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Tag: #CSR

  • Fleetguard blood donation camps collect 773 units in Pune

    Fleetguard blood donation camps collect 773 units in Pune

    Fleetguard Filters Pvt Ltd (FFPL), a manufacturer of filtration solutions for on- and off-highway applications, said its annual blood donation camps across Pune concluded this week with a cumulative collection of 773 units of blood.

    The blood donation camps were held across four locations — Loni, Wadki, Nandur and Baner — as part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme, with the final camp at Baner concluding on September 9.

    Loni recorded 270 donations, followed by Nandur with 332 and Wadki with 126, bringing participation across the three manufacturing sites to 728 units. The corporate office in Baner added a further 45 donations, taking the overall total for this year’s blood donation camps to 773.

    The company said the camps, held annually across its Pune offices and manufacturing plants, form part of its broader focus on healthcare and preventive healthcare under its CSR initiatives.

    Niranjan Kisloskar, Managing Director, Fleetguard Filters Pvt Ltd., said the company’s responsibility toward surrounding communities extended beyond its business operations. He said the blood donation camps gave employees a simple but meaningful way to contribute to a cause that could directly support lives in need, adding that participation levels reflected employees’ commitment to social impact.

    Fleetguard said its CSR initiatives are aimed at creating long-term social value through programmes spanning healthcare, education, environment, rural development and community welfare, with healthcare and preventive healthcare — including blood donation and health camps — remaining a core focus area.

    Fleetguard Filters Private Limited, established in 1987, is a filtration solutions provider partnered with Atmus Filtration Technologies, formerly Cummins Filtration U.S.A. The company holds NABL accreditation and serves on- and off-highway applications across multiple industries.

  • HCL Foundation, UP govt renew Samuday pact till 2031

    HCL Foundation, UP govt renew Samuday pact till 2031

    In a major push for rural development, HCL Foundation and the Uttar Pradesh government on Wednesday announced a landmark extension of their Samuday partnership, renewing the flagship rural development programme for another five years, through 2031.

    The two sides signed a Memorandum of Understanding at a ceremony in Lucknow, in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister and Rural Development Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, Minister of State for Rural Development Vijay Laxmi Gautam, and senior government officials.

    Maurya said the state government remains committed to integrated rural development, noting that the Samuday partnership had driven significant change in Hardoi district over the past 11 years, and that the renewed MoU aims to replicate this transformation in other districts of Uttar Pradesh.

    Since its launch in Hardoi in 2015, the Samuday partnership by HCL Foundation has grown into one of India’s largest government-CSR collaborations. The programme now spans 579 Gram Panchayats across 13 districts of Uttar Pradesh, reaching more than 3 million people. It is also active in 95 Gram Panchayats in Tamil Nadu’s Thoothukudi district, benefiting over 140,000 residents.

    Under the renewed Samuday partnership, focus areas will include strengthening rural livelihoods, improving education and healthcare access, promoting climate-resilient agriculture, advancing water and sanitation infrastructure, empowering Panchayati Raj institutions, and deepening convergence with government schemes, besides extending the programme’s footprint to additional districts.

    Dr Nidhi Pundhir, Director, HCL Foundation, said the organisation works closely with communities and government bodies to strengthen rural ecosystems and build development models that can be scaled across geographies. She added that the past decade of the Samuday partnership had shown how government, communities and the private sector could jointly deliver lasting impact, and that HCL Foundation looks forward to deepening this collaboration.

    Samuday’s impact since 2015:

    • Over 1.99 million people reached through health and nutrition programmes
    • More than 534,000 students benefited from improved learning environments
    • 113,000+ farmers supported with better agricultural practices
    • 85,000+ youth and women aided through livelihood initiatives
    • 2,224 kWp of renewable energy infrastructure created
    • 2,300+ households covered under waste management interventions

    HCL Foundation, the CSR arm of HCLTech, has so far impacted over 8.5 million lives across its programmes in education, sports, health, sanitation, skilling, livelihood and environmental sustainability.

  • Social Stock Exchange: A Game-Changer for CSR in 2026

    Social Stock Exchange: A Game-Changer for CSR in 2026

    India’s Social Stock Exchange (SSE) is not a new bourse like NSE or BSE. It is a dedicated segment within these exchanges where not‑for‑profit organisations (NPOs) can raise money for social projects through listed instruments. The idea: use the familiar machinery of the stock market to route philanthropic and CSR capital, while improving transparency, governance and accountability.

    What problem is it trying to solve?
    For years, companies mandated to spend on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) under Section 135 of the Companies Act have channelled funds via grants, trusts, foundations and government funds. But there was no regulated, market‑like platform that could:

    • Vet social enterprises in a standard way,
    • Disclose how money is being used, and
    • Let multiple funders participate in the same project with clear terms.

    SEBI’s SSE, operational since 2023, was built to fill this gap.

    How does it work?

    Eligible NPOs register on the SSE and issue Zero Coupon Zero Principal (ZCZP) instruments. These are not typical bonds:

    Zero coupon: Investors get no interest.

    Zero principal: There is no repayment of the principal amount.

    In effect, a ZCZP is a donation structured as a listed security. The money raised must be used for the NPO’s stated social projects, with disclosures on the exchange platform.

    What changed in 2026?
    The big shift came on May 27, 2026, when the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) amended the Companies (CSR Policy) Rules, 2014 and Schedule VII of the Companies Act. Two changes matter most:

    1. ZCZP on SSE is now an eligible CSR activity
    • A new item (xiii) was inserted into Schedule VII: “Subscription to zero coupon zero principal instruments on Social Stock Exchange.”

    2. A 10% cap and an exemption

    • Companies can now route up to 10% of their total CSR expenditure in a financial year into ZCZPs listed on SSE.
    • For this slice, they are exempt from conducting a separate impact assessment, which has been a major administrative burden for CSR teams.

    In parallel, SEBI eased some SSE norms in April 2026, including extending the NPO registration window and lowering the minimum subscription threshold, to make it easier for credible NPOs to come in and for issues to succeed.

    Why should companies and NGOs care?
    For companies, the SSE route offers:

    • A regulated channel to deploy part of CSR funds, with exchange‑style disclosures.
    • Lower compliance load for up to 10% of CSR spend, thanks to the impact‑assessment exemption.
    • The ability to co‑fund specific projects alongside other corporates through the same ZCZP issue.

    For NPOs/NGOs, it offers:

    • Access to a national investor base (including retail with demat accounts), not just a few large donors.
    • A structure that can improve credibility and trust, given SEBI’s oversight and disclosure norms.
    • A potential path to scale recurring social programmes with clearer funding visibility.

    Where is it headed?
    Despite the policy push, the government has not carried out any assessment on how much the ZCZP route will actually boost institutional CSR inflows, Parliament was told in August 2026. The key test now is adoption: whether CSR committees are comfortable routing part of their budgets through ZCZPs, and whether enough high‑quality NPO pipelines emerge to make the market meaningful.

    Early movers are already testing the model. In August 2026, DEVI Sansthan, an NPO working on foundational literacy, listed on the BSE SSE to mobilise resources for its programmes. Separately, a coalition led by ImpactScale Ventures, with support from NSE, SEBI’s advisory committee and US TIFA, announced a TB‑focused thematic raise on SSE, aiming to help 15+ TB NGOs register and 8–10 list projects to raise around Rs 50 crore via ZCZPs.

    The bottom line
    The Social Stock Exchange does not replace traditional CSR. It adds a regulated, market‑linked option for a slice of CSR money, with the promise of greater transparency and easier compliance for that portion. The 2026 amendments—especially the 10% cap and impact‑assessment exemption—are designed to nudge companies to try the route. Whether SSE becomes a meaningful channel for India’s CSR pool will depend on how quickly credible NPOs list, and how comfortable boards become with this new instrument

  • Aries Agro CSR initiatives empower rural girls, disabled Indians with tech

    Aries Agro CSR initiatives empower rural girls, disabled Indians with tech

    Aries Agro Limited, a specialty plant nutrition company, said on Sunday it is expanding its Aries Agro CSR initiatives in 2026 through two technology-driven programmes designed to empower underserved communities in education and healthcare.

    The company said the initiatives would directly reach more than 2,000 rural students, 55 visually impaired individuals and 90 upper-limb amputees across India, combining digital infrastructure, assistive devices and rehabilitation support.

    Rural Education Push

    Under the first programme, Aries Agro is setting up computer labs with laptops across eight rural schools in Rajasthan where digital access previously did not exist. Working with IndiVillage Foundation, the company said the initiative will empower 600 girls aged 6 to 16 with training in coding, artificial intelligence, software design and game development, while 1,500 additional students will receive foundational digital literacy training.

    Company officials said the goal is to close the rural digital and gender divide and build workforce-ready skills among young girls in technology fields.

    Assistive Technology for Disabled

    The second programme, according to the company, will empower 55 visually impaired college students and professionals in Lucknow and Ahmedabad with AI-powered smart glasses that convert printed text to audio in 20 languages and support object, currency and sign recognition.

    Separately, Aries Agro is distributing electronically functional prosthetic hands, capable of lifting up to 10 kg, to 90 farmers and daily wage workers in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Maharashtra who lost limbs in workplace accidents. The programme includes physiotherapy and counselling to help beneficiaries adapt long-term.

    Key partners include Dr. Shakuntala Misra National Rehabilitation University in Lucknow, Torchit Foundation and Inali Foundation, the company said.

    Aries Agro said its broader CSR strategy aims to build lasting capability and infrastructure rather than provide one-time assistance, reinforcing its Aries Agro CSR initiatives as a long-term model for inclusive development.

  • AWL transforms recycled plastic into park benches

    AWL transforms recycled plastic into park benches

    AWL Agri Business Ltd, formerly Adani Wilmar Limited, has adopted and revamped a public park opposite ICB Flora Apartment in Gota, Ahmedabad, under a five-year maintenance agreement with the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC).

    As part of the initiative, the company transforms 1,100 kg of recycled plastic from Fortune packaging into 43 benches installed across the park, in a move it says reflects its focus on circularity and responsible resource utilisation.

    Senior leaders from AWL Agri Business, along with AMC officials and local corporators, conducted a “Green Walk” through the park, planting trees and distributing saplings to visitors to encourage community participation in sustainability efforts.

    “We, at AWL Agri Business, believe that sustainability is not limited to our operations and products. It is also about creating meaningful impact in the communities where we operate,” said Shrikant Kanhere, Managing Director and CEO, AWL Agri Business Ltd.

    “The benches, made using recycled Fortune packaging material, further reflect our commitment to circularity and responsible resource utilisation.”

    Spread across 19,000 square metres, the park has been developed as a recreational space featuring green landscaping, a children’s play area, a jogging track, gazebos and drinking water facilities, while contributing to local biodiversity.

    The company said the initiative demonstrates how recycled plastic and packaging waste can be given a second life within everyday community infrastructure, forming part of its broader corporate social responsibility strategy in urban environments.

    AWL Agri Business, whose flagship brand is Fortune, operates more than 80 manufacturing facilities across 11 states, including India’s largest single-location refinery in Mundra with a capacity of 5,000 tonnes per day. The company serves more than 135 million households through a network of over 10,000 distributors and 2.6 million retail outlets.

  • Jindal Stainless launches landmark Parivartan plan

    Jindal Stainless launches landmark Parivartan plan

    Jindal Stainless Foundation (JSF), the corporate social responsibility arm of Jindal Stainless, said on Monday it has launched a landmark initiative called “Parivartan,” an integrated village development programme targeting Ladwa village near the company’s Hisar manufacturing facility in Haryana.

    The programme is expected to benefit approximately 7,500 to 8,000 residents, the foundation said, through a participatory model covering healthcare, education, women’s empowerment, agriculture, livelihood promotion, sanitation, environmental sustainability, community participation and institutional strengthening.

    JSF Chairperson Deepika Jindal said the Parivartan initiative reflects the company’s belief that businesses and communities should grow together. “Through ‘Parivartan,’ we aim to create a sustainable and inclusive development model for Ladwa Village by addressing critical areas such as healthcare, education, livelihoods, and environmental sustainability,” Jindal said, adding the foundation intends to build partnerships that deliver lasting social impact.

    Rather than standalone interventions, the foundation said Parivartan will pursue a comprehensive village development model built around community ownership and local capacity-building, in partnership with the Gram Panchayat, government departments, community-based organisations and NGOs.

    The programme will begin with a baseline survey and Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) to assess Ladwa’s socio-economic profile and identify priorities, JSF said. Findings will feed into a Village Development Plan prepared jointly with local stakeholders.

    JSF said it will hold regular Gram Sabha meetings and consultations with youth, women, farmers, teachers, frontline workers and local leaders throughout the programme to maintain transparency and accountability. The foundation described Parivartan as a long-term model for inclusive growth and community empowerment.

  • SOS Children’s villages launches mobile digital learning bus

    SOS Children’s villages launches mobile digital learning bus

    SOS Children’s Villages India has launched its second Mobile Digital Learning Centre in the capital, in partnership with Informa Exhibitions India Pvt Ltd, part of Informa Markets in India, as part of efforts to expand digital literacy in underserved neighbourhoods.

    Children from a vulnerable community in North-West Delhi boarded the bus, fitted with desktops and a projector screen, at the inauguration of the new Mobile Digital Learning Centre.

    The initiative currently operates in three cities — Delhi, Pune and Raipur — reaching more than 800 beneficiaries, including 152 children. With the new centre, Delhi alone is targeting over 800 additional beneficiaries in the coming year.

    The Mobile Digital Learning Centre programme provides free digital skills training, job-readiness support and confidence-building for youth and women from marginalised communities.

    “Digital inclusion is a necessity for education, employability, and social mobility,” said Sumanta Kar, CEO of SOS Children’s Villages India.

    “Through our Mobile Digital Learning Centres, we are taking technology directly to their neighbourhoods, ensuring that learning is not limited by geography or economic circumstances.”

    Yogesh Mudras, Managing Director of Informa Markets in India, said the company’s continued partnership with SOS Children’s Villages India was helping expand access to digital learning and future-ready skills for children from vulnerable communities.

    North-West Delhi was selected for the second Mobile Digital Learning Centre as the area is home to a large share of the capital’s estimated 60,000 street children, spread across roughly three lakh slum households in 675 clusters.

    Officials said 45% of government school students in the area lack access to smartphones or stable internet, while 77% of youth in the area had no prior exposure to digital literacy.

    The centre offers training across five areas: digital literacy, cyber safety, financial literacy, life skills and certified assessments. In its first year, the programme helped five beneficiaries secure job placements, enabled eight children to re-enrol in school, and facilitated 28 scholarship links and 32 links to higher studies.

    The Mobile Digital Learning Centre initiative is part of a broader network run by SOS Children’s Villages India across seven states and eight cities, encompassing mobile units, standalone vocational training centres for ages 18-27, and after-school centres for ages 14-17. More than 2,610 young people participate in the programme annually.

  • Bosch India’s Spark of Joy successfully raises funds for 17 projects

    Bosch India’s Spark of Joy successfully raises funds for 17 projects

    Bosch India’s Spark of Joy event successfully raised funds for 17 projects across six cities, impacting over 5,000 underprivileged beneficiaries, the company said Thursday, marking another milestone for its employee-led social engagement initiative.

    The event, organized through Primavera India, the company’s employee-led social engagement initiative, was themed “Bandhan – Celebrating Togetherness” and featured 14 performances spanning music, classical and contemporary dance, folk traditions, shadow art, neon effects and puppetry.

    Bosch employees, including AI experts, hardware designers and assembly line staff, rehearsed after work hours for months to stage the performances, the company said, describing the initiative as proof that shared experiences unite people across roles.

    “At Bosch, our ‘Invented for life’ ethos extends beyond business to creating a positive social impact in the communities where we live and work,” said Guruprasad Mudlapur, President of the Bosch Group in India and Managing Director, Bosch Ltd.

    “Initiatives like Spark of Joy show how employee-led initiatives can drive meaningful change, bringing people together for a shared purpose and support causes like education, healthcare, and skilling.”

    Funds raised through this year’s Spark of Joy campaign will support 17 projects across six Indian cities, focused on improving access to education, healthcare, nutrition, rehabilitation and vocational training for underprivileged children, the company said.

    Primavera India has operated as Bosch India’s employee-driven social engagement platform for more than 25 years, partnering with local non-profit organizations to support disadvantaged communities.

  • HCLFoundation marks landmark dreen drive for 50 years

    HCLFoundation marks landmark dreen drive for 50 years

    HCLFoundation, which drives the corporate social responsibility agenda of HCLTech in India, said on Tuesday it marked the 50th anniversary of HCL Group with a landmark environmental drive, planting 50,000 native saplings and organizing clean-up campaigns at 50 beaches nationwide.

    The initiatives, spread across 10 states, brought together HCLTech employees and their families, nonprofit partners, women’s collectives, youth groups and community members, HCLFoundation said in a statement.

    The drives form part of HCLFoundation’s broader sustainability push to strengthen ecosystems, conserve natural resources and encourage community participation in environmental stewardship, the organization said.

    HCLFoundation said it has greened 74,000 acres of land to date, bringing the area under community management, while more than 155 billion liters of water have been harvested, supporting biodiversity and bolstering water security in some of India’s most water-stressed communities.

    As part of its coastal conservation work, the Foundation said it has planted more than 181,000 saplings of terrestrial, mangrove and shelter belt species and collected over 120,800 kg of ghost nets and marine debris to date.

    “As we celebrate 50 remarkable years of HCL Group, we are reminded every day that growth and progress are not separable from a deep commitment to a sustainable planet and resilient communities,” said Dr. Nidhi Pundhir, Director, HCLFoundation.

    “We believe that meaningful change is achieved when communities come together with a shared purpose, and we are grateful to our employees, families, partners and volunteers for joining us in contributing to a greener, cleaner and more sustainable future.”

    HCLFoundation delivers HCLTech’s corporate social responsibility agenda in India, investing in long-term programs focused on education, grassroots sports, health and sanitation, skill development and livelihood, environment, and disaster risk reduction. The Foundation said it has positively impacted more than 8.5 million lives to date.

    HCLTech is a global technology company with more than 223,000 employees across 60 countries, offering services in AI, digital, engineering, cloud and software. The company reported consolidated revenues of $14.8 billion for the 12 months ended June 2026.

  • No assessment done on ZCZP instruments boosting CSR funds: Govt

    No assessment done on ZCZP instruments boosting CSR funds: Govt

    The government has not carried out any assessment on the extent to which the newly introduced “Subscription to zero coupon zero principal (ZCZP) instruments on Social Stock Exchange” is likely to boost the inflow of institutional capital into the social sector, Parliament was informed on Monday.

    In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Corporate Affairs Harsh Malhotra said, “No such assessment has been conducted by the ministry.”

    The Ministry of Corporate Affairs, through a notification dated May 27, 2026, widened the ambit of Schedule VII of the Companies Act, 2013, by introducing a new item — “Subscription to zero coupon zero principal instruments on Social Stock Exchange” — as an eligible Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activity.

    As per the amendment, a CSR-mandated company cannot subscribe to ZCZP instruments for more than 10 per cent of its total CSR expenditure for that financial year.

    Malhotra said the move is intended to ease compliance for companies while helping not-for-profit organisations raise funds for public welfare projects “in a transparent and regulated manner.”

    The ZCZP instrument, listed on the Social Stock Exchange, allows companies to channel CSR funds to eligible non-profits without expecting financial returns, aiming to formalise and bring greater transparency to social sector financing.