Caritas Institute for Developmental Action and Learning (CIDAL) of Caritas India, in collaboration with Bala Vikasa, Telangana organized an awareness webinar on  Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Opportunities in India & New trends in Development Sector on August 26th, 2021. This webinar was attended by 87 participants mainly the Diocesan Directors of Social Works. Current Development Trend, CSR opportunities in India, new CSR Amendment Act, availability of sectoral funds, essentials for NGOs to become CSR implementing partners were the focus of the webinar.

Fr (Dr.) Jolly Puthenpura, the Assistant Executive Director of Caritas India set the context of the webinar by highlighted the prospects of mobilizing CSR funds. He said that the corporate companies in India are mandatorily contributing 2% of their profits to charity programs as per section 135 of the Companies Act 2014. This brings a huge opportunity for NGOs to collaborate with the corporate sector and scale up their projects. But unfortunately, not many NGOs are tapping the resources due to a lack of awareness on the opportunities, meet CSR priorities, processes, and other requirements. The diocesan social Service Societies though doing dedicated services are unable to scale up their projects due to a fund crunch. This seminar is organized to create required awareness among the diocesan directors on the CSR opportunities in India and the essentials required to become CSR implementing partners.

Mr.S. Shoury Reddy, Executive Director-Bala Vikasa was the main resource person of the webinar. He has mentioned the community managed program interventions of Balavikasa and the results achieved through implementing many projects. While speaking about the CSR opportunities, he started the session by asking the participants how many NGOs got CSR funding and the reasons for not getting CSR funds. He said Indian companies started CSR under companies act 2013 section 135 of the companies act 2013 (184 sections, the companies bill 2021 with the applicability that Companies with an annual turnover of 1000 crores INR and more, or a net worth of 500 crore INR and more, Or a net profit of 5 crore INR or more to contribute at least 2% of their average net profit in the previous 3 years. The CSR Committee and other conditions include companies shall contribute a CSR committee (3+ directors) formulate and recommend to the board a CSR policy, activities in line with schedule VII, recommend the expenditure outlay, monitor CSR activities as per policy, preference to local areas where the company operates. If not spend, specify the reasons for not spending in the report. Schedule VII categories are extreme Hunger and poverty, education, gender equity, environment, national Heritage, arts and culture, war veterans and their families, sports, Ms national relief fund, incubators and Research aimed at SDGs, rural development, slums, Disaster Management and companies to work towards achieving 17 Goals of Sustainable Development Goals.

He said the motto of the Indian Govt is to mandate CSR spending for innovations in the Development sector, effective models using industry talent and resources, create a culture of giving and responsible industry. The focus should be given to Planet, People and Profit. Innovation and impact as a priority for CSR.  Private companies and MNCs look for innovations. In business when the financial returns are the profit it is social development as the profit in CSR. The drawback of working with CSR funds are no long-term project approval, no profit no CSR. general agreement for long term but can’t sign for long term period and year to year MOU. To manage CSR, there will be CSR teams constitutes within the company, consultants who manage CSR funds of corporate. End to End service and CSR foundations. The legal criteria for applying CSR funds are that it should be a registered NGO with 3 years experience and having 12 A from income tax, 80 G from Income tax, registration of entities for undertaking CSR activities from MCA and 3 years of Audit statements. The organization should have a fiscal policy, HR policy, insurance policy, procurement policy, environment policy, gender policy, SOPs and organogram, annual reports and website of the organization. The session concluded with a positive note on the process and prospects of mobilizing CSR funds and priority areas of different CSR. Ms Sunitha Reddy, Director-PDTC moderated the open forum and Dr Siluvappan, Lead: Resource Mobilisation, Caritas India expressed a vote of Thanks.