(or Corporate Social Responsibility)?

You’d be forgiven for feeling confused. It can means something seemingly quite different to many people but that’s not surprising as so many different individuals, groups and organisations have a stake in it. 

You’d be forgiven for feeling confused. It can means something seemingly quite different to many people but that’s not surprising as so many different individuals, groups and organisations have a stake in it. 

So here’s a quick rundown of some of the key perspectives. 

At its simplest it’s corporate philanthropy, (funding community organisations and projects), it works well when it also involves ‘help in kind’ through actual people’s involvement and action, but in its broadest sense it also means ethical standards, positive caring values reflecting how the business and its representatives behave. This might show itself  in who and how they recruit, how they treat customers, suppliers and employees, their role in the wider community. 

It’s therefore part of a wider agenda of CR or Corporate Responsibility and relates to all aspects of a business. That includes its policies and practices, its people’s behaviour and is reflected in how they’re perceived as a part of wider society. 

Strategically it relates to the business overall and its success beyond making a profit.  It covers policy, management, marketplace, workplace, environment and community. Handled well it actually enables it to be a more successful business.

Nowadays it’s sometimes known as environmental, social, and governance or ESG

…

It’s actually about doing good and having a positive impact. 

..,

The legal situation for businesses in India

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in India is a legally binding obligation. Under Section 135 of the Companies Act, 2013, eligible companies are mandated to spend at least 2% of their average net profits from the preceding three years on approved socio-economic and environmental initiatives

Lifted from the Internet.

India leads the way in making CSR mandatory for certain larger businesses. It’s voluntary for smaller businesses and all throughout the world.

Stephen 

Now lives in Mysore South India. He’s worked in all sectors, community groups, Non government organisations, government itself, large and small commercial businesses. 

All of those are relevant to this subject. In particular he was a consultant and trainer (he prefers facilitator) on corporate responsibility (includes CSR) and developing people , communities and changing organisations; utilising leadership, experiential learning, managing diversity.

In particular he worked for HRH the Prince of Wales’s (now King Charles) NGO called ‘Business in the Community’ and continued to deliver workshops (on CR) for them until 2019.

He’s worked with commmunities and businesses in U.K. and India and it’s included: 

Princes’ Seeing Is Believing events and related events in Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi and Bangalore 

Workshops on Corporate Responsibility (delivered by Stephen to hundreds of businesses in U.K. and India) , motivating employees, stakeholder dialogue, diversity and managing change. 

Individual consultancy, leadership and team development.

Working with Oracle, CISCO, TATA, Veolia, Royal Mail, EDS, E&Y, KPMG, Camelot, amongst others.

So he’s lived and breathed the subject through all his careers. 

He now leads a small tourism business in South India that proudly engages in supporting young people in its local community.