New initiative to advance women entrepreneurs in Asia-Pacific launched at UN General Assembly

September 29, 2018

A new initiative to advance women’s entrepreneurship in Asia-Pacific was launched on the sidelines of the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly in New York. The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), with financial support from Global Affairs Canada is doing this.

Women who establish businesses have the potential to achieve economic independence, overcome extreme poverty and improve the well-being of their families and communities. However, many women entrepreneurs face major disadvantages in accessing sufficient finance and technology that prevent them from achieving their full potential.

This unique project seeks to address the challenges and constraints faced by women entrepreneurs through a holistic, multi-pronged approach integrating innovative finance, technology and policy. It will empower women entrepreneurs in the region by utilizing innovative financing mechanisms and providing access to technology.

Launching the project at a High-level side event, Hongjoo Hahm, Officer-in-Charge of ESCAP, emphasized that innovative financing mechanisms, such as FinTech solutions and women’s bonds, are emerging to address challenges and increase access to financial resources. However, a paradigm shift to support women entrepreneurs is critical if these promising mechanisms are to be truly inclusive.

Collaborative effort

“Our ambitions for the initiative are high and we cannot do this alone,” said Mr. Hahm. “We will need to work with governments, bilateral donors and private sector companies. But most importantly, we will need to work with and for the aspiring women entrepreneurs to better understand their needs and aspirations. Only by doing this will we effectively harness their potential to help us all to meet the ambitions of the Sustainable Development Goals.”

Innovative financing mechanisms

Women-owned micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) have significant financing needs. These can be met through innovative financing mechanisms that leverage both public and private financial resources. This would be to the benefit of women entrepreneurs and those they support: their families, employees, and communities.

AEML activates cleanliness drive at Juhu beach post Ganpati Immersion

The CSR Journal

September 29, 2018

Adani clean up drive after Ganpati immersion

For the ongoing campaign for ‘Swachhata Abhiyan’, Adani Electricity Mumbai Limited (AEML) activated a mega clean-up drive at the Juhu beach post Ganpati Immersion. Almost 100 AEML employees collected the waste that got washed back by the water, after the Ganpati immersions. This was done in a bid to make the beaches litter free.

Swachhta hi Seva

Earlier this month, AEML employees took a pledge to support the national movement ‘Swachhta hi Seva’. They continue to support the two-week long cleanliness drive around their office premises located at various locations. Close to 2,500 employees are working in groups for eradicating the waste on the roads and around their office premises.

An AEML spokesperson said, “The joy and enthusiasm is enormous among the devotees. The damage caused to the environment post the immersion of idols is a concern. The Group takes pride in supporting the national agenda. We continue to extend our support towards a sustainable environment.”

Apollo Hospitals launches Heart Challenge to motivate the nation to walk to a Healthy Heart

The CSR Journal

September 29, 2018

Apollo Hospitals announced the Apollo Heart Challenge on the occasion of World Heart Day today. By downloading the AskApollo app anyone can participate in the challenge of completing 10,000 steps per day. The Apollo Heart Challenge is part of the Apollo Healthy Heart Program. It is a personalized Cardiac Health Management Program that helps to prevent the onset of heart disease and empowers individuals to better manage their heart condition.

Walk to heart health

World Heart Day is observed every year on September 29. It creates awareness of heart disease and encourages people to become more conscious of their heart health. This year, World Heart Day calls for looking after one’s hearts and the hearts of loved ones. This has inspired Apollo Hospitals to launch the Apollo Heart Challenge. It is a call to walk to good heart health with at least 10,000 steps per day for a month. The Apollo Heart Challenge will run from September 29, 2018, to October 28, 2018.

Bigger stroke volume

Dr. Prathap C. Reddy, Chairman, Apollo Hospitals said, “We can improve the heart health with a few easy steps such as changes in diet, regular exercises and frequent health checks to monitor progress.” Dr. K Hariprasad, President, Apollo Hospitals Division added, “A person who walks 10,000 steps a day will have a bigger stroke volume. It refers to the amount of blood the heart pumps per beat, as compared with someone who walks just 1,000 steps a day. A larger stroke volume is a sign of greater aerobic capacity. The app contains information about the challenge as well as supportive material on cardiovascular disease, with health advisories and daily tips and tricks to manage heart health.”

Participating in the Apollo Heart Challenge beginning World Heart Day will help you gain increased heart function over a period.

Education In India Needs Attention

Kasmin Fernandes

September 29, 2018

Piramal Foundation - quality of education

India of the ancient times was labelled the Golden Bird. We had gathered immense wealth not limited to monetary gains since our real wealth lay in the gamut of practical, spiritual and philosophical knowledge. From the time of Nalanda University in the 5th Century C.E., India attracted scholars, students and thinkers from around the world for education to its Centres of Learning, Gurukulas, Viharas or Madarsas, to study, share ideas and debate on myriad topics.

British hangover

Since the establishment of the first college by the British in 1818, there was a shift from indigenous education towards a different brand of education. Schools were focused on the elite and churned out individuals to staff the rigid bureaucratic administration.

With the onset of the 21st Century, our glorious history of education is gone. The Indian education system has been unable to evolve with time. We have become one of the world’s largest ‘importers’ of education. Majority of the youth migrating to the US, Europe, Australia and the UK in pursuit of higher education.

Changing scenario

Recent technological advancement has made many jobs redundant and created new jobs. These structural shifts in employment in the Indian economy demand qualified individuals who are innovative and globally. Without the right training and research, India will not be able to reap the benefits of these economical and global shifts. Even with its large workforce and increasing pool of the ‘demographic divided’.

Poor schooling

Primary schooling serves other purposes than teaching reading and math. The indicators on these two basic skills are not encouraging. An encouraging sign is that enrolment rates in primary schools are over 90%. However, a meagre fraction of these students move up to higher classes. High schools face many of the same quality problems as the primary schools. With enrolment so low, quality does not even come into the picture.

CSR could be the answer to the gap in education. Companies like Piramal, Samsung, Dell and Ford India are working with the government in various States to bring Indian education back to its glory days.

Samsung India Builds New Campus at Government School in Karnataka’s Kolar District

The CSR Journal

September 28, 2018

Samsung India has inaugurated a new campus with six new classrooms at the Kembodi Government School in Karnataka’s Kolar district. This will help the school scale up to accommodate up to 300 students, up from 156 students earlier. So far, students from three different classes were forced to sit in the same classroom for want of space.

A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Samsung R&D Institute, Bangalore (SRI-B) and the Department of Education, Government of Karnataka for the construction of the new campus at the school in February 2018. The new campus has six classrooms and a new administrative block with the necessary school furniture. This building also has a power backup, rain water harvesting facility and a RO+UV water filter for students. The school, which was established in 1931, will now offer curriculum in both Kannada and English medium from Class I to Class VIII.

The new campus at the Kembodi Government Primary School in Karnataka’s Kolar district was inaugurated by N Mahesh, Minister for Primary and Secondary Education, Government of Karnataka, Manjunath, District Collector, Kolar District, Dipesh Shah, Managing Director, SRI-B and Harry Heejoon Kang, Chief Financial Officer, SRI-B along with other dignitaries.

Earlier this year, employees of Samsung Research & Development Institute – Bangalore (SRI-B) visited 1,200 government schools across Karnataka over three days to donate notebooks and pens to 70,000 students.

CSR: Eco Friendly Cars In India

Hency Thacker

September 28, 2018

According to a study, transportation accounts for about 24 per cent of India’s carbon emissions. It is a major source of air pollution in several cities across the country. As per a recent WHO report, 14 of the top 20 most polluted cities in the world are in India. It is crucial to take drastic measures to reduce these emissions and control the pollution. According to a recent online survey conducted among 2178 Indian drivers, 87% of the people are motivated to opt for hybrid or electric vehicles in order to reduce pollution. Car insurers have also been known to give insurance discounts to drivers of eco-friendly vehicles.

These are some of the most eco-friendly cars available in India.

1. Maruti Suzuki Eco Charge

The Eco Charge by Maruti Suzuki is a concept hybrid that uses an 1196 cc petrol engine combined with a 5KW electric motor. This results in better mileage and fewer emissions. It charges fully in 7 hours and can achieve a top speed of 100 kmph.

2. Mahindra e2o Plus

Mahindra and Mahindra launched an improved version of the Reva, known as the e2o, in 2013. It then recently launched a four-door version of the compact electric vehicle, the e2o Plus. It is the most practical iteration of the electric hatchback and it comes with a range of 140 km.

3. Toyota Prius Z4

Toyota Prius is a car designed to produce low emissions and high fuel efficiency. The car has an intelligent hybrid system that uses a 1.8-litre petrol engine as well as an electric motor.

4. Toyota Camry Hybrid

Toyota Camry is a more practical hybrid car by Toyota and has a better resale value. Being the most affordable hybrid (not mild-hybrid) car is one of the reasons to pick it.

5. Chevrolet Beat Electric

Beat is one of the bestsellers for Chevrolet and has enabled the company to capture a huge market share. As per the reports, an electric version of the car will be launched soon.

6. Hyundai i10 Electric

Hyundai i10 Electric was showcased at the Auto Expo in New Delhi last year. It is an electric version of one of the bestsellers of Hyundai. The car will have 16 kWh Li-ion rechargeable battery and a 65 BHP electric motor. On full charge, it should be able to run for 150 km.

7. Tata Nano Electric

Tata has already showcased the green version of world’s cheapest car at the Geneva auto show. The electric drive train will give the Nano a battery life of 160 km.

8. Reva NXG

Reva was the first all-electric Indian car. It has launched another version called as Reva NXG which has modern exteriors and a good eco-friendly electrical motor inside.

The government of India, in order to reduce the dependence on fossil fuels and protect the environment is also promoting usage of more electric vehicles. The government has decided to exempt electric vehicles and automobiles run on alternative fuel from permit requirements. The government is also promoting eco-friendly vehicles through Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &) Electric Vehicles (FAME) India scheme, which was launched in 2015 and its second phase was launched in 2018.

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.

Regards,
The CSR Journal Team

Galaxy builds check dam for Palghar villagers

The CSR Journal

September 28, 2018

Villages of Kharonda in the district of Palghar, Maharashtra, receive surplus rainfall. However, it is water deficit for over 8-9 months of the year. This is due to the lack of water storage facilities in the village. As a result, villagers were forced to migrate during these months. The problems of the villagers of Kharonda came to the attention of the team at Galaxy Surfactants Limited. It was decided that constructing a check dam would mitigate the problems of these villages.

The team set out to work with the locals, and the land for this was generously donated by two farmers, Babji Sonya Ravate and Nandu Navsha Nadage. Plans were drawn and the company engineers participated fully in the construction of 2 check dams.

Project 1 was the construction of a check dam at Navlyachapada, which helped in storing 20 lakh litres of water. Gaining from this experience, the Team at Galaxy set out to work for Project 2 at Kharonda Village. The construction of the second dam was completed successfully in record time with a capacity of 1.15 crore litres. This project was 5 times bigger in scale. It will help transform the lives of over 530 families and 2500 people, who can now live & earn their livelihood without having to migrate. U Shekhar, the company’s managing director, said, “We use water to make high quality surfactants, but no one can make water. Everyone can save water, and we help to save water.”

Galaxy Surfactants Ltd. has achieved significant progress on its Sustainability Goals 2020. It has succeeded in exceeding its goal of tree plantations (over 42,000 trees). Life Cycle Assessment studies have been completed for select major products to estimate environmental impacts over the product life cycle. Galaxy is working towards incorporating sustainability across its supply chain by assessing its suppliers on their environment and social performance. Its manufacturing sites in India and Egypt are RSPO certified, which reflects commitment to a sustainable palm oil supply chain.

Under their CSR Project VATAVARAN SURAKSHA, Galaxy has undertaken various water harvesting and restoration initiatives for the benefit of the community at large. They have been working towards reducing their water footprint through projects involving innovative practices like recharging of bore wells, construction of KFP structures and restoration of lakes.

Wienerberger India moves to Wind and Solar Energy

The CSR Journal

September 28, 2018

Wienerberger India’s robotic plant produces over 70,000 large format hollow blocks every day for the construction industry. It has moved to sustainable electricity sources including wind and solar energy.

Initially, Wienerberger India’s factory in Kunigal, 70 Kms from Bangalore, was dependent solely on conventional energy sources for electricity. This meant operating heavy duty robotics and other machinery capable of manufacturing nearly 480 tons of clay blocks per day, 365 days a year, with minimum manual intervention. To reduce dependence on the usual electricity sources, Wienerberger India was on the lookout for alternative and renewable energy sources that would further its efforts for creating a sustainable roadmap in large-scale manufacturing. Since 2017, the factory was successful in sourcing over 90% of its electricity requirement from solar and wind farms.

With 200 years of experience and specialization in producing clay based building material (Wall | Facades | Roofs), the company pioneered imbibing green technology in its production. There is conscious implementation of processes that not only recycle used energy but also reduce dependence on conventional sources of electricity.

“We are committed towards the principles of green building and sustainability. We hope our conscious endeavor to adopt wind and solar energy for manufacturing large quantities of clay hollow blocks, would further the cause of adopting green manufacturing concepts in India,” said Monnanda Appaiah, Managing Director, Wienerberger India.

4 Online Scams to Beware of

Kasmin Fernandes

September 28, 2018

We’ve dealt with cybercrimes, cyberbullying and mobile safety in our series on digital frauds. We’re ending this leg of the series with a quick guide to online scams. The amount of money lost in fake financial opportunities is increasing. Increasingly, scammers, enabled by social media, are getting in on the act. Celebrity endorsements are fake and there’s no product. The online scams reported include those featuring fake endorsements by actors and actresses Amitabh Bachchan, Alia Bhatt, Cate Blanchett as well as TV presenters.

Another popular online scam is the free trial offer, which claims to provide, for example, free one-month trials of a product. The fine print includes terms stating that after the trial period, you’ll be paying for the product once a month… forever.

Other examples of Internet scams include fake Wi-Fi hotspots, social media and email messages indicating you’ve won an expensive prize and bogus pop-ups warning of supposed viruses and malware. The latter often looks like legitimate antivirus programs. But what you’re doing to ‘fix’ your computer is actually infecting it with a virus.

Unfortunately, these are merely some of the many online scams that exist. Here are more:

1. Error online scams

Many online scams are rife with grammatical and spelling errors. If you receive messages laden with such errors about a “great deal” or contest, it’s probably a scam, even if it comes from a “friend.”

2. Foreign offers

Messages from “foreign princes” claiming you need to help them transfer thousands of rupees, and simply have to pay the INR 1,000 wiring fee to enjoy a cut of the money, are now classic online scams.

3. Emotional manipulation

Financial stress, loneliness, and frustration are examples of the emotional states scammers prey on. They might not ask for money, but they will insist on personal information. They will then use it to steal identities.

4. Email password stealing

To initiate this scam, cybercriminals need to know your email address and associated phone number. With this information handy, an attacker can then capitalize on the password recovery feature. It allows an email user to gain access to their account by a verification code sent to their mobile. The attacker uses the verification code to reset the password, gaining access to the email account.

UNAIDS welcomes SC decision on IPC 377, urges other countries to follow India

The CSR Journal

September 27, 2018

The UNAIDS (United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS) welcomed the decision of the Supreme Court of India to annul key provisions of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code. The world agency expressed hope that this decision sets the trend and is followed in other countries to remove unjust laws criminalizing homosexuality. IPC Section 377 criminalises sexual relations between lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people.

Said Michel Sidibe, Executive Director of UNAIDS, “I applaud the brave activists, civil society organizations and community groups that have fought long and hard for this injustice to be reversed.” Criminalization of consensual same-sex sexual relations is a violation of human rights and legitimizes prejudice and violence against LGBTI people. Criminalization hinders people from accessing and using HIV prevention, testing and treatment services and increases their risk of acquiring HIV, the UNAID said in a statement.

The UNAIDS urged countries to ensure full respect of the human rights of all people, regardless of their sexual orientation, through repealing laws that prohibit sex between consenting adults in private, enforcing laws to protect people from violence and discrimination, addressing homophobia and transphobia and ensuring that crucial health services are made available.

In June 2016, United Nations Member States committed in the Political Declaration on ending AIDS to promote laws and policies that ensure the enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms for children, adolescents and young people, particularly those living with, at risk of and affected by HIV, so as to eliminate the stigma and discrimination that they face.

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Collaborative effort

Innovative financing mechanisms

Swachhta hi Seva

Walk to heart health

Bigger stroke volume

British hangover

Since the establishment of the first college by the British in 1818, there was a shift from indigenous education towards a different brand of education. Schools were focused on the elite and churned out individuals to staff the rigid bureaucratic administration.

Changing scenario

Poor schooling

CSR could be the answer to the gap in education. Companies like Piramal, Samsung, Dell and Ford India are working with the government in various States to bring Indian education back to its glory days.

These are some of the most eco-friendly cars available in India.

1. Maruti Suzuki Eco Charge

The Eco Charge by Maruti Suzuki is a concept hybrid that uses an 1196 cc petrol engine combined with a 5KW electric motor. This results in better mileage and fewer emissions. It charges fully in 7 hours and can achieve a top speed of 100 kmph.

2. Mahindra e2o Plus

Mahindra and Mahindra launched an improved version of the Reva, known as the e2o, in 2013. It then recently launched a four-door version of the compact electric vehicle, the e2o Plus. It is the most practical iteration of the electric hatchback and it comes with a range of 140 km.

3. Toyota Prius Z4

Toyota Prius is a car designed to produce low emissions and high fuel efficiency. The car has an intelligent hybrid system that uses a 1.8-litre petrol engine as well as an electric motor.

4. Toyota Camry Hybrid

Toyota Camry is a more practical hybrid car by Toyota and has a better resale value. Being the most affordable hybrid (not mild-hybrid) car is one of the reasons to pick it.

5. Chevrolet Beat Electric

Beat is one of the bestsellers for Chevrolet and has enabled the company to capture a huge market share. As per the reports, an electric version of the car will be launched soon.

6. Hyundai i10 Electric

Hyundai i10 Electric was showcased at the Auto Expo in New Delhi last year. It is an electric version of one of the bestsellers of Hyundai. The car will have 16 kWh Li-ion rechargeable battery and a 65 BHP electric motor. On full charge, it should be able to run for 150 km.

7. Tata Nano Electric

Tata has already showcased the green version of world’s cheapest car at the Geneva auto show. The electric drive train will give the Nano a battery life of 160 km.

8. Reva NXG

Reva was the first all-electric Indian car. It has launched another version called as Reva NXG which has modern exteriors and a good eco-friendly electrical motor inside.

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.

Regards, The CSR Journal Team

Another popular online scam is the free trial offer, which claims to provide, for example, free one-month trials of a product. The fine print includes terms stating that after the trial period, you’ll be paying for the product once a month… forever.

THECSRJOURNAL

Regards,
The CSR Journal Team