Kasmin Fernandes

India is home to the largest and youngest workforce in the world today. Having reached this pivotal demographic point in our economic and political history, and in light of our long engagement with girls, investment in our girls is a national priority that can no longer be sidelined. Investment in their health and wellbeing,...

Women have long suffered in silence through menopause. But a new generation is encouraging a more open conversation, to share learnings and to put an end to unnecessary stigma. A survey by the British Menopause Society (BMS) showed that more than half of women say that the menopause had a negative impact on their lives....

When it comes to food and drink, the best thing we can do, both environmentally and financially, is make the most of what we buy rather than throwing it away. It is our citizen social responsibility (CSR) to cut food wastage. By the time food has reached our homes, it has taken a huge...

To lessen their environmental impact, some people are making drastic choices, choosing to limit the size of their family or even to be child-free (not have children at all). Consider it a way to own up to their citizen social responsibility (CSR). “Overpopulation is the elephant in the room when it comes to environmental issues,”...

Every year, some 12 million young Indians join the workforce, according to a recent EY study, and 64% of the population is likely to be of working age by 2020-21. That’s at the heart of India’s much-vaunted demographic dividend, which is supposed to propel its GDP—but there is a huge disconnect between job creation...

With the goal of instilling clarity and focus in one’s philanthropy, the first step is to conduct a review of the current philanthropic portfolio. For philanthropists who have already been giving and are looking to steer themselves in a more strategic direction, a portfolio review can help them recognise and learn from inefficiencies and...

Would you believe: The average home has 24 electronic products! Do you ever think about what happens to these gadgets when you are done with them? When you stop using them and are ready to dispose of these products, they are sometimes known as electronic waste, or “e-waste.” Many old electronic goods gather dust in...

Corporate sustainability is derived from the concept of sustainable development which is defined by the Brundtland Commission as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. Corporate sustainability essentially refers to the role that companies can play in meeting the agenda of sustainable...

The quantum of revenue available for CSR from individual SMEs is expected to be small. However, all eligible companies in a specific geographical cluster, who single-handedly as well as collectively impact the same community, can pool their resources to create a sizeable CSR fund. Low involvement CSR is for all companies. SMEs in India have participated...

Four decades after co-founding Microsoft, entrepreneur and philanthropist Paul Allen was still working to change the future. Through his company Vulcan Inc. and the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, Allen was working to save endangered species, improve ocean health, tackle contagious diseases, research the human brain and build sustainable communities. He died from complications of...

About 2.5 crore individuals have been trained under various skill programmes of the government. Out of this, more than 50 lakh have been trained under the ministry's flagship scheme – Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY). The scheme has been criticised in the past for its poor track record in placing candidates. The PMKVY dashboard,...

As more incidents of sexual harassment in the corporate sphere emerge from #MeToo in India, the discussion on making workplaces safer for women gets bigger. Only when an incident of harassment is reported do more stories come out in a kind of chain effect with everyone suddenly voicing their opinion. Ever wondered why women who...