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Godrej Consumer’s CSR spend 23pc less than mandated Rs 24.34cr for 2019-20

FMCG firm Godrej Consumer Product Ltd (GCPL) has spent Rs 19.49 crore on the corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives in the 2019-20 fiscal year, about 23 percent lower than the mandated amount of Rs 25.34 crore

FMCG firm Godrej Consumer Product Ltd (GCPL) has spent Rs 19.49 crore on the corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives in the 2019-20 fiscal year, about 23 percent lower than the mandated amount of Rs 25.34 crore.

The CSR provision requires affected companies to spend at least 2 percent of their average net profits made in the preceding three years on CSR.

GCPL’s CSR spending stood at Rs 21.87 crore in the 2018-19 fiscal year.

In its annual report, the company said its average net profit in the last three fiscal years was Rs 1,267 crores and prescribed CSR budget was Rs 25.34 crore for the 2019-20 fiscal.

“A total of Rs 19.49 crore was spent, against the mandated amount of Rs 25.34 crore. The unspent amount is Rs 5.85 crore,” the company said.

The CSR Committee has approved that the unspent funds be carried forward to the 2020-21 fiscal in addition to the prescribed 2 percent CSR budget for 2020-21, it said.

According to GCPL, projects worth this amount had been sourced and committed, with signed MoUs and deliverables agreed during the financial year itself.

“In order to ensure proper utilization of funds and high-quality results from our CSR initiatives, we believe in funding projects on tranche basis. The whole grant is not given upfront in advance and is instead given in stages when certain milestones are achieved,” it said.

This led to an underspend of Rs 5.85 crore during the financial year. The Company is committed to spend the unspent funds specifically for the selected projects in 2020-21, it added.

The company spent CSR funds on livelihood enhancement projects, promoting preventive healthcare, rural development projects, environment sustainability, education and traditional arts during 2020-21.

About 80 per cent of GCPL’s product portfolio comprises health, hygiene, and value for money product.

August 4, 2020
SOS Children send rakhis to Corona-warriors of Max Healthcare

On the auspicious occasion of Raksha Bandhan festival, more than 80 children from the Faridabad-based SOS Children’s Villages today sent rakhis and hand-made cards to doctors of two Max Healthcare hospitals in the national capital

On the auspicious occasion of Raksha Bandhan festival, more than 80 children from the Faridabad-based SOS Children’s Villages today sent rakhis and hand-made cards to doctors of two Max Healthcare hospitals in the national capital.

SOS Children’s Villages, in a statement, said the rakhis were sent doctors posted at Max Smart Super Specialty Hospital at Saket and BLK Super Specialty Hospital at Pusa Road in Delhi.

The colorful, vibrant cards, hand-made by children, carried messages to the Corona Warriors at the two hospitals, thanking them for all their efforts and sacrifices in protecting the people in the time of the pandemic.

“Thank you for fighting with the Coronavirus on our behalf,” said a card handmade by a SOS child.

“You are all real-world heroes for protecting us from the Coronavirus and saving lives,” said a card handmade by another.

“You are all real heroes. The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience but where he stands in times of challenge and controversy,” said another card made by a SOS child.

The doctors were overwhelmed at this show of love and affection from the children.

Saket-based Max Smart Super Specialty Hospital Vice Present and Unit Head Dr Gurpreet Singh said: “The cards carry heart-felt messages for our doctors and nurses. Our Corona warriors are over-whelmed by this gesture in the midst of facing one of mankind’s biggest pandemic. We all thank the SOS children for this loving gesture.”

According to Delhi-based BLK Super Specialty Hospital Unit Head and Vice President Dr Sanjay Mehta: “We all are deeply touched at receiving the rakhis and cards from the SOS children. It is a deeply emotional moment for us after everything the Corona Warriors have gone through in the past few months. We will treasure these symbols of love and affection for many years to come. And this bond will last lifelong.”

“This Raksha Bandhan, we and our children recognize the remarkable contribution of doctors, nurses and all the other Covid Warriors for saving humanity from the pandemic. In celebrating them, we celebrate the shared value of selfless efforts of our SOS mothers for creating lasting bonds of devotion, care and commitment,” said Sudarshan Suchi, Secretary General of SOS Children’s Villages of India.

Established in 1964, SOS Children’s Villages of India protects the best interests of children who do not have a family or those who are risk of losing one. It operates in 32 locations across 22 states/UTs in India.

August 3, 2020
FACT gives auditorium for converting it into 100-bed COVID hospital in Kerala

State-owned Fertilizers And Chemicals Travancore Limited (FACT) has given its main auditorium to the Kerala government for converting it into a 100-bed COVID hospital. The auditorium ‘M K K Nayar Hall’ has been allotted

State-owned Fertilizers And Chemicals Travancore Limited (FACT) has given its main auditorium to the Kerala government for converting it into a 100-bed COVID hospital.

The auditorium ‘M K K Nayar Hall’ has been allotted for setting up a Covid First-Line Treatment Center (CFLTC) by Eloor Municipality to accommodate 100 beds, the Fertilizer Ministry said in a statement.

FACT has also supplied required cots, beds, mattresses, etc. for this purpose, it said.

The company’s Chairman and Managing Director Kishor Rungta handed over the material to Eloor municipality chairperson C P Usha.

The company is supporting the Kerala government in its fight against COVID-19 as part of its CSR initiative.

July 31, 2020

Almost half of Reliance Industries’ Rs 1,022cr CSR funds donated to PM-CARES in 2019-20 fiscal

Oil-to-telecom conglomerate Reliance Industries’ spending on CSR activities during the 2019-20 fiscal increased by 13 per cent to Rs 1,022 crore from the previous year, with almost half of its funds been contributed to the PM-CARES

The company was required to spend Rs 987 in the 2019-20 fiscal as per the section 135 of the Companies Act, 2013.

In its annual report, the Reliance Industries said its spending on corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities increased to Rs 1,022 crore in the 2019-20 fiscal from Rs 904 crore in the 2018-19 fiscal.

Of the total expenditure, about Rs 500 crore was donated to the Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund (PM CARES Fund).

CSR activities of RIL are carried out under the aegis of Reliance Foundation, led by Nita M Ambani.

Reliance Industries CSR spend in 2019-20		(₹ in crore)
Particulars	2019-20	2018-19
Rural Transformation	86	156
Health	55	116
Education	277	540
Sports For Development	64	59
Disaster Response	531	31
Urban Renewal	4	1
Arts, Culture and Heritage	5	1
Total	1,022	904

In fact, the company’s total CSR spending on disaster reponse was at Rs 531 crore including PM-CARES fund in 2019-20, much higher than Rs 31 crore funds spent in the previous fiscal year.

The company said it responded fast to national emergencies and disasters including floods and more recently, COVID-19 pandemic.

More than 10 lakh people were supported in 14 states in the aftermath of disasters. About 5.6 lakh people received early warning/post disaster advisories, besides technology enabled support to organisations, it said.

The company gave capacity building for over 700 individuals for better response to emergency situations during the 2019-20 fiscal.

As much of the funds were donated to the PM-CARES, the spending on other areas remained lower when compared with the previous year.

The spending on education was Rs 277 crore in 2019-20 as against Rs 540 crore in the previous year, while for rural transformation at Rs 86 crore from Rs 156 crore and for health related activities funds declined to Rs 55 crore from Rs 116 crore in the said period.

The company said about 2 lakh underprivileged children were provided with quality education, 43,000 students and over 1,000 teachers were empowered by Reliance Foundation digital classrooms, while 15,645 students enrolled in 14 Reliance Foundation Schools in 2019-20. It also disbursed 12,776 Dhirubhai Ambani Scholarships in the said period.

The spending on sports developments rose marginally to Rs 64 crore from Rs 59 crore, while on urban renewal and arts, culture and heritage increased to Rs 4 crore and Rs 5 crore, respectively, from Rs 1 crore each in the previous year.

About Rs 229 crore was contributed to the Reliance Foundation Institution of Education, Rs 222 crore to Reliance Foundation and Rs 47 crore to the Reliance Foundation Youth Sports during the 2019-20 fiscal, the report added.

July 29, 2020

Greta Thunberg to donate prize money 1 million euro for flood relief work in India & B’desh

Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg has decided donate prize money of 1 million euro (approximately Rs 8.76 crore) for flood relief efforts in India and Bangladesh. Greta was awarded 1 million euro for winning the Gulbenkian Prize

Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg has decided donate prize money of 1 million euro (approximately Rs 8.76 crore) for flood relief efforts in India and Bangladesh.

Greta was awarded 1 million euro for winning the Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity, announced last on July 20.

In a statement, the Greta Thunberg Foundation said it will donate the full sum to charitable projects combatting the climate and ecological crisis and supporting people facing its worst impacts, particularly in the Global South.

The donations will go to 3 NGOs in desperate need of funds for flood relief work in India and Bangladesh, it said.

About 50,000 euros will be donated to ActionAid India and Bangladesh, working in both countries to provide emergency relief, as well as long term rebuilding.

Goonj, which provides clothes, food, medicines, and other essential items to affected areas in India, will be given 25,000 euro donation.

The third NGO BRAC will also get 25,000 euros donation. It is working on the ground in Bangladesh to provide critical relief for impacted families, including dry food, temporary shelter and health services.

The money will go to organisations providing direct relief to people suffering from the humanitarian crisis caused by ongoing extreme monsoon flooding in both countries, currently affecting over 9.6 million people in the region.

In India, more than 6.8 million people have been affected by recent severe monsoon floods. The north eastern states of Assam and Bihar are particularly badly affected, with 113 deaths recorded since this year’s monsoon season began.

Meanwhile, close to one third of Bangladesh is already suffering flooding, with 2.8 million people affected. Although floods occur annually in these areas, the climate crisis is increasing their frequency and intensity, with current flooding among the worst in years.

This flooding has also come during a period of overlapping crises facing communities in India and Bangladesh. In May, Cyclone Amphan destroyed crops, infrastructure and more than 2,60,000 homes in both countries, while a Covid-19 lockdown has contributed to over a third of Bangladesh’s population dropping under the poverty line.

“The climate crisis is urgent, and people, particularly in the Global South, are suffering devastating impacts already today. Millions of people in South Asia have been severely affected by recent flooding, at a time when many had already lost so much from Covid-19 and Cyclone Amphan,” 17-year old Greta Thunberg said.

“I am incredibly privileged to be in a position to be able to donate such sums of money through my foundation, and we are supporting these organisations to make sure it reaches communities affected by the flooding as soon as possible. If you are able, please consider donating to the relief effort,” she added.

ActionAid India Executive Director Sandeep Chachra said that monsoon flooding in the Indian states of Assam and Bihar is increasingly catastrophic, year on year. It is making living conditions for vulnerable communities in these regions ever more precarious.

“This year the floods are a part of a double whammy, on top of the Covid-19 pandemic and accompanying lockdown. Emergency responses need to be linked with long term development work aimed at advancing social and ecological justice, in an effort that prioritises the leadership of communities most affected,” he said.

Goonj Founder and Director Anshu Gupta said right now, floods in parts of India have heaped more misery onto the lives of millions of people already struggling with the impact of Covid-19.

“In our two decades of disaster response work, we have been highlighting monsoon floods as an ignored disaster that are becoming more intense and frequent. In this difficult time we must all work closely with the communities most affected,” he added.

July 29, 2020
IDBI Bank’s CSR commitment brings computers to govt schools

Despite not required to spend under CSR, private sector bank IDBI Bank had donated used computers to government and municipal schools for the benefit of students in the 2019-20 fiscal. According to the Companies Act, 2013, the companies are required

Despite not required to spend under CSR, private sector bank IDBI Bank had donated used computers to government and municipal schools for the benefit of students in the 2019-20 fiscal.

According to the Companies Act, 2013, the companies are required to spend at least 2 percent of their average net profits made in the preceding three years on corporate social responsibility (CSR).

In its 2019-20 annual report, IDBI Bank said there was no requirement for the bank to incur any spends under CSR for the 2019-20 fiscal because it had suffered a net loss in the preceding three years.

However as a conscientious corporate citizen, the bank had donated used computers to government and municipal schools for the benefit of the students as a part of its CSR initiatives during the reporting year.

Going forward, the bank should be able to do more CSR activities with improvement in its performance.

For the first quarter of 2020-21 financial, the IDBI Bank today reported a standalone net profit of Rs 144.43 crore as against a net loss of Rs 3,800.84 crore in the year-ago.

July 28, 2020
Industry should spend funds on CSR activities to help build a better India: Thakur

The industry should not shy away from spending its CSR fund as it would help make India a better place for present and future generations, Minister of State for Finance and Corporate Affairs Anurag Thakur said today. He also said that the government

The industry should not shy away from spending its CSR fund as it would help make India a better place for present and future generations, Minister of State for Finance and Corporate Affairs Anurag Thakur said today.

He also said that the government has made several changes in the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) law to de-criminalise certain provisions.

Without taking name, Thakur said that a multi-national company which had not spent close to Rs 500 crore in the last two years as part of its CSR activities was issued notice earlier after which it was “happy” to spend that money at that time.

But now when the government has de-criminalised certain provisions, it is “running away again from spending that money”.

“On one hand, we help the corporate so that they do not need to go through this pain of criminal sections, but on the other hand.. if the companies are making millions, not only millions but billions out of India…why they do not want to spend that money on the Indians,” he said in a Ficci webinar on CSR.

“So that is why at times the government is forced to bring in such kind of sections into the CSR. So my request to all of you is that it is our responsibility towards our nation, towards our public, and I am sure all of you, who have contributed immensely, will contribute more and bring more people out of poverty and make India a better place for present and future generations,” he added.

The minister also requested the industry to create more awareness to contain pollution of rivers and also help the government in its fight against coronavirus.

On rising pollutant levels in rivers like Yamuna and Ganga post lockdowns, the minister said that lesser pollution in rivers in the last two months showed that it is the industry which was the main source of pollution.

He said it is a sign from the nature so the focus should not be only on making profits but also on contributing in a different manner.

“Start affluent treatment plants, do not throw waste into the rivers or fields. This is putting more burden on hospitals….it is not good for India,” Thakur added.

The Minister also said that CSR is an opportunity to work with like-minded partners for the betterment of the society at large. Business cannot be successful if the society around you does not prosper.

A well planned and well-executed CSR activity can help in fostering a strong bond between the company and its people. It also helps in developing a deeper human connection, he said, adding that consumers now are also aware and they like to align with companies that invest their time, money and efforts in creating a sustainable environment for all.

Thakur said that CSR is the most pertinent means for corporates to connect with their audience. Setting up a plant at any location, not only helps the immediate locality but the country at large by the industry’s contribution in uplifting and helping the poor.

He added that corporate from diverse sectors have been recognized and rewarded today for contributing towards social good.

In the unprecedented times of COVID-19, the Minister said the government has responded decisively with a strong approach and the need is to strengthen participation from the private sector.

“I would urge each one of you, to do your bit in this battle against coronavirus,” he added.

The Minister was speaking at the 18th FICCI CSR Awards virtual presentation ceremony where 8 companies were conferred with the FICCI CSR Awards and 18 finalists were acknowledged with an appreciation Plaque.

Speaking about the CSR awards, FICCI President Sangita Reddy said that the applicant companies showcased exemplary CSR projects being implemented in remote parts of India on issues ranging from skill development for marginalised youth, to digital and financial inclusion of women, to access to quality education for children with disabilities, creating livelihood through environmentally sustainable strategies.

“I am delighted to share that FICCI was the first business chamber in India to recognise the importance of CSR for inclusive and sustainable development of India in the background of a globalised world,” she added.

FICCI CSR & Community Development Committee and FICCI-Aditya Birla CSR Centre of Excellence Chairperson Rajashree Birla said that this is the time to focus on redesigning and creating market-based solutions to alleviate poverty.

“This is the time for new innovations, potentially transformative solutions that complement and tackle social issues, fuel economic growth and make a difference to the lives of 1.3 billion people,” she said, adding that coordinated effort amongst stakeholders is needed to emerge out of the pandemic situation.

Birla said the CSR platform, through leveraging the demographic dividend that the rural and urban poor offer, can be a good vehicle for this transformative growth trajectory.

“This way we could see that the goods are produced locally and consumed globally. In doing so, we will be aligning well with the Prime Minister’s call for the promotion of ‘Vocal for Local’ and ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’,” she added.

July 27, 2020
IDFC FIRST Bank opens MBA scholarships for 2020-2022 batch

IDFC FIRST Bank today announced the opening of its MBA Scholarship programme for the batch of 2020-2022, as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). About 150 scholarships will be granted by the Bank this year. The application for scholarship

IDFC FIRST Bank today announced the opening of its MBA Scholarship programme for the batch of 2020-2022, as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

About 150 scholarships will be granted by the Bank this year. The application for scholarship can be accessed on https://www.idfcfirstbank.com/csr-new/mba-scholarship.html.

The last date for applying for this scholarship is July 31, 2020, the bank said in a statement.

The scholarship programme aims to financially support students from weaker social economic backgrounds, enabling them to pursue a management degree from a B-school of their choice.

To qualify for the scholarship, the candidate needs to secure admission into a two-year full-time MBA programme and the family income has to be less than Rs 6 lakhs per annum.

The initiative provides financial assistance to students so as to ease the burden of fees payable by them and to make admission to the best colleges and universities accessible to economically weaker students.

IDFC FIRST Bank CSR Head Rachana Iyer said: “We believe expenses of MBA are rather high and even meritorious students often drop out from pursuing their careers because of financial difficulties.”

Through this initiative, the bank wants to lend a shoulder with Rs 2 lakh per student for two years, to students from vulnerable communities, to pursue higher education and to attain a higher standard of living.

The scholarship supports students from over 150 B-Schools all across India. Since the number of applications far exceed the number of scholarships, the Bank prioritises and ranks-orders the applications for scholarships based on criticality of need, which may involve factors such as family income, socio-economic background and other such criteria.

The MBA Scholarship programme was instituted as a CSR initiative by erstwhile Capital First in 2016 and continued after the merger which resulted in the formation of IDFC FIRST Bank. So far, 530 students from both urban and rural India have benefitted from this programme.

These students belong to diverse family backgrounds with parents being retired lower-income scale government employees, auto-rickshaw drivers, farmers and other such backgrounds.

As an extension of this programme, IDFC FIRST Bank also provides scholarships to students pursuing higher education or teaching in the mental health space, students with autism, students enrolled in the Young India Fellowship programme of Ashoka university, and to youth from shelter homes and underprivileged backgrounds.

July 27, 2020
Godrej & Boyce, WWF India launch ‘Magical Mangroves’ campaign

Consumer goods firm Godrej & Boyce along with WWF India today launched a nationwide campaign for conservation of mangroves. The campaign will span across eight states including Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu

Consumer goods firm Godrej & Boyce along with WWF India today launched a nationwide campaign for conservation of mangroves.

The campaign will span across eight states including Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Odisha and West Bengal, the company said in a statement.

The campaign aims to promote awareness on the importance of the mangroves ecosystems and invite citizens to become volunteers to help in promoting the same, it said.

The volunteers will be engaged for a period of six months and will be part of webinars, film screenings, online quizzes, digital story-telling sessions among other activities.

Over the last few decades, Godrej & Boyce said its Wetland Management Services team has been actively managing and conserving one of the largest mangroves in Mumbai at Vikhroli.

Taking their efforts a notch higher, Godrej has officially joined hands with WWF India to further strengthen the conservation efforts and promote awareness at a much larger scale across the country, it said.

WWF India has been working towards conserving wetlands across the country in the high altitudes, floodplains, urban centres and Ramsar sites for over two decades now.

Talking about the initiative, Pheroza Godrej said, “This endeavor will combine our strengths further and effectively aid us in educating the community to make them understand how small steps taken by them, as individuals, in conserving the mangroves, will eventually contribute to environmental change on a much larger scale in the future.”

WWF India CEO and Secretary General Ravi Singh said mangroves act as natural barriers of climate change, serve as nurseries and breeding grounds for a multitude of aquatic species. Their effect on controlling soil erosion is vital to shaping the topography of our coasts.

“Recognizing the role of younger generations and concerned citizens as major stakeholders in nature conservation in India, this campaign aims at building knowledge about mangroves as essential yet fragile ecosystems and enables positive action for their preservation,” he said.

The Wetland Management Services team at Godrej has been raising awareness about the mangroves ecosystem through several initiatives such as the launch of the one-of-a-kind Mangroves Mobile App available in 11 languages, a unique children’s story book published last year and poster exhibitions across educational institutes of Mumbai.

July 27, 2020
Alliance and GIZ launch pilot project to reduce plastic waste in Haridwar and Rishikesh

Global NGO The Alliance to End Plastic Waste and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) today launched a pilot project “Aviral” to reducce plastic waste in Haridwar and Rishikesh, Uttarakhand. Aviral will focus on strengthening

Global NGO The Alliance to End Plastic Waste and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) today launched a pilot project “Aviral” to reducce plastic waste in Haridwar and Rishikesh, Uttarakhand.

Aviral will focus on strengthening an integrated plastic waste management system. Following the two-year pilot in the two cities, the partnership aims to scale this initiative across partnering cities in India, the Alliance said in a statement.

In recent years, the amount of plastic waste has drastically increased in India. More specifically, this increase is affecting the two cities of Haridwar and Rishikesh, important Hindu pilgrimage and cultural tourism destinations, the Alliance said in a statement.

Speaking about the initiative, the Alliance to End Plastic Waste CEO and President Jacob Duer said the project aims to reduce plastic waste and help improve the livelihoods of communities dependent on the Ganges, India’s lifeline and one of the world’s most important rivers.

As its own name indicates, Aviral, means “continuous” in Hindi, the overall objective is to continue strengthening contribution to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, added Carsten Schmitz-Hoffmann, Director General of GIZ International Services.

This privately financed project contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

July 27, 2020