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Journal of Accounting, Auditing and Taxation

Vol. 4(1), pp. 064-070, July, 2020. © www.premierpublishers.org. ISSN: 0799-673X

Research Article

Social Audit in India: Evidence from Infosys Ltd.


Dr. Pradip Kumar Das
J. K. College, Purulia
E-mail address: pradip57.prl@rediffmail.com Contact No.: +91 9475815209/7362965792

Corporate social responsibility is contemplated as overarching strategy integrated into


business operation, value-added chain and decision making approach across the corporate
world. Infosys in ITC sector harmonizes with corporate ethics in the Indian corporate domain.
This paper basically concentrates on how the activities of Infosys, the selected company
endorses its responsibility towards society veraciously and how it precipitates its sustainable
headway. The study is descriptive in nature and mobilizes mainly secondary data for the
purpose. The results proffer that corporate social responsibility is a device of self-appraisal
for the company in case of social audit which eventually emanates its sustainable survivability.

Keywords: Corporate social responsibility, Ethics, Social audit, Stakeholders, ITC.

INTRODUCTION

Companies are distinguished for their impression on Fenn, 1973). In fact, social audit acknowledges the right of
society as a whole; stakeholders and the environment in all having interest in a corporate to information concerning
particular. For companies long period sustainability with its social impact and ethical performance to furnish
profit making or wealth building, it is analogously cardinal accounts at regular intervals. Entire social audit is a
that they should accept their obligation to be socially climactic methodology of reassignment of power based on
responsible and work for the welfare of the society. As per substantiation and fact. It analyzes, measures and reports
the stewardship principle for having utilized the resources of an organization’s social and ethical performance by
of the society, it is the ethical responsibility of the company scrutinizing its non-financial activities that directly or
to return something well-being to the society and should indirectly impact stakeholders (Ghonkrokta & Lather,
conform various social needs. Recently, corporate 2007). Social audit is crucial for internal examination to
governance and corporate social responsibility (CSR) discern how a particular business concerns the society. A
have welcomed substantial receptivity. Investors prefer to company cannot just survive by creating value addition to
invest in only those companies which accord towards CSR its shareholders and delivering quality products or services
activities. In order to clinch stakeholders attention, to its customers. To create, improve and maintain good
corporate have instituted liberating their CSR reports public relationship and for long-term sustainability, a
pursuing their own code of conduct. So there is a company should mandatorily meet both social and
covetousness to ratify the authenticity of these CSR environmental standards. Good public image is the key
reports and mantra for the success of any company. Social audit
dissect how efficaciously the corporate are honoring their encompasses a wide range of activities and serves
social and ethical responsibilities pragmatically multiple purposes like satisfying the corporate conscience,
(Vicario,2015). improving social programmes, enhancing public relations
and increasing the credibility of the firm (Caroll & Beiler,
1975). Social audit appraises whether corporate
SOCIAL AUDIT CONCEPT desideratum, philosophy, policy, approach, etc. adheres to
the social values and principles. It also divulges that a
Social audit is a commitment to systematic assessment of company has demonstrated its ineffaceable social and
and reporting on some meaningful, definable domain of environmental data congruously. Social audit provides
the company’s activities that have social impact (Bauer & objective, accurate and comprehensive information about
an enterprise’s social performance (Clark C. Abat, 1974).
Social Audit in India: Evidence from Infosys Ltd.
Pradip Kumar Das 65

Infosys – An Introduction ethical responsibility neither to put the lives of people in


misery nor to exploit its employees. The reality is how a
Infosys Limited, an Indian Information Technology company makes its money (Chaitanya et al., 2018). An
Company (ITC) headquartered in Bengaluru, Karnataka, exploratory research on tourism and hotel companies in
India was established in 1981 with an initial investment of Morocco revealed that companies are aware of social
US $250 that provides global business consulting and auditing and they consider it as an effective technique to
information technology services. Infosys helps clients in develop strong human resource management policy in
about 45 countries to devise and executes different hotel industry (Elmousadik & Elkandoussi, 2016). A study
strategies for their digital transformation. Infosys helps to focus the social inspection for CSR activities of banking
businesses to rejuvenate and ameliorate prevalent sector in Bangladesh showed that although the financial
conditions so that their business can achieve higher sector specifically banks are big contributors in the country
dexterity and stay relevant according to for CSR activities, stakeholders are unaware of CSR
circumstances. This worldwide appreciated corporation contribution due to poor reporting. Social audit can face
provides superb business solutions utilizing technology the challenges like lack of clarity, number of investment in
extricated by distinguished people. FICO score (credit environment, etc. by creating single platform for the
score) of Infosys is A− (rating by Standard and Poor). stakeholders, and by comparing CSR commitments with
Infosys' leading position captioned as an Asian invasion in the actual performance of the banks (Islam, 2015). Social
the rankings (Forbes India Magazine, 2020). Infosys has inspecting as a means of surveying and providing details
been graded 3rd on the Forbes list of “The World’s Best regarding corporate social and natural execution could be
Regarded Companies for 2019” based on its solidity, connected to manufacturers’ trusts, recognize the
honesty, etiquette, justness to its employees and the responsibility and advance participation by the partners
accomplishment of its products and services which and enterprises (Zhang,2006). Social audit of companies
instantiates the company’s culinary masterpiece, the reflects its overall performance (Rahim, 2014). A social
veneration it enkindles amongst its stakeholders and also audit for analyzing the contribution and effectiveness of the
illuminates the commitment of universal technological poverty alleviation program undertaken by the Indian
services (Forbes American Business Magazine, 2020). Government revealed that too much government
interference fails to achieve the goal of such programs,
however, active involvement of the communities especially
LITERATURE REVIEW poor led to better attainment of goal of such schemes;
hence the need for decentralized schemes strengthening
the Panchayat Raj Institution is necessary for its success
Good CSR reports behold whether the firms sporadically
(CAK, 2007). Social audit accountability and transparency
cater to the needs of stakeholders or not (Vicario, 2016).
Social audit helps an organization assess and evaluate its of seventeen (17) out of twenty two (22) Gram Panchayats
benefits in the forms of social, economic and in Andhra Pradesh under the scheme of ‘Mahatma Gandhi
National Rural Employment Guarantee Act’ reported
environmental as a tool for measuring the magnitude that
misutilization of funds (Sushmita, 2013). Social audit
an organization meets its objectives and shares values it
has committed. Social audit analyzes, measures and also scheme environment can be created with companies if a
cooperative relationship is maintained (Chiang, 2018).
reports an organization’s social and ethical performances
by scrutinizing the non-financial events having direct or Theory and practice are to be pursued together to maintain
reputation of CSR of company. It should not be narrowed
indirect impact on shareholders (Ghonkrokta & Lather,
to an aesthetic discourse; ethical foundation must also be
2007). CSR creates nexus of the businesses towards
reckoned.
society. Business should use resources beneficial to
society by taking into consideration the participation and
welfare of the society at large (Jamie, 2003). Specific
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
stakeholders like employees and customers who are
indispensable for the success of a business are
A corporate as a good corporate citizen which uses
contemplated to consummate their needs and satisfaction
stakeholders, environment and exiguous resources of
(Dwivedi, 2010). The focus is specifically towards social
society for its smooth running has an ethical responsibility
audit done by the companies to investigate the quality and
measure the CSR activities. At present, stakeholders to return the benefits back to society in terms of protecting
wholeheartedly expect that businesses think about the the environment and exiguous resources, treating the
employees in the right manner, delivering quality products,
problems faced by society like unemployment, poverty,
and for the well-being of the economy and society at large.
infrastructure, etc. (Peter Kok, 2001). Identification of
It has become almost difficult for a company to persist
proper means of measurement in terms of social
without the CSR activities as stakeholders favor those
performance has been much developed which also has led
to controversial opinions concerning the suitable ways of companies which are ethically involved in such activities.
measurement (Carroll & Boiler, 1975). Companies have So there is a need to understand how the CSR activities

Social Audit in India: Evidence from Infosys Ltd.


J. Acc. Aud. Tax. 66

and social auditing can help a company to have long-term Dimensions of CSR and INFOSYS’S initiatives
sustainability.
1) CSR Committee: According to the guidelines of the
Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Schedule VII of Section 135
OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY of the Companies Act, 2013, Infosys has constituted a
Board-level CSR Committee to monitor the
The basic objective of the study is to examine how the top implementation of its CSR policy from time to time.
Indian IT sector company has precipitated to the society
and how this has fostered in its long-term sustainability. 2) Healthcare: In collaboration with the National Cancer
Institute (NCI) of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences
(AIIMS), Jhajjar, Haryana, Infosys Foundation has built
MATERIALS AND METHODS shelters for the underprivileged cancer patients and their
families. Infosys CSR team envisages future where quality
This study is descriptive in nature and has used mostly health care services are considered hygiene factor, not
secondary data like books, journals, websites, etc. The luxury. The Foundation along with Sankara Netralaya
study confines to the period of 6 years i.e. from 2015 to provides cash related help to the monetarily backward
2020 as the data beyond this period is not systematically groups of society. This restorative center renders free
accessible. Hence, the conclusion drawn from the study is medicinal strategies and leads getting ready projects in
also limited to this period. Out of 10 sample companies in collection of fields related with ophthalmology. At each
India from different sectors, Infosys, a top IT sector movement, Infosys has offered cash related help, planning
company has been selected for the study for its significant for high bore and sensible social protection to patients who
achievement in genuine CSR activities and others which require it the most. Working together with Swami
help the company attain long-term sustainability. Other Vivekananda Integrated Rural Health Center (SVIRHC),
considerations are that Infosys stood 1st position in the Infosys helps towards elimination of leprosy, tuberculosis
Indian Companies List, 2019 based on its performance in and coordinated free eye exercises to patients. It
four metrics like sales, profits, assets and market furthermore finances the BMCDT Bone Marrow Registry,
(Business World Issue, 2020). Stratified random Bengaluru to develop an overall bone marrow giver vault
technique tool is used for selecting the sample unit. in India.
Besides descriptive study, the researcher also conducted
survey study with the help of issue of questionnaires, etc. 3) Education: Infosys leads in improving education
Discussions and personal interviews with the staffs and standards in the country. Infosys-Avanti Fellows
the concerned authorities of the company were Partnership aids over 1,000 students to get access to
undertaken by the researcher. On-the-spot studies were quality STEM education. Infosys Foundation also aligns
carried out with the help of well-structured questionnaire. with many institutes to gain wider reach and makes
Tentative questionnaires were pre-tested with the staffs engineering students employable. Infosys foundation
and authorities. Although there was found apathy or collaborates with Sri Ramakrishna Vidya Kendra in the
indifference on the part of executives in supplying Bannerghatta Forest area in Bengaluru to provide free
information, the researcher could overcome the same meals to children belonging to BPL families and, hence,
through moral persuasion and intensive pestering. It was promotes education among them. This Foundation has
made clear to them that the information so collected will be joined with Chennai Mathematical Institute (CMI) to
exclusively used for academic purpose and proper secrecy anticipate further examination and research crosswise
will be maintained. over different orders especially in arithmetic and science.

4) Community Involvement: A business must spend a part


RESULTS AND DISCUSSION of its profits towards civic and educational facilities of
society (Joshi & Kapoor, 2004). Infosys provides
Infosys maneuvers India’s few most pressing development educational facilities, healthcare facilities and contributes
challenges in the areas of education, rural development, towards art and culture.
gender equality, women empowerment, environment
sustainability, preserving national heritage and culture, 5) Human Resource Development: In the present era of
hunger, poverty, malnutrition and health. Infosys socio-economic set up, employees cannot be treated as
Foundation has been investing on development projects the mere means to certain ends rather business
through its CSR initiatives before it became mandatory enterprises are under moral threats to satisfy the needs
under the Companies Act, 2013 for companies in India to and aspirations of the employees (Sarkar, 2005). Infosys
spend at least 2% of their net profits on CSR activities. provides health and safety measures, retirement benefit,
undertakes training programmes, profit-sharing
programmes, etc. for its employees; thusly, develops
human resource.

Social Audit in India: Evidence from Infosys Ltd.


Pradip Kumar Das 67

6) Environmental Contribution: Reduction of resources COVID-19 Relief Measures


consumption or polluting emissions can minimize
environmental impact (Commission of the European Infosys Foundation identifies the immediate requirements
Communities, 2002). Infosys contributes towards at various hospitals engaged in fighting against COVID-19
environment in terms of using recycled products, energy and supplies there medical goods such as ventilators,
conservation, waste management, etc. patient monitoring systems, viral transport media, masks,
non-contact infrared thermometers, medical gas pipelines
7) Product Contribution and Customers Relations: and gas manifold systems, PPE kits, etc.The Foundation
Business must satisfy customer specific buying criteria like also supervises the poor and underprivileged, and
price, quality, taste, safety and convenience (Centre for provides them hygiene kits, emergency needs, etc. and
Corporate Research & Training, 2003). Infosys invests in also healthcare workers. On March 30, 2020, Infosys
Research & Development (R&D) for providing quality Foundation has contributed Rs. 100 cores for COVID-19
services to its customers. relief efforts; of this, 50 cores are to the PM CARES Fund
to boost the government’s relief endeavors. The
8) Shareholders Relations: Ownership justifies the primacy Foundation has developed a 100-bed facility in Bengaluru
of treatment given to the shareholders (Centre for in association with Narayana Health City (NHC) for nursing
Corporate Research & Training, 2003). Infosys having economically weaker sections by arranging
grievance committee gives due deliberation to the interest accommodation, quality treatment and essential
of the shareholders. medication. It has also instituted a 182-bed quarantine
facility for the Bowring and Lady Curzon Medical College
9) Rural Development: Rural development implicits both & Research Institute, Bengaluru. The BBMP Super
economic betterment as well as social transformation of Specialty hospital on the institute’s premises are
people staying in rural areas. Infosys cultivates education redesigned into a specialized COVID-19 hospital.
to the rural poor, helps underprivileged women, self-help
women groups and bequeaths to flood catastrophes
inhabiting in rural areas. Arts and Culture

Sustainable Projects Infosys Foundation has a contribution to preserving India’s


rich heritage and honoring its artisans. In specific, the
Foundation has sponsored Kala Darshan, a music
i) Carbon Offset Program: In 2011, Infosys makes program through Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan, folk fest in
covenant to become carbon neutral. It is conceded not only
Bangalore for direct market opportunities of rural artisan
for superscribing climate change, but also for its approach
communities, Uppina Kudru Kamath Memorial
of integrating sustainable development goals such as
Yakshagana Gombeyatta puppet in Karnataka for
poverty mollification, gender equality and economic
preserving the art of puppetry, Bhandarkar Oriental
prerogative in its climate action endeavors. Recently, Research Institute in searching ancient Indian
Infosys has eight community-based stabilized projects manuscripts, etc.to promote art and culture of India.
covering Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Ladakh, and
Besides, Infosys felicitates physically challenged
Odisha to benefit rural families. Infosys CSR’s biogas and
musicians, artists and Yakshagana artists from rural areas
cook stove projects offer essentially smoke and heat-free
and others.
cookery environment that significantly lowers deleterious
health impact of traditional cookery.
Human Resource Development
ii) Smart Infrastructure for carbon savings: Infosys thrusts
the thresholds of innovation and competence building i)Employees’ Health and Safety: A healthy human
cosmic savings every year and thus, reduces its carbon resource is the gateway of success and harbinger of
emissions. Infosys pursues green power purchase from progress of any organization (Sarkar, 2005). The company
third party and exercises with governments to enable through its health and safety management system
appreciative policies for intensifying green power. monitors the performance regularly. Health Assessment
and Lifestyle Enrichment (HALE) Plan enriches emotional
iii) Lake Rejuvenation: Infosys extends cooperation with value-add of employees and optimizes their health, quality
the Mysore administration to rejuvenate lake and restores of life, work environment, etc. to achieve adequate
its glory to ensure the discharge of only the highest quality contribution from them. Infosys restrains child labor or
of molded water into lake without much physical forced labor. Its robust survey mechanism secures
mediatorship. employee satisfaction feedback. The company provides
several facilities such as gymnasium, swimming pools and
sports complexes to encourage healthy lifestyle.

Social Audit in India: Evidence from Infosys Ltd.


J. Acc. Aud. Tax. 68

ii)Retirement Benefits: Infosys feeds gratuity, provident  Seeking opinion of the marginalized social groups
fund, etc. for employees. on local development issues and their views on
actual performance of elected bodies.
iii)Training and Awareness: Infosys imparts training to  Collection of information by an auditor from
employees, suppliers and vendors on human rights, etc. reliable sources.
 Adopting performance indicators by the society at
iv)Environmental Contribution: All the development large as yardsticks to judge performance.
centers are ISO14001:2004 certified. Infosys’s existing  Regular meetings and follow ups to ensure the
environmental initiatives concentrate on six areas: energy, continuity and effectiveness of audits.
water, biodiversity, waste management, paper and  Adopting proper tools to recover swindled money
emissions. Each location is subject to surveillance audit on from the corrupt officials.
rotational basis.  Devising substantive procedure instead of
compliance procedure to gauge performance.
v) Recycling: Infosys encourages employees to exert best  Defining hierarchy of needs for conducting social
practices like double side printing, smaller fonts, etc. to audit.
minimize utilization of paper to a feasible extent.
 Participation of NGOs in conducting audit.
vi)Conservation of Energy: Infosys moderates energy
consumption through efficient equipment though its
CONCLUSION
operations are not energy intensive.
This paper contemplates CSR as a methodology
vii)Waste Management: Each development center has espoused by the selected company to attain its
dedicated waste segregation and processing yard. Solid sustainable journey. CSR activities behave as an
waste management in Infosys is developed on the triple instrument of social audit for self-appraisal of the
R(Reduce, Reuse and Recycle)principles. Disposal of company. CSR and sustainable amelioration always
waste is done as per the legislation applicable to synthesize as the company contemplates to perdure for
hazardous waste management. perpetuity and thereby it feathers the society for future
development. As an Indian company, it staunchly accredits
viii)Product Contribution and Customers Relations: Infosys that a corporate should be responsible to upgrade the
invests in R&D, designs, frameworks, processes and modus vivendi and reform the walk of life of society where
methodologies. Intellectual Property (IP) precipitates it operates. Thusly, Infosys collocates its commitment to
quality, productivity and customer satisfaction. society for both long-term and short-term perspectives.
ix) Rural Reach Programme: (i) relief work for the victims;
(ii) teaching aid and uninterrupted power supply unit for the RESEARCH COMMENT
visually challenged; iii) self-help women groups; iv) vehicle
for supplying food to schools and travelling to rural Social audit is very crucial into the execution process in
areas;(v) construction of foot bridge, etc. Infosys helps India. Infosys’s social audit practice owes its triumph to the
children in orphanage with midday meal programme. It demeanor of tenacious and dedicated leaders at the
also helps underprivileged women through RAPID, an command. Infosys is now extensively contemplated as a
organization in rural areas and provides sewing machines efficacious best approach that has ameliorated social audit
to destitute women to enable their financial security. over the country. Its success rests substantially in the
corroboration of society who demonstrates their
x) Anti-Corruption: Infosys encourages its employees to acknowledgement of the operation. It also lies in the
report on corrupt practices or unethical behavior under the acceptance and immense commitment of the
whistleblower policy. The company has established control administration to support the process. Infosys Foundation
systems to observe local laws on corruption in the behaves towards helping society and effectuating
geographies it functions. sustainable development. It leverages its high tech
background and executes projects which are
contemplated on real-time basis and hence, fabricates
RECOMMENDATIONS enduring impression in the society. In the global context,
profit maximization is the final destination of corporation.
The following recommendations are postulated to make Beyond it, certain laws and regulations restrict the globally
social audit more constructive: reputed corporations to administer their running ethically
 Clear disclosure of the intention for conducting and responsibly towards stakeholders. In the fast growing
social audit. business world, corporate are continuously devoting to
 Proper identification of stakeholders. society to reap public impression and reputation.

Social Audit in India: Evidence from Infosys Ltd.


Pradip Kumar Das 69

IMPLICATION OF THE STUDY Clark C. Abt. (1974). The social audit for management.
17.
Social audit is now widely accepted as an important Commission of the European Communities. (2002).
mechanism to tackle malpractice and cultivate culpability Communication from the commission concerning
in corporate and government schemes especially with the corporate social responsibility: A business contribution
rapid globalization and the emerging trend towards a free to sustainable development.
economy. This forum reconnoiters important exemplars on www.ec.europa.eu/employment_social/soc-dial/csr/
why and how to conduct social audit as a control device csr2002_en.pdf, accessed on 2006, January 10.
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contemplated when developing an institutional set-up for Elmousadik, M., & Elkandoussi, F. (2016). Practice of
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in the 21st century: A view from the world’s most
The study is developed on distinct ITC sector company. successful firms. Journal of Business Ethics , 175-1.
The exploratory study may further be elevated taking a Joshi, R., & Kapoor, S. (2004). Business environment.
great number of companies of other sectors ingrained on Kalyani Publishers.
their CSR strategies to disseminate the conclusion. The Peter Kok, P. T. (2001). A corporate social responsibility
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assessment? School of Accountancy,19-24.
Sarkar, C. R. (2005). Corporate social responsibility of
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Social Audit in India: Evidence from Infosys Ltd.


Accepted 21 September 2020

Citation: Pradip Kumar Das (2020). Social Audit in India: Evidence from Infosys Ltd., Journal of Accounting, Auditing and
Taxation, 4(1): 064-070.

Copyright: © 2020 Pradip Kumar Das. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons
Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original
author and source are cited.

Social Audit in India: Evidence from Infosys Ltd.

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