INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE

ON
ETHICS AND SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS
PRACTICES

Organised by
Rajagiri Centre for Business Studies
Rajagiri Valley Campus
Kakkanad, Kochi
 CSR Initiatives-A study of
selected Steel companies in
India

Devika Rani P.
Assistant professor, Department of Management
Studies
Ballari Institute of Technology and Management, Ballari,
Karnataka, India
 Contents
Introduction.
About CSR.
Objectives.
History & Phases of CSR.
Challenges of CSR.
An overview of CSR practices of selected leading steel companies in India.
Conclusion.
 Introduction
CSR in India has traditionally been an activity that was performed but not deliberated. As a result, there
is limited documentation on specific activities related to this concept.
However, what was clearly evident was that most of this had a national character encapsulated within it.
As some observers have pointed out, the practice of CSR in India still remains within the philanthropic
space, but has moved from institutional building (educational, research and cultural) to community
development through various projects.
While CSR remains largely restricted to community development, it is getting more strategic in nature
(that is, getting linked with business) than philanthropic.
A large number of companies are reporting the activities they are undertaking in this space in their
official websites, annual reports, sustainability reports and even publishing CSR reports.
The Companies Act, 2013 has introduced the idea of CSR to the forefront and through its disclose-or-
explain mandate, is promoting greater transparency and disclosure.
On the other hand, by discussing a companys relationship to its stakeholders and integrating CSR into
its core operations, the rules suggest that CSR needs to go beyond communities and beyond the concept
of philanthropy.
 Definition
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a concept whereby companies integrate social,
environmental and health concerns in their business strategy (policy) and operations and in their
interactions with stakeholders on a voluntary basis. The social responsibility of business encompasses
the economic, legal, ethical, and discretionary expectations that society has of organizations at a
given point in time. (Carroll, 1979)

European Union (EU): It describes CSR as the concept that an enterprise is accountable for its
impact on all relevant stakeholders. It is the continuing commitment by business to behave fairly and
responsibly, and contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life of the work
force and their families as well as of the local community and society at large.
Objectives of the study

To develop an understanding of the concept of CSR.

To study the challenges faced by CSR in India.
To study the nature and extent of CSR initiatives and their disclosure levels of the selected
steel companies in India.
 History and phases of CSR

India has the worlds richest tradition of corporate social responsibility. Though the term
CSR is comparatively new, the concept itself dates back to over a hundred years.
CSR in India has evolved through different phases, like community engagement, socially
responsible production and socially responsible employee relations.
Its history and evolution can be divided into four major phases.
 Challenges of CSR
The Times survey pointed few of the following challenges/responses from participating
organisations.
Lack of community participation in CSR activities.
Need to build local capacities.
Issues of transparency.
Non-availability of well organised non-governmental organisations.
Visibility factor.
Narrow perception towards CSR initiatives.
Non-availability of clear CSR guidelines.
Lack of consensus on implementing CSR issues.
 An overview of CSR practices of leading
steel companies in India.
Initiatives taken by Vizag steel
Vizag Steels endeavor upon Corporate Social
Responsibility primarily aims at Socio-Economic
development of the poor, downtrodden and
marginalized sections of society and address the
necessity to conserve the Environment.
The existing CSR practices in VSP are in line
with the CSR Guidelines issued by Department of
Public Enterprises (DPE), and Ministry of
Company Affairs, Govt. of India, from time to
time.
VSP is a Life Member of United Nations Global
Compact and adheres to the universally accepted
ten principles of human rights, labour,
environment and anti-corruption.
 Tata Steels CSR practices:

Education:
Setting up and running educational institutions and
hostels.
Setting up and running mid-day meal kitchens.
Health:
Improving quality of education in existing schools. Setting up and running clinics and hospitals.

Augmenting and supporting infrastructure in Running mobile medical vans and ambulances.

educational institutions. Organizing health camps.

Providing financial assistance and waivers for needy patients, on a case-to-case basis.
Offering scholarships and financial assistance to Preventing and treating communicable diseases like malaria, tuberculosis and HIV / AIDS.

needy and meritorious students. Promoting awareness about various health issues and generating demand for health services.

Undertaking and supporting research on health- related issues.

Developing educational material and
Ensuring access to drinking water and hygienic sanitation.
methodologies.
Supporting and promoting co-curricular activities.

Education for mainstreaming disabled children.

 .contd
Rural:
Rural development projects of
building and maintaining
community-based rural Sports :
infrastructure like roads, bridges, Constructing stadia and sports infrastructure.

culverts, drains, rural Setting up and running academies and sports training centres.

electrification, water infrastructure, Organizing sports tournaments and coaching camps for community.

Supporting sportspersons to participate in state, national and international events.

community centres, youth clubs, Offering scholarships and sports equipments to deserving sportspersons.
etc. Promoting adventure sports.

Preserving and promoting indigenous sports.

Organizing leadership and motivational camps.

CSR initiatives by JSW
Improving living Promoting social
conditions(eradicating hunger, development(promoting education,
poverty, malnutrition, etc.) skill development, livelihood
enhancement
Major projects etc.) this theme
planned under
include:
Major projects planned under this theme
include: Improving the infrastructure of local
schools.
Soil and water conservation.
Training of teachers.
Enhancement of crop productivity
and crop diversification. Establish computer aided learning
center.
Screening of women for disease such
as cancer, hypothyroidism, bone Create opportunities for access to
density, etc. higher education.
Establishment of voluntary Technical know how and do-how.
counseling and testing center.
.contd

Addressing social
inequalities(promoting gender Ensuring environmental
equality, women empowerment, sustainability:
etc.)

As vigilant and responsible corporate,

the major interventions include:
Solid waste management.
Sanitation and personal hygiene.
Major projects planned to substantiate this include:

Skill building (vocational skills and employment).

Aforestation.
Economic empowerment (SHGs and entrepreneurship). Rainwater harvesting.
Social business (BPO, textile, enterprises).

Facilitating linkages for destitute and widow. Harnessing science and technology.
Fostering local innovations.
 CSR initiatives by SAIL
Healthcare:
SAIL has established Fifty Four Primary Health
Centres, Twelve Reproductive and Child Health
Centres, Seventeen Hospitals and Seven Super-
Specialty Hospitals for providing specialized
healthcare to more than 34 million people since
inception.
To help the poor and downtrodden patients and
to have health outreach, 24 MMUs /ambulances
have been provided to various NGOs like
HelpAge India, Bharat Sewashram Sangha,
Anugraha Drishtidaan, etc. So far, 67 MMUs
have been provided during last the five years.
A special project, Akshaya, for free
investigation of TB patients of under privileged
sections of society and project, Chetna, for
treatment of sickle cell anaemia are run in
Rourkela.
Education:
One hundred and forty six schools have been set up in the steel
townships for providing modern education to about 70,000
children and assistance has been provided to over 286 schools of
villages surrounding steel plants/units for free education of more
than 55,000 students.
SAIL has also set up six Special Schools exclusively for poor,
underprivileged, BPL children at its five integrated steel plant
locations covering around 1,400 children providing free
education, midday meals, uniform, including shoes, textbooks,
stationery items, school bag, water bottles, etc. With the help of
Akshay Patra Foundation, SAIL is providing midday meals to
more than 23,000 students in different schools of Bhilai every day.
Scholarships for ITI and nursing courses to people belonging to
weaker sections and women, sponsorships to students for
technical education, free coaching and assistance to the needy and
the poor children for their higher education etc., are other areas of
focus for SAIL in the field of education.
 .contd

Water:
SAIL has also provided access to
water to people living in far-flung
areas by installing bore well, hand
pump, overhead tanks, ponds, and
other water sources. Model Steel Villages:
In order to connect the gap between rural and urban areas and to provide comprehensive development of both

A total of 6052 such water sources
were made available by SAIL.
They benefited around 41lakh
people across the country.
physical and social infrastructure, 79 villages have been identified as Model Steel Villages in Eight
states( Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar)
across the country.
The developmental activities being undertaken in these villages include medical & health services, education,
roads & connectivity, sanitation, community centres, livelihood generation, sports facilities, etc.
In this endeavour, projects like construction of road, culverts, pathways etc. were undertaken at different
places wherein over75 lakh people across 435 villages have been provided access to this modern
infrastructure facility.

Each SAIL plant has ensured that

villages within a radius of
approximately 16-18 kms of its
township have access to drinkable
water.
 Conclusion
So far we have just had an overview of CSR initiatives taken by top steel
companies playing a very important role in the field of social welfare
successfully. Though, the list of leading steel companies never ends here.
All these companies are not just a successful business houses but are the
trend setters and somewhat the charming face of the Indian Economy. Now
the time has passed away when the only aim to run their business was to
earn profit as much as they could. Now the circumstances have changed,
they have to think about their social responsibility also which is not
confined merely providing jobs but providing an ideal life style and living
standard to live in and letting them know about their rights and goods.