Chandni Jafri - CEO: Mumbai Angels and Founder & ED: Sound and Light Social Ventures.
YOUR VIEWS ON CSR AND SUSTAINABILITY – At SLSV we believe, CSR & sustainability are deeply inter-related approaches of a new vision for the world based on a global partnerships for sustainable development. We believe that CSR and sustainability are a business management approach that should provide in the long run better value for shareholders as well as for other stakeholders. CSR & Corporate sustainability collectively are shaping the identity of organisations and are therefore increasingly integrated into the business strategy of successful corporations. Consequently, the field of responsible business strategy and practice is becoming one of the most dynamic and challenging subjects corporate leaders are facing today and possibly one of the most important ones for shaping the future of our world.
ACTIVITIES CARRIED ON BY YOU / YOUR FIRM ON THIS FRONT – In line with the CSR mandate of the India’s Companies Act of 2013 we have audited and signed up projects worth INR 250 Crores. We have done ground level interactions with many corporates to burst myth about the CSR mandate. Initially, there was reluctance in India Inc., to accept the law. We were involved in activities to educate them about the core philosophy of the mandate and how it can be of long term benefit for the brand & the society at large. We also help corporates communicate their CSR programs & activities in a manner so as to derive maximum impact.
YOUR VIEWS ON EMPLOYEES ACTING AS VOLUNTEERS – Employee engagement in the CSR projects of an organization is one of our core thoughts. As an organization, we advocate triple bottom line – People, Planet, Profit. We look at CSR holistically as a tool of ‘value creation’, to bring about social change while creating brand value, integrating & involving the key stakeholders. The employees of an organisation are the strongest ambassadors of CSR -the real change agents. In fact we also have a business vertical, SLSV Purpose where we partner with the Corporate so as to assist the employees in unravelling and executing their Purpose and aligning that to the business as well as community & environment.
WHY SHOULD STUDENTS STUDY CSR – The CSR and corporate sustainability movements are building an impressive momentum with the support from governments and the investment community. There is no doubt that businesses are doing far more than ever before to tackle the sustainability challenge by recognising their social responsibilities, reducing their environmental impacts, guarding against ethical compromises, creating governance transparency and becoming more accountable to their stakeholders. CSR is emerging as a compulsory part of the curriculum empowering students to lead this new wave of transformation.
Contacts:
https://in.linkedin.com/in/chandni-jafri-02a4ab4