Bess session report

ABOUT THE SESSION

1. The session that was taken by Shalini Taneja, Ruchika Gupta and Tapan Mukherjee
was about CSR and Sustainability.
2. Under section 235 in India, it is mandatory to do 2% CSR activities and section 135
defines its limits.
3. CSR is a way to sustainability and is defined clearly under Companies act 2013.
4. It was not a sudden move but was a properly planned move and because of this
industrial resolution today approx 16800 companies do CSR activities.
5. When any company performs more than 2% CSR than they set a benchmark in the
corporate world and their image automatically raises.

WHY CSR?
1. Government wanted participation of corporate
2. Until and unless a law is not made people do not perform such activities on their
own.
3. Government can’t do everything. Even they need funds and support to make this
world a better place to live in.

MICRO AND MACRO PERSPECTIVE-

 There is a micro as well as macro perspective towards CSR. We as corporate

people take resources from the environment and thereby it is our duty to do
activities for the sustainability of environment and society.

WHO ARE WE DOING IT FOR AND HOW?

 The main objective of doing CSR is for poor and unprivileged part of the society
 Even RTE has 25% reservations to economically weaker section.
 Inclusive policies for sustainable growth and poverty.
 Local community does not have economic stake and thus need to be taken into
consideration.

CSR APPLICABILITY

 There has to be a CSR committee of board consisting:-

1. 2 board members
2. 1 member from independent sources such as NGO – it is CSR
programme manager to find good NGO to implement projects through
grants. Grants must comply with CSR activities.

Good NGO-3 years of existence, listed in DARPAN (online portal of NGO

approved by government).

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Bess session report

CSR BOARD

 Board makes policy and defines expenditure & monitors mechanism.

 Directors must ensure about CSR activities.
 8 notifications amendments have been made after 2012.

EXAMPLES OF CSR ACTIVITIES/PROJECTS

 Eradicating hunger poverty

 Promoting education
 Rural development projects
 Slum development
 Protection of national heritage
 Swach bharat abhiyaan
 Clean Ganga project

ACTIVITIES NOT UNDER CSR

 Projects which profit employee and provide them with additional benefits.
 In case it is related to employee family or corporate itself.
 On-off events.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PROVIDED

 Tax benefits are provided to promote CSR activities

 Mandatory reporting of CSR activities
 CSR initiatives by GAIL are “HRIDAY”,”UJJAWAL”,”RAFTAAR” etc.
 Solar light initiatives by SAMSUNG.

CONCLUSION

 Each of the three guest speakers had different perspective about CSR and
sustainability.
 While one believed it is a good step, the other believed corporate are being forced
to do it against their will.
 One of them believed it is a smart way to market oneself and investing in it would be
directly beneficial to the company as well. It would impact the society and company
too.
 Companies have to do it anyway and if not done in a correct way can even lead to
penalties and poor image of company.

“Communicate responsibility well”