3rd Edition of the BCC&I Social Leadership Conclave & Awards on 6th December 2024, at Silver Oak Hall, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi.
This initiative marks the first endeavor in Delhi by BCC&I's National CSR Committee, designed to celebrate the most remarkable and impactful development efforts in the country. The initiative aimed to honour exceptional contributions that set new benchmarks by driving transformative change through innovation and excellence. Over 80 corporates and NGOs participated in the Awards, highlighting their outstanding developmental projects.
The programme commenced with Welcome Address by Arnab Basu, President of BCC&I. He emphasized the transformative power of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in contemporary India. Reflecting on the progress since the introduction of the CSR Act in 2014, he highlighted its journey from a mere compliance requirement to a strategic priority in boardrooms. “CSR has redefined the relationship between corporates and civil society,” he remarked.
Mr Jitendra Kumar, Chairperson of the National CSR Committee of BCC&I, followed up with the theme address. He highlighted that CSR has evolved into a core component of corporate boardroom strategies, with top talent being dedicated to driving these initiatives.
Dr Bhaskar Chatterjee, Former Director General & CEO, Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs, outlined the evolution of CSR and emphasized four key imperatives for its future: innovation, impact, equity, and ESG integration. He urged corporate leaders to incorporate these principles into their strategies to drive sustainable progress. Highlighting disparities through statistics, he noted, “While 30% of CSR funds are allocated to India’s wealthiest states like Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Karnataka, only 0.9% is directed towards the Northeastern states.”
Dr. Vikrant Pandey, IAS, Director-cum-Joint Secretary, Zonal Council, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, and Dr. Srikanta Panigrahi, Director General of the Indian Institute of Sustainable Development, emphasized the global significance of India’s CSR mandate. They advocated for aligning global standards with local priorities and called for impactful partnerships.
This set the stage for a landmark development: the signing of an MoU between the Bengal Chamber and Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC). This three-year collaboration will focus on shaping DVC’s CSR strategy and conducting impact assessments, highlighting the critical role of expert-driven frameworks.
This was followed by three panel discussions, namely the first session on “Role of CSR in climate action and sustainability”, which was moderated by Mr. Arnab Basu, President, BCC&I & Advisory Leader, PricewaterhouseCoopers Pvt. Ltd. The panelists of the session were: Dr. Bhaskar Chatterjee, Former Director General & CEO, Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs; Mr. U K Bhattacharya, Former Director Sustainability, NTPC & Mentor, Energy Environment Water National Committee, BCC&I; Dr Srikanta K. Panigrahi, Director General and Distinguish Research Fellow, IISD – CMII.
In line with the first session, a very pertinent presentation was presented by Mr. Subhodip Ghosh, Director General, BCC&I, and Ms. Soma Mitra Mukherjee, Assistant Director General, BCC&I, on BCC&I’s Climate Change project, currently being implemented in the Sundarbans, West Bengal.
The second session was on “Strategic Implementation of CSR Project : Role of NGO” the eminent panelists were: Ms. Sujata Sen, CEO, Future Hope; Ms. Madhabi Guha Basu, Founder, Slate of Swan; Ms. Puja Marwaha, Chief Executive Officer , Child Rights and You (CRY); Mr. Arun Arora, Director, Chetak Foundation. This was moderated by Mr. Praveen Karn, Group Head Sustainability and CSR, Spark Minda Group
The third and final session was on “The Future of CSR: Transforming India via Sustainable Impact”. The sessions were moderated by Mr. Amitabh Shah, Founder & Chief Inspiration Officer, Yuva Unstoppable. The panelists of this session were - Ms. Anita Richard Sontumyra, Chief People Officer, SBI Card; Mr. Gulrez Mohammed, Technical Director, KPMG; Mr. Kumar Anurag Pratap, VP & Head - CSR & Sustainability, Capgemini Technology Services India Limited; Mr. Sanjeeva Kumar Jha, Head CSR & Sustainability, JK Lakshmi Cement Ltd.
The main attraction of the show was the award ceremony which was judged by an esteemed panel of jury, namely, Dr. Bhaskar Chatterjee, Former Director General & CEO along with Mr Amitabh Shah, Founder & Chief Inspiration Officer, Yuva Unstoppable; Mr Kumar Anurag Pratap, VP & Head - CSR & Sustainability, Capgemini India; Mr. P S Bhattacharyya, Chairman, Peerless Group & Former Chairman, Coal India; Ms. Meera Shenoy, Founder-CEO, Youth 4 Jobs and Mr. Sumit Dasgupta, Founder and Director, Allcap Communications Pvt. Ltd. Slate of Swan, a renowned consulting agency was the Knowledge Partner for this year.
The programme culminated in an awards ceremony, celebrating exceptional contributions in CSR. Mr. Yusuf Pathan, Indian former cricketer and Hon'ble Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha, Berhampore, West Bengal, graced the occasion as the Guest of Honour and presented awards to all recipients. Notable winners from NGOs included the Autism Society West Bengal in the Small NGO category. In the Medium NGO category, Ishanya Foundation was the 2nd Runner-up, Baikunthapur Tarun Sangha was the 1st Runner-up, and Roots Foundation emerged as the Winner. In the Large NGO category, awards were presented based on different sectors. Vyakti Vikas Kendra India was the Winner under the Environment category, Sri Sathya Sai Annapoorna Trust won under the Health and Nutrition category, Future Hope won under Empowerment category, and Ambuja Foundation along with Integrated Development Foundation were the Joint Winners in the Rural Development category. In the Education sector, Young Men's Welfare Society received the Special Jury Award, Kathakali Swapnapuron was the Runner-up, and the Joint Winners were the American India Foundation and Parivaar Education Society.
From the corporates, under the Education sector, CESC Limited was the 2nd Runner-up, Mjunction Services Limited was the 1st Runner-up, and the Joint Winners were Bharat Aluminium Company Limited and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited. In the Rural Development sector, Haldia Petrochemicals Limited received the Special Jury Award, Vesuvius India Limited was the Runner-up, and ASK Investment Managers Limited was the Winner. In the Health sector, Tata Steel Downstream Products Limited received the Special Jury Award. In the Environment Protection category, TP Central Odisha Distribution Limited received the Special Jury Award, and Balrampur Chini Mills Limited emerged as the Winner.
A few organizations received Special Recognition for their notable contributions under various sectors. Ishanya Foundation (Large NGO) was recognized in the Rural Development sector, Infinity Infotech Parks Limited in the Geriatric Care sector, TM International Logistics Limited in the Sports sector, Balmer Lawrie & Company Limited in the Employment of Tribal Women sector, and Usha Martin Limited in the Agricultural Development sector. The programme highlighted the remarkable impact of these organizations, celebrating their dedication to creating a better society. During the ceremony, Mr. Amitabh Shah was recognized as the “Changemaker of the Year,” and Mr. Kumar Anurag Pratap was honored as the “Leader of the Year.”
The Bengal Chamber’s decision to host the programme in Delhi highlighted the nationwide importance of CSR, fostering cross-sector collaboration. Emphasizing equity, innovation, and measurable impact, India’s CSR landscape is poised to reach new horizons.
The initiative was supported by Platinum Partner – Exide Industries Limited, Gold Partner – Infinity Infotech Parks Limited, Silver Partner – Ascensive Educare Limited, Knowledge Partner – Slate of Swan, Official Radio Partner – Friends FM, and Event Supporter – Vishwa Yuvak Kendra. The initiative received extensive coverage from leading media and created a significant impact on social media. With around 200 attendees, the day-long programme was a resounding success.