CSR: Modification To E-Waste Management Rules

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April 20, 2018

Recently, the E-waste Management Rule was amended. The Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) have simplified targets for electronics makers to collect e-waste depending on their yearly sales. As per the government rules notified late last March but effective October 2017, the life of a smartphone has been determined as five years, while that of a feature phone at seven years.

Now the e-waste collection targets of 30% from 2017-18, have been reduced to 10% with an incremental rise of 10% every year. For the first time, new producers have also been brought under the new Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regime wherein the target has been set 5% onwards of total sales done in 2016-2017 to recovery of e-waste in 2018-19.

“The rules will be easier to comply for newer players as per the definition of end of life of the product set by the ministry, since they have to meet a lower target than established players. This may skew the competition slightly, given that if all companies were to set up e-waste management chains on their own, the costs could rise significantly. However, if the companies were to work with a third-party provider, the cost of compliance would be negligible, not more than 1-2% of the value of a phone, which can be easily absorbed by the companies without passing it to the consumers,” says Radhika Kalia, Managing Director, RLG India.

Reverse Logistics Group (RLG) India, provides for professional collection, recycling & disposal of electronic products. They manage and operate the Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) “Clean India Electronics Recycling Platform” (CIERP) to provide producers a sustainable, reliable and efficient option to comply with their extended producer obligations as prescribed in the CPCB’s Implementation Guidelines for E-waste (Management) Rules.

After 2023, the target has been fixed at 70% of the quantity of waste generation – it means electronic goods manufacturing companies will have to collect and channel 70% of e-waste from consumers to authorised dismantlers and recyclers.

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CSR: Producing Water From Thin Air

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Hency Thacker

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April 20, 2018

Global warming and climate change has taken up the world by the storm. Floods, droughts and hurricanes have increased in different parts of India in last few years. Droughts in particular have been significantly high in many states, causing extreme water scarcity. This has also resulted in may farmer suicides. According to a study, India has seen nearly 60,000 suicides by farmers in last three decades due to climate change.

With our ground water resources already depleting, there is not much fresh water available for daily use. But with urbanisation the demands are always increasing. India is consuming more water than it is generating every year. And to be able to meet the growing demands for a long time, we might just need to learn magic to pull water out of thin air. Which is exactly what Uravu managed to do.

The process of converting the vapour in the air into water is not particularly new. The method is actually used in the air conditioners since ages. The technology that actually generates water out of vapour has been developed and is making its rounds in the market for the irrigation purposes and industrial use. However, it has not yet been introduced to a larger scale in residential use because of the inconvenience caused by the heavy apparatus and high energy consumption by them.

Uravu, a Hyderabad based startup managed to fight all odds by creating a system with a simpler interface than the refrigerating systems, which is cost effective and uses solar energy to instead of electricity. It uses a proprietary hygroscopic material that sucks vapour from the air. The solar collector uses the solar thermal energy to further convert this vapour into water.

The machine is passive. It captures the vapour at night, which gets heated after sunrise, leading to the production of water. The water can then directly be piped to homes for use. It can also be used for drinking by attaching a mineral cartridge to the device.

Uravu’s prototype produces around 50 litres of water a day currently. They are working to raise that amount to 2000 litres a day.

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Encapsulate the NCC Module in the National Scholastic Methodology

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Jaya Chandrashekhar, Former Central Govt. Officer

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April 19, 2018

The mellifluous notes of the NCC Song “Hum Sab Bharatiya Hain, Sartaj Himalaya Hain, Desh Ki Raksha Ki Khatir,Hum Shamshir Utha Lenge…” reverberates in the air around the school wherein the NCC cadets’ Parade is being held. These words speak volumes of the goals of the cadets-the grit to defend the country’s frontiers with swords (Shamshir) and preserve the integrity of India crowned (Sartaj) by the Himalayas. These highly motivating words reveal the significance of the NCC in the Indian milieu. The Motto of the NCC is “Unity and Discipline” enshrining the oneness of the myriad faiths of India alongside systematic training and commitment.

“The NCC is the largest uniformed volunteer service youth organisation in the world”. It recruits students from High Schools, Colleges and Universities across India. The fourth Sunday in the month of November is celebrated as the NCC Day every year. “The cadets have no liability for active military service. It is an educational activity”. It forms a part of the Education Department at the State Level while at the Centre it forms a part of the Ministry of Defence. It is headed by a Director General of the rank of a Lieutenant General also also has a flag.

The NCC was formed by the NCC Act,1948 and was raised on the15th of July 1948.Its immediate predecessor was the University OfficersTraining Corps established by the British Government in 1942 to make up the shortage of the Army. UOTC’s precursor was the University Corps which was formed in 1917 by the British Govt.

Following the Indo-Sino War in 1962, NCC Training was made compulsory the same year by the Government of India but was made voluntary in 1968. According to sources, during the Indo-Pak. War of 1965 and the Indo-Pak.(B.Desh) war of 1971,NCC cadets formed the Second Line of Defence. They organised camps to assist ordnance factories to supply arms and ammunitions and were used as patrol parties to capture enemy paratroopers. They also participated in rescue works and traffic control along with the Civil Defence authorities.

After this war the NCC Syllabus was revised to incorporate leadership training, youth management, social service with military training in small arms and parades. The cadets are encouraged to join any of the armed forces whether the Army, Air Force or the Navy. “The NCC is a youth development movement”. It is reported that it has enormous potential for nation building. It provides the youth an extensive platform for their all round development with a sense of Duty, Dedication, Dicipline and Moral Values so that they become able leaders and useful citizens.

They are entitled to incentives and allowances such as Daily Allowance, Incidental Allowance etc. They are also awarded scholarships for having passed their tenth and twelfth standard respectively and for one year during their professional course. Those who have a ‘C’ Certificate to their credit do have an edge over other candidates during selection to the armed forces through the Services Selection Board, to the officers’ Trg. School and Air Force Academy, among many others. The cadets enjoy many non-tangible benefits such as Adventure Camps,Republic Day Parade, etc.

“The aim of NCC is developing character, comradeship, discipline, a secular outlook, the spirit of adventure and ideals of selfless service amongst young citizens. Further, it aims at creating a pool of organised, trained and motivated youth with leadership qualities in all walks of life, who will serve the Nation, regardless of which career they choose”. According to reports the strength of the NCC has steadily increased from 15,00,000 to 18,50,000 recently.

The Training Activities of the NCC is as follows:

a.)Institutional Training which is the mainstay of the NCC Trg.,is conducted at Colleges and Schools by the Associate NCC Officers and Armed Forces Personnel. The Trg. Syllabus comprises Common Subjects and Service Subjects in the ratio of 70:30 with case studies and emphasis on basic military training to prepare them to join the armed forces.
b.)Camp Training;
c.)Attachment Trg. wherein the cadets are with the respective units such as the Military Hospital;
d.)Social Service and Community Devlopment;
e.)Adventure Based Learning such as Trekking, Sailing, Kayaking etc.
f.)Youth Exchange Programmes with friendly countries
g.)Sports: NCC cadets are encouraged to participate in high potential sports.

History was created when the first ever Mount Everest Expedition of NCC cadets-Boys-scaled the World’s highest peak in May 2013.

This Comprehensive NCC Methodology is ideal for instilling a Defence Environment Work Ethos,Qualities of leadership,Sense of Commitment to the chosen career,Community and Social Development,Adventure clubbed with Sportsmanship,Integrity,Resolve to serve the Society,Rationalistic and Logical approach to life.

This NCC Course when amalgamated into the regular Curriculum in India with all the Boards and Universities will yield rich benefits and vitalise the Educational System. It is a postulate for Educational Sustainability in India. The fusion of the NCC Syllabus with the prevalent teaching Course is a definite Bolster. The synthesis will act as a combatant to those pugnacious whose number has seen an alarming increase in the country. The Indian sub-continent would be illuminated as a sequel to this Synthesis.

The author Jaya Chandrashekhar was an Income-tax Officer and recently quit after decades of service. She also compered for the Yuva Vani English, AIR for a short while. Jaya has a keen interest in socio-economic issues and contributes to the GOI Portal, Indian Express amongst several others. In her spare time, she enjoys yoga and cooking.

Views of the author are personal and do not necessarily represent the website’s views.

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CSR: Reducing The Income Gap

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Hency Thacker

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April 19, 2018

India is the sixth richest country in the world according to a report by New World Wealth, a global wealth intelligence and market research company. However, India houses largest number of people living under poverty line.

Income inequality in India has risen substantially since the 1980s. According to a report by the World Inequality Lab, adoption of globalisation has benefited just a tiny fraction of population in India. In 2014, the share of national income captured by the top 1 per cent of earners was 22 per cent, whereas the bottom 15 per cent was able to capture only 15 per cent share.

It is crucial for people with more personal earnings than they need to spend it on others as part of their Citizen Social Responsibility, in order to bring back the balance.

The Shah family does their bit in order to restore the balance in the society. The Shah family are into diamonds and stock business. They are a well to do family residing in the breach candy area of Mumbai. They lead a comfortable lifestyle for themselves while making sure to do their bit for the society.

The family is associated with a private caterer who provides free food to the city’s old rag pickers. They contribute a certain amount of their income every month to provide for these meals. However, in order to boost their campaign, the Shah kids as part of their school activity conducted a Cyclothon on April 15.

About 75 participants including the school children and their guardians, cycled from Trident Hotel to the Teen Batti circle at 6 AM, on Sunday, to collect over 125000 rupees for their kitchen. This will be enough to feed 3 meals to about 70 old age rag pickers for a whole month.

“We do this at least three to four times every year and invite our friends and family to participate to fund our venture. This gives us all an opportunity to get together, enjoy and work for a cause,” said the Shahs.

The Shahs do not belong to the super rich elite. They can certainly not afford an IPL team or a private jet, but can definitely afford to buy box tickets of the IPL or travel business class. They however choose not to do so, and prefer to live life of comfort and dignity, while giving back the excess to the society.

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Welfare For All For CSR

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Hency Thacker

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April 18, 2018

Clothes Distribution Drive by Emaar India CSR

Charity begins at home. If you cannot help yourself and keep your own people happy, how will you ever keep the world happy? It will be nothing but hypocrisy.

After the enactment of the CSR mandate, many corporates have associated themselves with various NGOs, or have started their own foundations as part of their CSR wing. However, several times, the employees or the board members of the corporate do not have any clue about their employer’s CSR activities. This is why sometimes; the help does not reach to the employees of the company who might be potential beneficiaries, for the activities claimed to be happening are just to show numbers on paper.

Emaar India does not work like that. The leading global property developer directly works with many laborers. Hence they are in direct touch with the underprivileged. The organization has directed its CSR activities towards its own employees who are at the lowest level in their hierarchical structure. This is in order to uplift their life style.

With the philosophy of ‘Welfare For All’ Emaar India organized a free clothes distribution drive at ‘Gurgaon Greens’ project in Gurugram, for the construction workers of the project and their children. The social welfare initiative was conducted in collaboration with Clothes Box Foundation.

Under the initiative, more than 1000 construction laborers along with their children – were provided new pair of clothes.

The organization has been conducting several social engagement programs for its construction workforce which comprises the bedrock of growth for the real estate entity. The Company has also been conducting regular free Health check-up & medicine distribution camps for its project workers across Gurugram, which has also benefitted close to 800 laborers thus far.

The initiative by the organization doesn’t just improve the standard of living of these laborers, but it also makes them loyal towards the company. This is a total win-win for both the sides.

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‘HelpMeServe.in’- a digital initiative for a social cause

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The CSR Journal

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April 17, 2018

‘Help Me Serve’ (www.helpmeserve.in) is a digital crowdfunding platform that will help serve society and unprivileged section of the society. The website is launched by the Wockhardt Foundation, in association with like minded NGOs such as Desire Society (Hyderabad), Seruds India (Andhra Pradesh) and Blind People’s Association (Ahmedabad) among others, to work together for helping serve the unprivileged section of the society, thus making a big impact.

‘Help Me Serve’ will raise funds through micro donations which will be voluntary donations made to help serve the needy section.

On the new initiative Sir Dr. Huz (Sir Dr. Huzaifa Khorakiwala), Trustee & CEO of Wockhardt Foundation said, “Help Me Serve will create a big impact as many like minded people will work together for the benefit of society. This will create a greater impact in improving the social status and serve various causes which affect quality of life and thought in the society.”

The initiative will serve various causes related to Health, Education, Water & Sanitation, Skills & Livelihood, Children & Elderly, Rural Development and Environment. The donors can select options among the mentioned causes that they are concerned and would like to donate to improve the condition.

To know more and contribute to the project you can mail us at editor@thecsrjournal.in

CSR: Encouraging Blood Donation To Save Lives

By

Hency Thacker

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April 17, 2018

India is currently facing blood shortage. It has about 10% less blood corresponding to its requirements. This accounts to 12 lakh blood units. The eligible blood donor population is more than 512 million people in India. However, because of ignorance, lack of knowledge about the simple process, and myths associated with it, India has not really been able to cover the deficit.

India faces almost 1200 road mishaps every day. About 60 million trauma induced surgeries are conducted in the country every year. Apart from this, millions of complicated pregnancies, major operations, cancer treatments, thalassemia treatments, etc. require huge amount of blood transfusions.

Earlier, the blood donors were reimbursed for their donation. This activity has been banned by the government since 1995. This is cause further shortage in blood donors. However, this has also stopped unsafe blood donations made in the greed of money.

Several organisations are working towards sensitizing the public of the benefits of blood donations. This has increased the voluntary donations from 54.3% in 2006 to 83% in 2012. The shortage has gone down from 17% to 9%. However, people still die because of lack of blood.

On the occasion of its 124th year milestone, Punjab National Bank organised blood donation camps across 200 blood donation centres in 76 circle offices covering over 6500 branches across all states and union territories.

The camp was inaugurated at PNB Head Office in Dwarka in association with the Red Cross Society of India and AIPNBOA (All India Punjab National Bank Officers Association). The blood donation drive resulted in over 15,000 units of blood being donated. A large number of local staff members voluntarily came forward to participate in this initiative.

Blood donation is a simple and harmless process. An average body has 10 pints of blood in it. Roughly one pint is taken out during blood donation. It only takes 6 to 8 weeks for the body to replace that blood.

Also, There are four types of transfusable products that can be derived from blood: red cells, platelets, plasma and cryoprecipitate. Two or three of these are produced from a pint of donated whole blood. Thus, we can save more than one life by donating blood just once.

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CSR: Giving Every Dream a Chance

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The CSR Journal

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April 17, 2018

Every child has a dream and each dream is valid. This is because their dreams, thoughts, and aspirations make children what they are. An event showcasing the beneficiaries of Akshaya Patra’s “Giving Every Dream a Chance”—a special initiative to nurture children with unique dreams was held at Taj Yeshwantpur, Bangalore. It is a humble attempt to identify children with special dreams and give them the opportunity to realise these dreams.

Starting with three children, ‘Giving Every Dream a Chance’ as an initiative has scaled up to mentor more than 300 children from 15 Government Schools in Bengaluru, Hubballi, Hyderabad, and Vrindavan. Taking due note of their passion, these children were supported with mentorship programs, wherein they were coached, groomed, and guided by the experts of their respective fields. The children were provided training in various fields, including Dance, Theatre, Origami, Math, Science, English, and Football.

The event was graced by Padma Shri Honoree Shri D. R. Kaarthikeyan, Advisor- Law Human Rights – Corporate Affairs and former Director General of National Human Rights Commission, Director of CBI, Special Director General CRPF as the Chief Guest.

As a part of the Giving Every Dream a Chance initiative, children with unique dreams were identified and mentored by experts from various fields. This unique programme was launched on June 11, 2016, at the Vivanta by Taj by Chief Guest, Mrs Sudha Murty – Chairperson, Infosys Foundation. The event was presided by Shri Madhu Pandit Dasa – Chairman of The Akshaya Patra Foundation, in the presence of Mohandas Pai who also serves as an independent trustee of the Foundation. Akshay Patra is aiming to reach 5000 beneficiaries across the country in the coming year.

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CSR: Promoting Hockey

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Hency Thacker

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April 16, 2018

Cricket is the only sport that gets serious light in the country. Indian cricketers make somewhere around 2 crore rupees per annum. This is in the games. With the limelight they receive, they easily make way more than that in endorsements. However, the hockey players in India make somewhere around 15 lakh rupees per annum.

This has discouraged many people to take up sports other than cricket as their profession. The hockey players in the country do not lack talent or courage, but they do not always have the required equipment to practice.

Manisha Dhawal (age 20), Senior girls’ team captain of women’s hockey team of Gurgaon, who has also played at national level said, “We used to practice without proper equipment and we had to borrow hockey sticks from other team members.”

DLF foundation is working towards curbing the situation. In an endeavor to promote sports among women and motivate women athletes, the organisation has distributed hockey kits to Gurgaon women’s hockey teams. A total of 54 kits are distributed among Junior, Sub-Junior and Senior Women’s teams at Government boys senior secondary school, Gurgaon village. The state-of-the- art hockey kit is aligned to international standards.

Payal (18), Junior girls’ team captain, who has also played nationals said, “We are feeling very much delighted and respected by this gesture of the Foundation. This initiative of encouraging and promoting women in sports is highly commendable. They have provided us with proper kits which consist of hockey sticks, shoes, shin guards, track suits etc. Now we can practice without getting injured. I can practice better with better equipment.”

Gurgaon Village has produced the maximum number of hockey players from Haryana. Majority of the women’s hockey team of Gurgaon also has players belonging to Gurgaon village.

Dr. Vinay Sahni, CEO, DLF Foundation said: “Women’s hockey team is a pride of the city and a torchbearer to budding players. This initiative is a part of our efforts to motivate athletes and encourage more women to embrace sports as their profession.”

Haryana has been at the forefront in encouraging sports. Many players have brought laurels to the state. Haryana was crowned champion in 8th Hockey India Sub Junior (Women) National Championship 2018 (A Division) held recently. Hockey is the national game of the country and a recent stellar performance in Commonwealth Games at Gold Coast has lifted hopes.

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CSR: Short-termism impedes progress of millions

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The CSR Journal

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April 16, 2018

The prospects of around 800 million of the world’s poorest people remain dire. The global economy is experiencing a moderate upturn, and momentum around sustainable investing is growing, the UN has said.

But the vast majority of investment is still short-term oriented and commitments by the international community to create sustainable economies are not being met.

There is an increasing interest in socially responsible investing, but that is no substitute for a broader transformation in the financial system. The report states that the current system rewards investors, financiers and project managers that prioritize short-term profits. Similarly, policy makers are excessively focused on short-term considerations. But there is a price to pay. Infrastructure projects are shelved in favour of short term priorities. Small businesses and women remain excluded from the financial system.

“The good economic news in some regions masks the very real risk that the poorest will be left behind,” said LIU Zhenmin, Under-Secretary-General for the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. “There is no room for complacency.”

“If we don’t invest in infrastructure projects like bridges, roads and sewage systems, if the poorest and women are cut off from access to credit and other financial services, we have little prospect of achieving our global goals”, he added.

Per capita growth remains negative or insignificant in many countries where the poverty rate is already high, entrenching inequality.

Overcoming the short-term outlook of many investors is a complex but urgent issue. according to “Financing for Development: Progress and Prospects,” the 2018 comprehensive annual progress report on how to finance the Sustainable Development Goals.

Pension funds, insurance companies and other institutional investors hold around $80 trillion in assets. But the majority of their resources are invested in liquid assets, such as listed equities and bonds in developed countries. Investment in infrastructure still represents less than 3 per cent of pension fund assets, with investment in sustainable infrastructure in developing countries even lower.

The lack of long-term investment horizons also means that major risks, such as those from climate change, are not incorporated into decision-making.

According to the report, the solution lies in a multifaceted approach. It includes changing payment practices: the compensation of financial advisors and portfolio managers is too often linked to short term results. More transparency also helps: some countries now require all listed companies to disclose financial risks they face from climate change.

Short-sighted policies also result in a lack of access to finance for countries in urgent need. Support for countries affected by disasters is often too little, too late. Innovative financial instruments exist that provide quicker access to funding. Countries can set up insurance-like mechanisms, and the international community can support those that can’t afford premiums. Loans can be set up to reduce repayments automatically during crises. But so far, major funders have not taken up these promising tools.

“We have to reach beyond the quick fix if we are going to create a world that can sustain all of us,” said Navid Hanif, Director of Financing for Sustainable Development Office. “Political leadership and public policies are indispensable.”

It takes leadership to overcome short-term political cycles, devise and enforce rules which have widespread benefits but may face resistance by powerful groups, for example tax reforms and stopping illicit financial flows, the report notes.

The report emphasizes that in donor countries, political leaders must do more to meet their commitment to provide financial assistance to the world’s most vulnerable countries.

Beyond financing, the report highlights several cross-cutting areas that impact sustainable financing and that require policy makers attention. For example:

New technologies present boundless opportunities. However, in analyzing the potential of new technologies, the report warns that the transformative power of technology raises complex ethical, socio-economic and human rights challenges and risks. In the short-term, technological change could lead to job losses and increased polarization in labour markets. The report argues for adopting a long-term perspective, and calls on governments to make complementary investments, strengthen social protection and urgently develop regulatory frameworks so that benefits of technological change are shared broadly, and risks to privacy and data protection, financial stability and integrity are addressed.
Gender inequalities persist in access to finance, technology, public services, decent jobs, unpaid care and domestic work, participation in policy-making processes and many other areas. Bank account ownership among women is about 58 per cent, and for men, 65 per cent. In Asia, only 16 per cent of businesses are women owned. Such inequality threatens achievement of the 2030 Agenda, but also weakens inclusive growth prospects by denying women opportunities to fully participate in the economy.

In the foreword to the report, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said, “The world has the resources to deliver, but they are not allocated where they are needed most. The choices we make now on financing will be pivotal.”

Thank you for reading the story until the very end. We appreciate the time you have given us. In addition, your thoughts and inputs will genuinely make a difference to us. Please do drop in a line and help us do better.

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