Sarah Ford | January 5, 2015

Making CSR Investments Genuinely Impactful: Lessons From India

By Kanika Datta 

Now that corporate social responsibility (CSR) has acquired a statutory mandate, an activity that was hitherto informal and voluntary has become a formal imperative for some companies. The fact that CSR now has legal sanction suggests that many more companies, including those that do not fall within the ambit of the new law, will feel obliged to start programmes of their own. Corporate philanthropy is hardly new to the Indian scene but the expansion of business activity over the past two decades has seen CSR as a concept gaining traction and becoming a more structured activity. But what are the challenges involved in setting up credible CSR programmes that go beyond the letter of the law? What should companies do to make their investments genuinely impactful, as the law intended to achieve? What are the typical mis-steps they make? Here are some thumb rules culled from practitioners and experts in India.

Cheques and balances

It starts with the basic approach to CSR and that is linked to decisions on how to spend the money. “It is important that the corporation should not be a cheque-writing institution that donates to, say, 10 different programmes – it is better to channel resources to ensure a huge positive impact,” says Rakesh Mittal, co-chairman of Bharti Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the telecom giant.

>> Continue Reading

Get Resources and Insights Straight To Your Inbox

Explore More Articles

Minority Mental Health Awareness Month

July 18, 2025

July is Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness about the unique mental health challenges faced by minority communities. It’s an…

Read Article

International Self Care Day

July 18, 2025

Today, July 24, 2025, we celebrate International Self Care Day, a day dedicated to promoting self-care practices and their numerous benefits for physical, mental, and…

Read Article
How the “Big Beautiful Bill” Will Impact Individual Giving and Employer-Sponsored Workplace Giving Programs

How the “Big Beautiful Bill” Will Impact Individual Giving and Employer-Sponsored Workplace Giving Programs

July 14, 2025

The One Big Beautiful Bill was signed into law on July 4, 2025, introducing a range of provisions that will affect how individuals, companies, and…

Read Article

Get Resources and Insights Straight To Your Inbox

Receive our monthly/bi-monthly newsletter filled with information about causes, nonprofit impact, and topics important for corporate social responsibility and employee engagement professionals, including disaster response, workplace giving, matching gifts, employee assistance funds, volunteering, scholarship award program management, grantmaking, and other philanthropic initiatives.

newsletter-mock