on a weekly basis. On average about 200 senior citizens are trained every week in batches of 10-20 participants. Clone Futura, appointed by Lodha Foundation, has invented this innovative course to provide computer training in just 8 hours, and ipad and smart phone training in 2 hours. Lodha Foundation (a Corporate Social Responsibility wing of Lodha Group) is currently undertaking various programs for the benefit of people in South Mumbai, Thane & Dombivali area.

Events 8th International Conference on Corporate Social Responsibility Date: January 17-18, 2014 Venue: Hotel ITC Windsor Manor, Bengaluru Organizer : Institute Of Directors The theme of the Conference is ‘Strategy to Leverage CSR for Competitive Advantage’. India is the first country in the world to mandate Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) spending, through a

statutory provision under the Companies Act 2013 and expects an annual spending of billions of dollars by India Inc. It will be interesting to see if this combination of legal prescription and open market will force to yield the desired intent: to increase CSR among the business community in India. Here is an opportunity to listen to the galaxy of experts! Choose your way of participation in conference as it helps both networking and learning. CSR & Competitiveness | November-december 2013

Contact : Manoj K Raut, CEO & Director INSTITUTE OF DIRECTORS M-52 (Market), Greater Kailash Part-II New Delhi – 110048 T. : 11- 41636294, 41636717, 41008704, F : 11-41008705 Email: ceo@iodonline.com Web.: www.iodonline.com/csr2014.html

News

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ICICI Academy for Skills Launches Centre in Chennai CHENNAI: ICICI Academy for Skills (ICICI Academy) has launched a centre in Chennai to provide vocational training to the youth from the economically weaker sections to help them earn a sustainable livelihood.

Announcing the launch, N.S. Kannan, Executive Director, ICICI Bank said, “The ICICI Group is carrying forward its long tradition of partnering in nation-building, through its business and CSR initiatives. The ICICI Academy for Skills is aimed at equipping the youth with the skills that will enable them to earn sustainable livelihoods and participate in the economy.

Through this initiative, we are working towards realising the immense potential of India’s demographic dividend.” Over the past five years, the ICICI Group and ICICI Foundation’s CSR philosophy has been focusing on four key areas namely elementary education, primary healthcare, skill development for sustainable livelihoods and financial inclusion, enabling people to participate in the economic opportunities arising in India. These initiatives have impacted the lives of more than 10 million people across the country. After launching its maiden centre in Jaipur last month, ICICI Academy is setting up centres in Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Pune. It has also firmed

The centre will offer courses on three disciplines- selling skills, office administration and web designing- for graduates. ICICI Academy has formalised the content of the courses for office administration and web designing in consultation with best-in-class knowledge partners namely, Tally Solutions Pvt. Ltd and NIIT Ltd, respectively. The Bank will use in-house expertise to impart the training on selling skills. Together with the partners, ICICI Academy aims to provide world class content and training. ICICI Foundation for Inclusive Growth (ICICI Foundation) started the ICICI Academy in line with its plan to promote inclusive growth. ICICI Academy aims to train 5,000 youth at nine training centres across the country in the first year of operation. It aims to train 15,000 youth across the country by the year 2016.

Chanda Kochhar, MD & CEO, ICICI Bank with the students of ICICI Academy for Skills after inaugurating the Academy in Jaipur. up plans for centres in Coimbatore, Sangli, Patna and Guwahati. In addition to offering training free of cost, ICICI Academy will provide uniforms, meals and all relevant course material to the students. Each centre will also have a library for the students to use.

Events 3rd India Sustainability Conclave

sustainability practices.

Date: February 4-5, 2014

The third Conclave will touch upon topical aspects such as the future of sustainability reporting, supply chain sustainability, sustainable financing, relationship between CSR and Sustainability, global trends and outlook on corporate sustainability and sustainability as a business excellence mantra. The Conclave will draw participation from leading companies and organizations that are at the forefront of sustainability, as well as global thought leaders, experts, policy makers and sustainability service providers. It will be an ideal platform to provide vis-

Venue: FICCI, Federation House, New Delhi Organizer : FICCI FICCI is organizing the third India Sustainability Conclave on February 4-5, 2014 in FICCI, Federation House, Tansen Marg, New Delhi. FICCI launched this annual flagship event in 2012 in New Delhi as a platform to engage businesses and other stakeholders on corporate sustainability and its mainstreaming in India and to create a momentum towards adoption of

CSR & Competitiveness | November-december 2013

ibility to companies, organizations and stakeholders to showcase their prowess in sustainability and clean technologies. Contact : Vikram Kotru Assistant Director Climate Change & Renewable Energy FICCI Industry’s Voice for Policy Change Federation House, Tansen Marg, New Delhi 110 001 T: 11-23738760-70 F: 11-23721504, 23320714 M: 9717840606

PHILANTHROPY

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HCL Chairman Shiv Nadar Pledges Rs 3,000 Cr More Towards Educational Programmes

Shiv Nadar Foundation, one of India’s largest philanthropic institutions, was invested over Rs 1,800 crore till March 2013 with an additional expected investment of upto Rs 1,220 crore till the end of the current fiscal.

I firmly believe that philanthropy is most effective and outcome-oriented when you ensure that your pledge actually gets spent. Disclosures further help build an environment of trust and transparency. Good governance is therefore not an added bonus; it is at the heart of what makes philanthropy successful. In its journey of two decades, we have operated on our core values of transparency and robust governance systems. Today the Foundation has achieved significant size and scale and we believe that it is time to formalize our internal systems and processes to enhance both beneficiary and stakeholders impact. The annual report is our first step towards aligning the Foundation with global governance standards in private philanthropy.

The Shiv Nadar Foundation is a strong believer of “Creative Philanthropy”. The most common approach to philanthropy has been to identify gaps and address them through time-bound, project-based, large-scale initiatives. This is the corrective route. Governments, corporate and several foundations globally have been following this approach and working in the areas of education, health, environment, among others. The most common approach is towards correcting social ills through strategic intervention initiatives.

Shiv Nadar

Founder and Chairman Shiv Nadar Foundation NEW DELHI: Shiv Nadar Foundation (SNF), the private philanthropic initiative of HCL founding chairman Shiv Nadar, will invest Rs 3,000 crore in the next five years towards various educational programmes. This will take the long-term investment of the foundation to Rs 6,000 crore in various philanthropic initiatives. Shiv Nadar Foundation, one of India’s largest philanthropic institutions, was invested over Rs 1,800 crore till March 2013 with an additional expected investment of upto Rs 1,220 crore till the end of the current fiscal. The investments in Shiv Nadar Foundation is separate from corporate social responsibility programmes undertaken by HCL as a company. Under the new companies act, 2013, all profitable companies with a sizeable business will have to spend every year at least

2% of three-year average profit on CSR works. Nadar said that the philanthropic activity, which is happening in the country, is not enough. He said that he involved his daughter Roshni Nadar Malhotra in the foundation as the various education programme carried by it will require the work of two generations to get fulfilled. Shiv Nadar Foundation established in 1994 has completed 20 years in philanthropy. He supported the provision made by the government in the companies bill to mandatory spend two per cent on corporate social responsibility (CSR). “I personally do (support),” Nadar said on whether he supported the mandatory spend on CSR by corporates. He also said that the investments will be across existing initiatives and new initiatives of the Shiv Nadar Foundation.

CSR & Competitiveness | November-december 2013

INTERVIEW

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CSR is About a Company Owing its Impacts on Individuals and Communities After the New Companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Act we are in the process of recasting our CSR policy to keep it in line with the Act, says Lt Gen Rajender Singh (Retd), CEO, DLF Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the DLF Group. One of their major programmes relates to Skill Development which aims to train and help employ 1 Million youths pan India in next 10 years by opening 250 Skill Development Centres to impart job linked training. DLF Foundation is also running and supporting 63 schools for the underprivileged in , rural areas of Rajasthan and Haryana. In conversation with CSR & COMPETITIVENESSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, Rusen Kumar; Rajender Singh, shares his opinion on the CSR and DLF Foundation

development projects.

Lt Gen Rajender Singh (Retd) CEO, DLF Foundation

CSR & Competitiveness | November-december 2013

INTERVIEW

Excerpts from an Interview:

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Can you tell us about your background as a CSR Leader such as how many years you have been practicing, what let you there, and in what areas/roles you work at DLF Foundation?

Social work and working for society comes naturally to an Army man. As a soldier I got adequate opportunities to serve the poorer and underprivileged lot while serving in insurgency affected areas. In addition, I also was commanding United Nation Peace Keeping Forces in Ethiopia and Eritrea where a large no. of social projects were launched by our U.N. Mission to help the population. It was my inbuilt desire and longing to use my skills and experience for the upliftment of the marginalized societies that made me join the development sector after a fairly good career spanning 40 years in the army. As a social innovator, I, head the social and philanthropic initiatives of DLF Foundation and DLF group. Our team in the Foundation has been instrumental in expanding the programmes of DLF Foundation from its infancy stage in 2009, to a Foundation with large scale social interventions, in the areas of skill training, education, healthcare, environmental sustainability and community development, within a short span of time and we have been able to expand the scope of activities of DLF Foundation to a level that today it is one of the leading philanthropic organisations in the country. Brief us about DLF Foundation’s Vision, mission and objectives as well as historical backdrop? DLF Foundation envisions to build India’s human and social capital by nurturing and ensuring healthy, educated, enterprising and sustainable communities. The Foundation’s mission and objective is to empower communities by creating multiple opportunities and providing platforms for the underprivileged by promoting inclusive growth which is holistic, sustainable and socially uplifting, thus enabling them to emerge as significant contributors in India’s growth story. The organiza-

Our CSR is definitely an add on to our regular business because as far as our business is concerned, we have reaped plenty from our society and now it is our turn and our conscience guides us to work for the common good.

tion’s legacy is developing the lower rung of the society to progress and contribute to the economic growth of the country. As Corporate Leader you are responsible for the company’s strategic management and direction, how much Corporate Responsibility is attached to your company’s business and operations? Our company has a separate wing altogether to look after the Corporate Responsibility initiatives which is known as DLF CSR and Foundation which selflessly and wholeheartedly works towards the common goal of emancipation of poor and underserved communities alongside other corporates and the government. Our CSR is definitely an add on to our regular business because as far as our business is concerned, we have reaped plenty from our society and now it is our turn and our conscience guides us to work for the common good. Has DLF Group framed any CSR policy? When it was adopted? We have a clear cut vision and objective. We have formulated a detailed CSR plan based on this. Now after the New Company’s Act we are in the process of recasting our CSR policy to keep it in line with the Act. You are in core management team of DLF Group, which is your focus area for CSR and related projects initiated under your leadership? As I stated earlier, we have a separate CSR & Competitiveness | November-december 2013

division for the CSR programmes and I have been associated with DLF Foundation since 2009. All the projects have been initiated under my tutelage as we had internally brainstormed and researched the areas which need our attention and devised a well planned strategy to address the challenges facing our society in the fields of healthcare, skill deficiencies and unemployment, community development and education. Brief us about major CSR initiatives? During the past 5 years, DLF Foundation has achieved a number of important milestones which have not only helped the company participate in sustainable development but have helped a great deal in improving the lives of the underserved communities in the given areas. A number of projects were undertaken, the main ones out of these being Talent Nurturing, Skill Development and Village Cluster Development. Focusing on holistic growth and quality education, the Talent nurturing Programme brought smiles to the faces of a large number of poor and needy children being supported through the DLF schools and through scholarships. The Skill Development programme further worked on enhancing income levels of youths by enabling them with industry needed skills and ensuring their employment. The Village Cluster Development Programme on the other hand aimed at ensuring holistic development of village clusters focusing on all necessary elements of Healthcare, Education, Sanitation, Infrastructure and Community Development. In addition to its Flagship Programmes, the DLF Foundation has also continued to work on its initiatives like the establishment of Food Bank, Animal Care, Labour Welfare and Environment. What also gave us immense satisfaction was a citizen’s movement launched by us in partnership with all stakeholders comprising of civil society, businesses and the Government in the form of the ‘Gurgaon Renewal Mission’ to resuscitate Gurgaon by providing a platform for all to interact with each other and help bringing about perceptible changes for the betterment of Gurgaon.

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Do you have Annual CSR budget?

It has been our endeavour to spend adequately for these projects. DLF has donated a lot of educational and medical sites to our affiliated trusts which act as a corpus for our projects. In the last two years our average expenditure on the social projects has been quite close to 2% of the profits.

Lt Gen Rajender Singh (Retd), is the CEO of DLF Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the DLF Group. Before joining the Foundation in 2009, Lt Gen Singh was heading the largest arm of the Indian Army as the Director General of Infantry. A highly decorated professional soldier, who is a recipient of PVSM (Country’s highest distinguished service award) and many other awards for acts of bravery and distinguished services. He was appointed the Force Commander of the UN Peace Keeping Forces in Ethiopia & Eritrea from 2004 to 2006 (One of the only 14 Indians to be given this honour by the UN ever since Independence). It was his inbuilt desire and longing to use his expertise and experience for the upliftment of the marginalized societies that made him join the development sector after an extremely distinguished career in the army spanning 40 years. As a social innovator, Lt Gen Singh with his strategic vision, social entrepreneurship expertise has been instrumental in expanding the programmes of DLF Foundation from its infancy stage in 2009, to a Foundation with large scale social interventions. During his tenure, the U.N. launched a number of developmental programmes for the assistance of war torn community and this campaign was greatly appreciated in the region and helped a great deal in rebuilding lives of the population in the war torn region. A known scholar on security and developmental issues, he is on the Guest Faculty of many institutes and has been delivering talks on issues relating to Peace & Security, Peacekeeping, Leadership and Social Sector issues in a number of forums.

Do you have CSR team to implement projects? We have a CSR team which is subdivided in three different groups which are working on the implementation of the following projects namely Skill Development, Cluster village development and Talent Nurturing Programme. What are the ongoing CSR projects in various locations? Our ongoing CSR projects under the name of Cluster village development programmes are undertaken in and around villages in Gurgaon like Nevada Fatehpur, Kankrola, Shikohpur, Hasanpur, etc. wherein we look at the holistic development of the areas in terms of health, education, sanitation of the residents, as we conduct regular health and inoculation programmes, hiring teachers for the municipal schools, etc. Kindly share very innovative CSR project of your company? DLF Foundation has undertaken a very interesting and innovative programme christened ‘Kachre se kamai’ which is a solid waste management project and is a novel way to engage villagers to dispose off their waste in a sanitised manner. With such projects around villagers are motivated to segregate the dry (plastic, glass and the like) and the wet (kitchen and vegetable waste) waste in their homes and keep dustbins. This project has been successfully commissioned in Shikohpur, Hasanpur and Kankrola villages. The message being given out by the project is – Garbage can also be put to use if disposed properly. Following this garbage collection, carts bring this waste to the waste management centre and it is segregated thereafter. Biodegradable waste is collected daily and is disposed of either by feeding it off to cattle’s or by composting. The compost collected is given to the villagers by the Panchayat at subsidised rates for various usages. CSR & Competitiveness | November-december 2013

The money raised is then deposited in the Panchayat fund, to be used for development of the area. Households are also given a modest sanitation fee by the village Panchayat to give them a sense of ownership and oblige them to participate in the project. DLF Foundation has always been in the forefront to provide healthy surroundings and undertaken efforts which serve for the well being of the society.

In the last two years our average expenditure on the social projects has been quite close to 2% of the profits. What is your perception about Government of India’s emphasis on CSR? I believe the recent step of including CSR in the ambit of the New Companies bill is a good move as it will definitely open a host of jobs for individuals looking to work in CSR field and contribute to the society in a significant way. With CSR being mandatory in the Companies Act, a lot of companies would be expanding and would hire more people which in turn will be a boost for our economy in terms of generating employment. Our industry will witness an upsurge of around 50,000 job opportunities in the CSR sector due to government’s insistence on CSR. Also, the altered/ improved lives of the beneficiaries will definitely spur more corporate houses to realize that what they are doing or would be undertaking is worthwhile and lasting, and more importantly good for their business as well in the long run. Having said that, it is also imperative for our government to effectively monitor and audit the steps taken and funds allocated and used towards CSR which will further help placing responsibility and accountability upon the guardians of our society. How will you define the Corporate Responsibility in Indian context? CSR is not a new concept in India. In the past, charity and philanthropy were the main drivers of CSR but these days the objective of CSR is to maximize the company’s overall impact on the society and stakeholders. CSR is about a com-

INTERVIEW

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pany owing its impacts on individuals and communities. The companies have formed specialized CSR teams that formulate policies, strategies and goals for their CSR programs. CSR has positive impact on overall development of organization. Do you think that CSR needs to be integrated into the heart of business policy and strategy?

You rightly pointed out that CSR has a positive impact on the overall development of an organization as contributing to the society definitely has a feel good factor attached to it apart from boosting oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s conscience and making a difference in our own little way. But I really do not see the need of integrating CSR in the heart of business policy and strategy as things work in a totally different manner in the strictest business sense. As the motive of the two is poles apart i.e. a business seeks profit and growth, on the other hand, CSR seeks social and economic development.

What are the recent trends in CSR in India in your perspective? The most essential CSR trends overseen for the year 2013 are as follows: Major Impact of Corporates: In the last few years, a lot of MNCs have started their own CSR wings and have seen tangible effects of various initiatives taken by them. Be it healthcare, education or addressing the poverty needs of the audience, CSR trends have seen a sea change in terms of their impact. Realization of the urgent need of CSR: Apart from corporates and MNCs, other stakeholders in the society should also understand the growing importance of CSR. All the stakeholders and government collectively should work towards the emancipation of the downtrodden and underserved. It is ultimately a positive deed on the part of the giver to give back to the society. Growing importance of skills-based (or pro bono) volunteering as an additional way of fostering employee engagement in communities and social issues: Employees possessing an array of business skills should be encouraged by their employers to devote their time to CSR activities because a successful CSR initiative runs parallel to proper and responsible employee engagement. As

boards of directors in corporate social responsibility activities and programs: In the coming time, CSR will be a business imperative and natural component of a boardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s strategic planning function. The higher ups of a company would set apart some amount of time for the efficient streamlining and discharging of social responsibilities. Better Communications about CSR: The new age digital media has a very important role to play in sustaining Corporate philanthropy. Active use of social media would help in spreading awareness far and wide reaching out to more people ensuring greater engagement of stakeholders. Why CSR issues are becoming more crucial for the business? CSR issues are gaining importance with each passing day as the contemporary India is calling for initiatives that involve fulfilling the millennium development goals. Ours is a huge country and some minority is still bereft of even basic necessities of life. In order for a business to flourish, it is essential that all stakeholders have at least a basic standard of living. So that is where CSR steps in to address and solve issues penetrating the hinterlands of our country. With the ever growing population, it becomes crucial to ensure social development apart from maintaining economic development of the business. In your opinion, what CSR steps should Indian companies take to be on par at International level?

these employees work for the CSR division, their efforts are acknowledged which gives them a boost to serve the community without expecting anything in return. Growing recognition of employees as key stakeholders in sustainability efforts of companies: Employees are a very integral part of any organization. The level of participation and commitment of an employee culminates in the success of the firm. Similarly if an employee is aware of the criticality of the environment it would eventually lead to the firm realizing the growing concerns and they would innovate methods to foster the society. Growing

involvement

corporate

CSR & Competitiveness | November-december 2013

In my opinion there is no clear benchmark of what is International level. Ours is a big country with big challenges, ours is also a country which is developing much faster than others. We have to find indigenous solutions to our challenges, we still have some distance to cover and therefore it is important that our companies get deeply involved in formulation of CSR strategy. Social wellbeing of the community has to be a part of overall business strategy. In the DLF group, Mr. K.P. Singh exemplifies this. He very genuinely feels that corporates need to pay back to society and their initiatives must address the needs of the underprivileged part of the society. Educating, skilling and helping the youth to enhance their employability is the best way to empower them, he feels.

PHILANTHROPY

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“Philanthropy is Priority”

Roshni Nadar Malhotra Trustee, Shiv Nadar Foundation CEO & ED, HCL Corporation

>> Our aim is to set some kind of benchmark and standards for transparency and governance in private philanthropy.

NEW DELHI: As chief executive officer and executive director of HCL Corporation, Roshni Nadar Malhotra is responsible for strategic decisions of the $6.3-billion company founded by her father Shiv Nadar. Being the only child of Nadar, who according to Forbes list is India’s ninth richest person with a personal fortune of $8.6 billion as of October 2013, she is destined to inherit the business empire that includes India’s two prominent IT firms. Malhotra, however, is in no hurry to get involved in the core business of the group and day-to-day operations of group companies. Philanthropy is at the top of her priorities now, and it would remain so in the future as well, she tells. When asked whether she is ready to step into her father’s role, she replied firmly, “No.” “My focus is HCL Corporation and Shiv Nadar Foundation. These two are so big. First have to make sure you do enough justice to your role before you take more in your plate.” HCL Corporation is the holding company of two publicly-listed firms, HCL Technologies and HCL Infosystems, and some other entities. HCL Technologies is India’s fourth largest software services firm while HCL Infosystems is a prominent player in hardware business of computers and tablets. Malhotra, 32, joined HCL Corporation and Shiv Nadar Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the group, in 2009. As per Forbes rich list released recently, Shiv Nadar is India’s ninth richest person with a personal fortune of $8.6 billion as of October 2013. Nadar, 68, has indicated in the past that baton of the empire would be passed on to the daughter as and when he retires. Malhotra, an alumnus of the US-based Kellogg Graduate School of Management, said her family targets to invest Rs 6,000 crore, or around $1 billion, in various philanthropic initiatives under the Shiv Nadar Foundation. Set up in 1994, Shiv Nadar Foundation has invested Rs 1,801 crore till March 2013. Additional Rs 3,000 crore is committed for the next five years, she said. It released its first-ever annual report earlier this week giving details on how it has spent the money and its future plans. Ms Malhotra, who is a trustee of the foundation, said the reason behind the release of annual report is to ensure transparency and accountability in the functioning. “Our aim is to set some kind of benchmark and standards for transparency and governance in private philanthropy.” She said there is a need for setting up some sort of regulatory body in India in line with some Western countries like the UK to ensure transparency in the functioning of charity and philanthropic institutions. The foundation’s initiatives include VidyaGyan schools in Uttar Pradesh, SSN Institutions in Tamil Nadu and Shiv Nadar University, an international multi-disciplinary university located in Greater Noida. VidyaGyan schools have expanded their outreach to nearly 200,000 children in 75 districts of Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state. As a representative of the Foundation, she was involved in a joint initiative with the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation to promote education of Dalit and Muslim girls in backward districts of Uttar Pradesh.

CSR & Competitiveness | November-december 2013

CASE STUDY

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Vandana Global : Empowering Community, Serving the Nation

Niranjan Lal Agrawal, founder of Vandana Group is one of the renowned Philanthropist of Chhattisgarh. Niranjan Lal, a true visionary had started his career in the field of agriculture, forest products, trade and set up several businesses in the areas of Rice Mills, Oil Mills, Iron, Steel and Power. He has now handed over the affairs of the company to his sons and is currently devoting his time fully towards community service.

Vandana Global Ltd. is the main constituent of the Vandana Group of Industries, regular profit making, business house, is one of the leading, reputed, financially sound and professionally managed group in the Iron and Steel sector of central India based at Raipur, Bilaspur and its surrounding area of Chhattisgarh state and was incorporated in the year of 1941.

the group has emerged as a reputed Industrial House. For the past 20 years he has completely withdrawn from the business and commercial activities, devoting his time fully towards various social welfare activities. He has a strong urge to serve the needy and instill the feeling of co-operation, support and benevolent attitude among the people of the society.

The company has earned a reputation and credibility due to its team, modern manufacturing technology and quality products. The group manufactures Sponge Iron, Ingots, Mild Steel Billets, Ferro Alloys, Steel Rolling, Heavy Structural, TMT Bars, Wire Rods, Wire Drawing, Wire Galvanizing and is also into power generation. As a diversified business house, the group manufactures HDPE bags and poly hydro carbon products. The group has a strong network for import and export and exposure to international business in the global market. The total annual turnover of the group exceeds nearly Rs 1000 Crore.

The group consists of the following successful and profit-making companies under its banner:

Niranjan Lal Agrawal, founder of Vandana Group is one of the renowned Philanthropist of Chhattisgarh. Niranjan Lal Agrawal, a true visionary had started his career in the field of agriculture, forest products, trade and set up several businesses in the areas of Rice Mills, Oil Mills, Iron, Steel and Power. He has now handed over the affairs of the Company to his sons and is currently devoting his time fully towards community service. Born in 1928 in Kharsia (Raigarh), Niranjan Lal was instrumental in building the group from scratch. By virtue of his hard work, honesty and vision,

• Vandana Global Limited, Siltara, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India • Shivalik Udyog (I) Limited, Urla, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India • Vandana Ispat Ltd., Urla, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India • Vandana Vidhyut Limited, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, India • Vandana Udyog Limited, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India • Vandana Rolling Mills, Urla, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India • Vandana Industries Limited (Plastic Division), Urla, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India • Vandana Power Mumbai, India

Ventures

Ltd.,

• VG South Africa Mining (PTY) Ltd., Johannesburg, South Africa • VG World DMCC, Dubai The Group The group was founded in 1941 and started with operations in Iron and Steel trading and manufacturing. The CSR & Competitiveness | November-december 2013

group has a very good name, reputation and credibility due to its professionally managed team, modern manufacturing technology and quality products. At present, the group is manufacturing and marketing Sponge Iron, Ingot, Mild Steel Billet, Ferro Alloys, Ferro Manganese, Silico Manganese, Steel Rollings, Heavy Structurals, Wire Rods and Bar, Wire Drawing, Wire Galvanizing with a strong hold on power generation. As a diversified business house, the group is also into plastic and poly hydro carbon manufacturing business. Vandana Global Ltd Vandana Global Ltd was incorporated on 12th February 1996 with an objective for setting up dponge iron plant and billet casting facility. The company had started with a production facility of Sponge Iron, and subsequently set up manufacturing facility for, Billet castingand Power Plants both conventional and non-conventional. VGL has further set up a Submerged Electric Arc Furnace of 18 MVA for production of Ferro Alloys. The power plant has the highest contribution to its bottom-line. It has also set up power plants with capacities of 8 MW (Waste Heat Recovery Based), 33 MW Thermal based) and 2.05 MW (Wind based). The manufacturing facility has two voal based rotary Kilns with Annual capacity for high grade Sponge Iron under Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) technology. The Sponge Iron produced by the company has a good demand in the market for its quality and grade. The company has two strand modern continuous casting machines to pro-

CASE STUDY duce high quality Mild Steel Billets from liquid metal. The company produces different sizes and specification of M.S. Billets as per requirement. The company produces high grade Ferro Alloys which are ‘Silico Manganese and Ferro Manganese’ with the help of two modern high technology based furnaces, each with a capacity for producing export grade material. The Silico Manganese and Ferro Manganese produced has regular buyers who are leaders in the indian steel industry like ‘Steel Authority of India Ltd’, Bhushan Power & Steel Ltd, Ispat Industries Ltd etc. The company has a state-of-the-art Power Plant with Siemens Technology. This plant can generate 41 MW power based on Waste Heat Recovery (WHRB) from rotary kiln and AFBC, which can use washery rejects and coal. The company is also authorized to sell power to other Industries. The company was first in Chhattisgarh to set up 8 MW Biomass Based Power Plant. The company also set up the First 2 MW Grid connected Solar Power Plant in the state of Chhattisgarh which was commissioned in November 2011. The company has its own captive mines for its raw materials such as iron ore, manganese ore and coal. The Government has allotted Iron ore and Coal mines which in itself is the strength of the company for meeting its raw material. The corporate office is located at Raipur, capital of state of Chhattisgarh. The plants are also located in the Siltara industrial Area of Raipur. The group has its Registered office at Mumbai Business and Facilities Vandana Global Ltd is in the business of manufacturing Sponge Iron, Billets, Power, Ferro Alloys, Ferro Manganese, Silico Manganese etc. The company is one of the highest business contributory in the group. It is an integrated steel plant with 44 MW captive power plant situated in Industrial Area, Siltara, Raipur within a single compound. The Steel manufacturing business has its own iron ore mines which have been allotted by the state government looking towards the stability and credibility of the company followed by Manganese Ore and very large coal blocks.

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Board of Directors The board of directors consist of experienced and knowledgeable professionals and are leaders in themselves, who come from diverse backgrounds and reflect the true essence of an egalitarian management team. Gopal Prasad Agrawal is a Post Graduate in Commerce, with 30 years of accomplished experience in the field of Commerce & Industry. His expertise is in matters related to corporate finance, banking and investment activities. He also provides direction to the company’s mining operations and looks after the corporate planning function. He has promoted many successful and profitable manufacturing and industrial units in Chhattisgarh. He is also involved in social and religious activities and is also an active member of various Local Bodies and Business Chambers. Vinod Agrawal is a post graduate in commerce with 24 years of experience as a successful entrepreneur in the power and steel industry. He is an expert in marketing, corporate finance and banking. He has guided the Group in making large-scale investments in Chhattisgarh and other parts of the country. He is technical mentor for the Group wherein he enabled the group to get financial and technical assistance in thermal power plant dealing, finalization, coordination and execution. He takes care of vendor selection all over India. He is a member of various local bodies and Business Chambers of Delhi, Mumbai and Raipur and is committed towards the upliftment of the society at large by being active in social and religious activities also. Prahlad Kumar Agrawal is a commerce graduate with 22 years of experience in the field of commerce and industry. He has the distinction of setting up many profit making manufacturing and industrial units in the State of Chhattisgarh which are running successfully. He specializes in implementation of projects, operations etc. He has expertise in civil foundation, erection and commissioning of thermal power plant (both conventional and non-conventional). He has strong relations with various GovCSR & Competitiveness | November-december 2013

ernment agencies in the centre and state, and is well networked with the power and energy sector, national/international equipment suppliers, EPC contractors, consultants and policy making bodies. Vijit Agrawal is an electrical engineer by profession with practical technocommercial experience. He has set up various power plants viz WHRB, bio - mass, wind power which are running successfully all over India. The philosophy of the company can be understood through the Managing Director, Vinod Agrawal’s message: “Business in the new globalized economy is all about reaching out to the emerging markets and getting competitive in these markets with better understanding of the new variables. This requires an integrated approach towards horizontal and vertical operational synergy across various segments. In this new environment, the demand for multi-faceted development has become crucial for keeping pace with the progression. Vandana Vidhyut Ltd has taken an initiative and emerged as one of the prominent entities in the Power Sector of the country. The business philosophy of the company derives its core strength from the firm belief that lays stress on induction of state-of-theart engineering techniques and strategies. This results in cost effective and holistic solutions specific to contemporary standards for existing and new projects. Constantly inspired to scale the heights that no one has ever attempted before by pushing performance and human potential to new limits, has been our forte. You may feel this experience not only in the decision making process, but also in a wide range of other activities which create value for our customers and business partners. Using human power and by harnessing the technological prowess, today we are all set to venture into industrial development and create edifices that will be the benchmarks for the future. I am sure with the patronage of our customers, financial institutions, our marketing associates and dedication of our team; we shall be able to fulfill the dreams of millions and set new bench-

CASE STUDY marks of Corporate Social Responsibility.” Corporate Social Responsibility

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charitable programs, and improve the quality of the workforce and also the increment of services provided.

“Social responsibility (is the) responsibility of an organisation for the impacts of its decisions and activities on society and the environment through transparent and ethical behaviour that is consistent with sustainable development and the welfare of society; takes into account the expectations of stakeholders; is in compliance with applicable law and consistent with international norms of behaviour; and is integrated through out the organisation.”

Vandana Group of companies is actively engaged in CSR activities. Here are the detail of CSR activities undertaken by the company in past three years:

The Concept of Corporate Social Responsibility

Education:

The concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR), calls for a lengthy discussion due to its varied history. In the past, there have been traces of evidence in the business community that showed their concerns for society in general. Although Mr. Mukesh there are many definiBhargava (CEO) tions of CSR available, we center our attention on more recent concepts of CSR. According to Richardson, Welker and Hutchinson (1999), CSR behaviors can be defined as discretionary actions undertaken by companies that are intended to advance their social issues. Joyner, Payne & Raiborn (2002) noted that CSR are categories of economic, legal, ethical and discretionary activities of a business entity as adapted to the values and expectations from society. They also added that, CSR are the basic expectations of the company regarding initiatives that take the form of protection to public health, public safety, and the environment. In this concept, they explained that values and ethics influence the extent of a corporation’s perceived social responsibility that is influenced by societal activities, norms or standard. In today’s world, CSR can be defined as regards to all aspects of business behavior so that the impacts of these activities are incorporated in every corporate agenda. So, it can be concluded that CSR is the continuing commitment taken by business organizations to strengthen their ethical concepts and social involvement in society, contribute to economic development, sponsor

The company has a dedicated department of CSR with 7 experienced and qualified professionals, who plan and execute the CSR programmes. CSR activities undertaken by Vandana Group

• Independence Day celebrations Sweets distributed in village schools to the school children at Raipur • Plan for Construction of rooms for non-govt. aided school at Siltara, Raipur in distribution of sweets for Republic day occasion at Raipur • Contributed for ‘Lakshi Talab-Purena’ at Raipur • Plan for Furniture for schools of nearby Villages at Raipur • Inter class school sports competition, Dharsiva Circle at Raipur • Contribution to Shiksha Deep Trust Bhilai Smt. Gangadevi Seva Samiti, Nevanara This Samiti is situated in Nevanara, Chhattisgarh, started a school for the needy students of nearby villages. This Samiti also provides free foodfacility to villagers. Health: • Blood donation & health checkup at Siltara • Plan for Medical Camps at village at Raipur • Contribution for Miscellaneous activities at Raipur Ganga Devi Chikitsalaya : Primary health center at village Chhuri, Dist. Korba, providing health services to the nearby villagers. Qualified doctor, nurses, compounder and staff have been appointed to carry on the duties responsibly. Facilities like free OPD, AmCSR & Competitiveness | November-december 2013

bulance service etc. are also being provided. The Ganga Dignostic and Medical Center The Ganga Dignostic& Medical Center, situated near Amrapali Society Gate, opposite MMI Hospital, Raipur is operational from March 2012. This establishment is the dynamic initiative of Vandana Group. The Group is already serving the needy people through their various charitable organization. The Diagnostic and Medical Centre is another milestone of the Group under Corporate Social Responsibilty prgrammes. Smt. Ganga Devi is sole inspire for the dream projec. Vandana Group has provided land, financail support and manpower for establishing the institute with ultra modern medical facility at Raipur, with a view to serve the medical needs of the people of Chhattisgarh, adjoining states and above all the whole country. Ganga Diagnostic & Medical Centre, the emblematic Medical Diagnostic Centre has excelled in providing quality medical services with human touch, in perticular at most reasonalble rates to needy and poor patients. The very nominal charges is being taken for a particular hours of the day. Round the clock ambulance services are also available to bring the patient from home, hospital and accident sites. Medical Services available at the centre includes MRI (1.5 Tasla), CT Scan (128 Slice Cardiac & Peripheral Angio), Colour Doppler Sonography with Elastography, Computerized X-ray, Mammography, O.P.G. (Dental), Computerized E.C.G, Echo Cardiography, E.M.G., E.E.G., E.E.G., T.M.T., BERA, Spirometery-Lung Function Test, VEP, NCV, Clinical Pathology, Haematology, Histopathology, Cytology, Bio Chemistry, Mictro Biology, Serology, Electrophoresis, PAP, Smear. Ganga Kanyadan Yojana : Under this Yojana an amount of Rs. 5, 100 is given to the needy people of the village for the purpose of their marriage. Presently the villages of Kopedih and Anjora from Rajnandgaon District and the villages of Salora, Gangpur, Chhurikala, Jhora, Darrabhata, and Chhurikhurd from Korba District are be-

CASE STUDY

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ing catered.

Rural Development:

Ganga Peya-JalYojana :

• Marriage of BPL category girls of local villages at Raipur

Under this Yojana drinking water is being supplied to the villagers through water tankers. For storage of water at the common places of the villages, water tanks have been provided to the Gram Panchayat.

• Donation for tricycle to handicapped persons at Raipur • Contribute for marriages matchmaking of Satamam Sang at Raipur

Water:

• Social Welfare Activity at Raipur

• Water Cooler in nearby village Janpad Panchayat at Mandhar market areas

Environment & Plantation:

• For Purchase of Water Tanker to be used during summer season for providing water to Baba Sewarth, Siltara villagers at Raipur

• Plantation of 500 trees at Urla Kanhera BN. 26 at Raipur

• Water Tanker to Sankara Villagers. Sports: • Inter School Sports competition to village Chikhli at Raipur • Contribution of Cricket completion at Kanhera Village at Raipur • Purchase of bat, shoes etc. for cricket tournament at Raipur • Donation for cricket tournament ‘Suresh Agrawal memorial Cup’ at Raipur • Donation for cricket tournament (Provided sports items) at Raipur

• Contribution for Dhobi talab at Raipur

• Plantation in nearby Siltra chowk in phase-2 at Raipur

• Provided 3 almirah for schools at Sankara • Contribution for Books purchase of Dainandani Yugbodh-1000-copies at Raipur • Contribution to various Pooja Expenses at Raipur • Contribution in Shiv Ratri Pooja Siltara at Raipur • Financial suport to HIRA Spots & Cutural Wings, HIRA Group at Raipur • Donation for Ramnavami Shobha Yatra at Raipur • Contribution for Temple construction at Nawagrh, Raipur

• Plantation in plant area at siltra

• Contribution to BJP Chhattisgarh office renovation works at Raipur

• Plantation for tree at Urla, Kanhra and Patherdih at Raipur

• Contribution to various Pooja Expenses at Raipur

• Plantation in nearby villages at Siltra

• Contribution to Shiksha Deep Trust at Bhilai

Transportation : Plan for Bus shelter on sankra village at Raipur

• Contribution for ISKON at Raipur

Others:

Infrastructure & Culture :

• Donation for handicapped rehabilitation at Raipur

Shri Ramswaroopdas Dharmshala at Raipur

• Contribution for miscellaneous activities at Raipur

Started a Charitable Trust ‘Shri Ramswaroopdas Niranjanlal Charitable Trust’ in 2004 and constructed a ‘Dharmshala’ in 2 Lakh sq. ft. of lush greenland area. The Dharmshala has centrally Air conditioned hall of 5,000 sq. ft., Air Cooled Hallof 5,500 sq. ft., 27 Fully Air Conditioned Rooms in two Blocks with 150 beds and Open Garden in 60,000 sq. ft. with parking facilities for about 200 vehicles. The Dharamshala isgiven for social, cultural and religious events like conferences, seminars, marriages etc. totally free of cost.

• Contribution for cricket computation Dharsiva at Raipur

• Contribution for Mata Ki Jhanki & Jasgeet competition, Sankra Village at Raipur

• Sponsor fees event of state level dance competition at Raipur

• Contribution for Marriage of Boys & Girls-BPL category at Raipur

• Contribution to sport activities at Raipur

Donation for Virat Devi Jas Jhankipratiyogita, Ayodhya at Raipur

• International Achievers conference (IAC) at New Delhi

• Contribution for Madai Mela Utsav, village Kumhari at Raipur

CSR & Competitiveness | November-december 2013

Niranjanlal

NEWS

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TCSRD Gives Boost to Okhamandal Tourism MITAHPUR: Tata Chemicals Limited (TCL) set up the Tata Chemicals Society for Rural Development (TCSRD) in Mithapur, Gujarat in the year 1980 to promote its social objectives for the communities in and around Mithapur, Babrala and Haldia facilities. TCSRD recently organized soft skill training for 13 police staff members of Okhamandalat TCSRD training centre. The training was focused on emotional intelligence quotient and empowered the police staff members with selfmotivation techniques of developing a positive attitude, stress management tips and suggestions to manage large number of tourists visiting Okhamandal every year. In Gujarat, there is a saying, ‘Okho Jag Thi Nokho’ which means ‘There is no other place like Okhamandal’. Gujarat Government is working towards positioning this region as a tourist spot and being part of this community; Tata Chemicals was glad to provide soft-skills/self-motivation training to the police staff members of the region besides sharing recommendations for managing 50 lakh tourists who visit Okhamandal every year.

of life and fostering sustainable and integrated development in the communities where it operates is central to Tata Chemicals’ corporate philosophy. Tata Chemicals Limited (TCL) set up the Tata Chemicals Society for Rural Development (TCSRD) in 1980 to promote its social objectives for the communities in and around Mithapur, where its facility is located. The service was further extended to the communities in and around its Babrala and Haldia facilities.

Tata Chemicals Society for Rural Development: Improving the quality

The Society works to protect and nurture the rural populations in and

around TCL’s facilities, and helps people achieve self-sufficiency in natural resource management, provide livelihood support and help in building health and education infrastructure. Taking into account the different geographical spread of the three regions and their individual subcultures, different environmental, economic and social development programs have been planned and implemented in these regions. TCSRD is on track to achieve its goal of impacting the lives of a million people by 2015.

Panasonic India Releases Sustainability Report for 2012-13 NEW DELHI: Panasonic India, a global leader in consumer electronics and a responsible corporate citizen has released second edition of its Sustainability Report for 2012-13. The publication of Sustainability Report marks a major stride towards greater precision and prolific engagement with Panasonic’s stakeholders reiterating our pledge towards sustainable development. With this step, we will be well positioned with clear identification of where we currently stand as a company and where we want to progress further, and help us achieve our objective of providing more transparent and rich communi-

cation with our stakeholders. Panasonic India is very conscious of its role as a responsible corporate citizen and focuses on community development activities—particularly in the areas of education, livelihood generation, women empowerment and environment conservation. Panasonic said, “In this next edition of the sustainability report for Panasonic India, we describe the progress we have made in our sustainability activities, performance and the priorities we have set going forward. This report is our constant barometer in assessing our current sustainability efforts and setting a path for continuous imCSR & Competitiveness | November-december 2013

provement.” “Sustainability is in all aspects very important for us at Panasonic, because it ensures that the credibility and trust that people bestow on us continues to rise across the world. Panasonic has always placed people at the center of all its activities and focused on people’s lives. This is the unchanging commitment we at Panasonic have had over many years. Building on our efforts from our first Sustainability Report, the report for 2012-13 demonstrates our unchanging commitment towards sustainability in every aspect of our organisation.” company said.

NEWS

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B-schools Must Integrate CSR in Core Courses : John Elkington Corporations as well as business schools should strive towards integrating corporate social responsibility and sustainability with their business strategies and curriculum, says John Elkington, founding partner & executive chairman of Volans, co-founder of SustainAbility. India is a very challenging country for business. I hope that over the next 3-5 years, when this Act becomes law, it is not just a final statement but a framework within which people think more energetically and creatively about what business needs to do in relation to some of these big challenges, he added.

A number of Indian companies, including older companies like Tatas and newer once like Infosys, are already doing largely the right thing (in CSR). But can this go out to a large number of other big and small-sized companies in India? The team drafting the law could ensure that it is a framework that encourages experimentation. Also, there is a responsibility for the government to create a feedback mechanism, he said. Business schools will have a course or several courses that are about sustainable business but the question is whether they are integrating these sort of issues and potential solutions and strategies into their core offerings.

Integration is key, whether for corporates or business schools, said John Elkington.

Smile Foundation Receives ASSOCHAM Education Excellence Awards 2013 NEW DELHI: Smile Foundation has been conferred with the “EDUCATION EXCELLENCE AWARDS – 2013” by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industries (ASSOCHAM) and The Education Post. The awards also felicitated Smile Foundation with certificate of ‘Leader in Social venture Philanthropy in Child Education.’ The awards aim to promote university, institute and individuals performing their best in education sector. Entries had been invited from hundreds of Universities, Engineering Colleges, Management Colleges, Medical Colleges, Certified Training Centres, Academicians, NGOs working on education, and Corporate working on education through CSR etc. The recipients under other categories included IMI, New Delhi (Best Management Institute in Corporate Relation); Institute of Management IRMA University, Ahmedabad (Leader in Family Business and Entrepreneurship); FORE School of Management, New Delhi (Best Management Institute for

Impact Potential); and NTPC Ltd. (Best PSU Promoting Technical Education), among others. Smile Foundation is a national level development organisation reaching out to more than 300,000 underprivileged children, youth and women directly every year through 158 welfare CSR & Competitiveness | November-december 2013

projects on subjects such as education, healthcare, youth employability, and women empowerment across 25 states of India. Adopting a life cycle approach of development, Smile Foundation focuses its interventions on children, their families and the community.

ARTICLE

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Divesting 51% in PSUs can Change the Face of Modern India

In India, we have a similar situation, where we may be having more than 250 state and central government companies. A lot of them must be listed and have a very good structure, but these companies are not progressing as were to be expected. Why not divest 51% of these companies in the market, with the caveat that no one can own more than 10% of these companies.

By Anil Agarwal I was surprised at how vocal the Business Leaders were at 10 Downing Street on 18th September 2013 on the occasion of reception hosted by UK Prime Minster and George Osborne, Chancellor of the Exchequer. It was an august gathering. Andrew Feldman (Chairman of the Conservative Party & Chairman of the Party Board) spoke first and said how important business people are in the UK for development. The Chancellor even spoke about how to reduce the debt of the country and invited suggestions. Finally the Prime Minister addressed all and clearly stated the importance of developing infrastructure of the country, manufacturing sector, natural resources etc. He also came forward to engage him where his presence can help develop UK Company’s businesses. The Prime Minister was quite vocal on how NGOs and the media some times are against development, and how the country has to fight because, unless we develop our shale gas, oil & gas, freight corridors and new highways, the country cannot take the economy forward. He also said that the only way the UK is coming up, as an economy is due to almost everything been privatized in the country and he was very thankful to all the business leaders & CEOs of the corporations. In India, we have a similar situation, where we may be having more than 250 state and central government companies. A lot of them must be listed and have a very good structure, but these companies are not progressing as were to be expected. Why not divest 51% of these companies in the market, with the caveat that no one can own more than 10% of these companies. The most important factor is the employees; they can be given share in the

companies. This will bring security, as well in terms of financial as they would be getting more money than they currently draw, and their interests will be aligned. The most talented, professional management will be identified and fully incentivised so they can create world class capacities and quality with the possibility to make the company 10 times bigger, including creating huge valuation. With this capacity companies may generate employment for a further 50 million people.

of aluminium, however we have the right potential to produce 15-20 million tonnes, this green metal will only replace wood. We have the bauxite, we have the coal and we have the water, what else is required? This will create 50 million jobs as a full production chain of bauxite, alumina, aluminium smelting, coal mine, power plant, engineering construction, capital goods, and manufacturing for downstream will become effective. This is bound to change the face of modern India.

Who can stop ONGC becoming another EXXON and SAIL be like VALE. When companies like L&T, ICICI Bank, and HDFC Bank can run world class organizations without being owner driven, I am sure these over 250 state and central government owned companies will also follow the example made by them and create tremendous value for themselves. The funds generated can be used by the government to strengthen infrastructure.

The country is struggling with ever mounting import bill. This year I believe we have imported $19 billion of coal. The government should look into auctioning of coal blocks. Coal India is sitting with a lot of coal blocks, why not government decide to sell 51% of these various coal blocks to produce coal in India. The change is the need of hour. It is said, what you can do it today, don’t leave for tomorrow, the right time never comes back. As for India, the change is evident.

Ultimately, the government should be looking to divest further and hold only 26%. The Supreme Court has already cleared way by asking the government to auction Kolar Gold fields and the Bharat Gold mine. This should be done in 90 days’ time, on a revenue sharing basis. With today’s new exploration techniques we will find a lot of gold and will be partially self-sufficient. The auction stand by the government will invite a number of foreign companies. Aluminium is a natural metal to be produced in India, with an unused reserve of about 3000 million tonnes of bauxite. At the moment we’re producing only 2 million tonnes CSR & Competitiveness | November-december 2013

Anil Agarwal

Chairman of Vedanta Group

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Panasonic Outlines the CSR Road Map for Jhajjar and Adjacent Village

The CSR roadmap outlined by Panasonic aims at offering a holistic community development program targeted to primarily benefit the immediate community surrounding Panasonic manufacturing location and to develop mutual trust and cordial relationship with community members. The villages in radius of 5 kilometres of the Technopark will be a part of this project. With the objective to foster an all-round development of the immediate community surrounding our manufacturing locations, Panasonic initiated the following key programmes focusing on sectors like Education and Environment, Livelihood and Women Empowerment: Panasonic Ecoskool Panasonic Ecoskool Program is a nationwide environment sensitization programme which is being run across the country in different schools since 2010 to encourage and engage young minds to contribute towards a greener tomorrow. With an objective of achieving universal primary education, Pa-

nasonic has partnered Society for All Round Development, to extend this noble initiative to Jhajjar, Haryana to inspire children and people here to take strong individual and collective steps towards saving the environment. This Ecoskool project would benefit 10 Govt schools and almost 5,000 students in the project area in its first year of operation i.e. FY 13-14. Thereafter, 15 schools and almost 7,500 students would be benefitted annually through this initiative. Panasonic Swabhimaan and Shakti To provide opportunities for socio-economic development of communities around its manufacturing locations, Panasonic India in association with Labournet Services, a social enterprise, has set-up a Vocational Training Institute in close proximity of its new manufacturing location at Jhajjar, Haryana. Under the Swabhimaan programme skills and livelihood opportunities will be provided to minimum of 525 youth from adjacent areas every year in trades like basic computers, electrical & electronics, repair and maintenance of A.C, Fridge and other electrical appliances. With this initiative Panasonic is aiming to train 250 youths in FY 13-14, 525 youths in FY 14-15 and 575 youths in FY 15-16 taking the count to a total of 1,350 skilled youths by end of March 2016. Almost 50% of the youth who will be trained under this initiative would be females. CSR & Competitiveness | November-december 2013

NEW DELHI: Panasonic India, a global leader in consumer electronics and a responsible corporate citizen, on November 1, 2013 announced its roadmap for upliftment and development of the community in and around the area of the Panasonic Technopark in Jhajjar. The event took place in benign presence of chief guest Dr. Surina Rajan, Principal Secretary cum Finance Commissioner, Govt. of Haryana: D. Suresh, Director General Education, Govt. of Haryana; Ajit Balaji Joshi, Deputy Commissioner and Rohilla, District Education Officer, Jhajjar. Present at the occasion were Hisao Yamane - Divisional Managing Director, APIN, Panasonic India; Toshi Takahashi - Divisional Managing Director, Panasonic Welding India and Radhika Kalia - Head Corporate Public Relations & CSR.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;We believe that while India has witnessed a tremendous growth in the past decade and will continue with its successful run, it is important that the citizens and the communities grow along and be a part of the shining India. We at Panasonic will continue to strengthen efforts towards achieving sustainable development in the country through undertaking various activities across education, health and environment and help the disadvantaged sections live a better life. We are confident that our initiatives will make a difference in building the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s future.â&#x20AC;? Hisao Yamane Divisional Managing Director, APIN, Panasonic India