Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Sustainability is the new space where businesses compete with one another. They are no longer merely voluntary activities that companies perform on the side, but are effective business tools that organisations use to gain favour from the market and their shareholders. CSR has become an integral part of every company’s business strategy that they use to outrank their competitors. This has brought about a new life to the developmental activities in India.
As we reach the end of yet another eventful year and get ready to welcome 2025, let us recognise the companies that outdid themselves with their CSR and sustainability initiatives.
1. Reliance Industries Limited
Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) has been consistently holding its title of the ‘largest CSR spender’ in India since the past five consecutive years. In FY 2023-24, the company spent a total of Rs. 1592 Cr. on its CSR initiatives. Through its initiatives, it was able to positively impact the lives of over 76 million people. The company has time and again proven its commitment to promoting sustainable development in India.
RIL carries out its CSR initiaitves through Reliance Foundation, which is led by Smt. Nita Ambani, its Founder and Chairperson. Reliance Foundation focuses its energies on driving transformative social impact across the country through various initiatives in the field of education, healthcare, rural development, biodiversity conservation, animal welfare, disaster response, etc.
RIL, through its rural development initiatives has benefitted over 20.27 million people. The company’s water conservation efforts has led to an increase in the water harvesting capacity by about 28.5 million cubic meters. In addition to this, the organisation has benefitted more than 39,000 hectares of farmland through its initiatives on improvement of agricultural practices. The company’s healthcare initiatives has positively impacted the lives of more than 9.29 million people.
Apart from this, the company has empowered more than 500,000 women since 2020 through its digital literacy programs, with 84,000 women benefitting in the last financial year alone.
2. Apollo Tyres Limited
Apollo Tyres Limited has bagged the second spot in the ranking for its CSR and sustainability initiatives in 2024. The company spent Rs. 15.7 Cr. on its CSR initiatives in the last financial year, impacting the lives of over 1.23 million people in India.
The CSR initiaitves of Apollo Tyres are focused on four key areas: Healthcare for Trucking Community, Solid Waste Management and Sanitation, Livelihood for Rural Women and Biodiversity Conservation.
Apollo Tyres supports the Government of India’s commitment to eliminate TB in India by 2025. For this campaign, the company has set up a dedicated healthcare program for the trucking community, in partnership with USAID, the Union and Central TB Division, and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
Apollo Tyers has been working to empowering the rural women through its CSR initiative Project Navya. Under this project, the company ensures that the women SHGs in rural areas have access to microfinancing, and other necessary support in form of skill training, which can help them start their entrepreneural journeys.
Apollo Tyres considers biodiversity conservation of utmost importance. The organisation has made a commitment to positively impact half a million beneficiaries by FY2026 through its biodiversity conservation efforts. In the last financial year, the company has pleged to conserve 1.05 million trees under It.org as part of the World Economic Forum.
3. Adani Group
Adani group firmly believes that empowered society creates powerful nations. The group carries out its CSR initiatives primarily through Adani Foundation. In FY2023-24, all of the companies under Adani Group cumulatively spent more than Rs. 650 crores on CSR.
Adani Foundation, led by Smt. Priti Adani, operates in 19 states and 6769 villages in India. The organisation focuses its initiatives in the areas of education, health and nutrition, sustainable livelihoods, community development and climate action. Through its programs, it has been able to positively impact the lives of over 9.1 million people.
Adani Group has committed to align itself with India’s goal to achieve net zero emissions by 2070. To aid this energy transition, the Group has committed to invest $100 billion over the next decade in various green energy projects. This will also include investment for development of 10 gigawatts (GW) of hydroelectric projects internationally.
Adani Group took the third place in The CSR Journal’s ‘Top Companies for CSR and Sustainability for 2024’ ranking.
4. Tata Consumer Products Limited
Tata Group is known for its ethical conduct and philanthropy. It is therefore no surprise to find Tata Consumer Product Limited (TCPL) – a Tata Group company – among the top five companies for CSR and sustainability for 2024.
TCPL spent Rs. 20.12 Cr. on CSR in FY2023-24, benefitting the lives of over 1.39 million individuals. The company focuses its CSR initiatives in the key areas of healthcare and sanitation, education and skill development, rural development, women empowerment, and environment sustainability.
Tata Consumer Products Limited has reported that the company has achieved carbon neutrality on Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions across all geographies. It has also succeeded in achieving zero waste to landfill across all of its beverage factories globally. The company has claimed that 70 per cent of its manufacturing facilities have secured ISO 45001 certification.
Tata Consumer Products Limited has deservingly earned the fourth spot in The CSR Journal’s ranking of top companies for CSR and sustainability in 2024.
5. Asian Paints Limited
Asian Paints Limited is a market leader in India’s decorative paint segment. The company is known for its creative and engaging ads.
Asian Paints spent Rs 90.8 crore on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives in FY 2023-24. In the said financial year, the company spent Rs 49.75 cr on Enhancing vocational skills, Rs 12.72 cr on Health and hygiene, Rs 23.26 cr on Water stewardship and Rs 0.02 cr on Disaster management initiatives.
Asian paints has committed to reduce its Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 75 per cent by 2025, and by 80 per cent by 2030. The company has also pledged to achieve 75 per cent renewable energy usage by 2025 and 100 per cent by 2030.
Asian Paints has achieved the fifth spot in The CSR Journal’s ‘Top Companies for CSR and Sustainability in 2024’ ranking.
6. Procter and Gamble
Procter and Gamble has been carrying out its CSR initiatives in India long before it became mandatory in the country. The company’s flagship CSR initiative P&G Shiksha has been committed to addressing critical barriers to quality education. Launched in 2005, the program has impacted the lives of over 5 million childern.
In addition to this, various brands of P&G carry out effective CSR initiatives, benefitting millions of people. Whisper #keepgirlsinschool campaign has been raising awareness about lack of period education in India. The campaign has also distributed free sanitary pads to over 100 million girls and mothers.
Furthermore, P&G has committed to achieve net zero emissions by 2040. Procter and Gamble scored the sixth spot on The CSR Journal’s ranking of top companies for CSR and Sustainability in 2024.
7. Hindustan Unilever Limited
Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) is parent to some of the most popular brands in India. The company has a very extensive reach across the country, which it uses for effective implementation of its CSR campaigns. The company’s flagship program, ‘Prabhat,’ has positively impacted almost 10 million lives across 21 states and 2 Union Territories over the past decade. Prabhat concentrates on enhancing livelihoods, improving health and well-being, and promoting water conservation.
HUL spent a total of Rs. 234 Cr. on its CSR activities in FY 2023-24. Of this amount, more than Rs. 30 Cr. was spent for various developmental projects in the aspirational districts of India.
HUL has committed to achieve net zero emissions across its entire value chain by 2039. This includes halving the greenhouse gas impact of its products across their lifecycle by 2030 and attaining zero emissions in its operations by 2030. To work towards reducing its carbon footprint, HUL has partnered with Brookfield to establish a 45 MW solar energy park in Rajasthan.
HUL has earned itself the seventh spot on The CSR Journal’s ranking of top companies for CSR and Sustainability in 2024.
8. JSW Steel Limited
JSW Steel Limited is a leading steel manufacturer of India. JSW Steel is known for its commitment to sustainability. In fact, has been included in the S&P Dow Jones Sustainability Index for Emerging Markets (2021).
JSW Steel Limited has spent a total of Rs. 235 Cr. on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives in the financial year 2023-24, benefitting more than 1.2 million people. The company conducts its CSR initiatives in the areas of health and nutrition, education and skill development, water, environment and sanitation, sports promotion, and art and culture preservation.
JSW Steel Limited has committed to reducing its specific carbon dioxide emissions to around 1.95 tCO2/tcs by 2030, which is below India’s stated nationally determined contribution of 2.4 tCO2/tcs. Furthermore, the company has committed to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
In The CSR Journal’s ‘Top Companies for CSR and Sustainability in 2024’ ranking, JSW Steel Limited has secured the eighth spot.
9. Marico Limited
Marico Limited is a leading consumer goods company in India. It is known for its diverse range of products in health, wellness and beauty categories. Its falgship brand Parachute is a market leader in coconut oil. Marico Limited touches the lives of one out of ever three Indians through its products.
The company considers responsible and inclusive growth as part of its ethos. The company strongly believes in investing in people and building a positive culture.
Marico Limited conducts its CSR initiatives through Marico Innovation Foundation, and Parachute Kalpavriksha Foundation. In FY2024, Marico spent a total of Rs. 23.79 Cr. towards its CSR initiatives. The company’s CSR initiatives are focused in the areas of sustainable agriculture and livelihood improvement, education, and social innovation. It has positively impacted the lives of over 1.6 million people.
Marico Limited has committed that to achieve net-zero emissions by 2030. The company has already achieved 79 per cent of reduction in direct GHG emissions from its basy year FY2013.
Marico has claimed that 100 per cent of its manufacturing facilities are coal free. Moreover, 90 per cent of its operational thermal energy are met by renewable energy sources. In The CSR Journal’s ‘Top Companies for CSR and Sustainability in 2024’ ranking, Marico Limited has grabbed the ninth position.
10. Coca Cola India Private Limited
Coca Cola India is a leading beverage company and a subsidiary of the US-based The Coca Cola Company. The company is known for its iconic soda beverage – Coca Cola. Apart from this, it also offers a range of highly popular beverages including Maaza, Thums Up, Sprite, Minute Maid, and Kinley water.
Coca Cola has been subjected to a plethora of allegations for water depletion and generation of plastic waste through PET bottles. Recognising its responsibility in these issues, the company has directed its CSR programs to focus on water stewardship, sustainable agriculture, packaging and waste management, and education.
Coca Cola has a global goal of creating a “World Without Waste” by 2030 by making all of its packaging recyclable across the globe. It also aims to replenish 100 per cent of the water it uses in its beverages for which it runs numerous water conservation projects including rainwater harvesting, watershed restoration, and community water access programs.
Coca Cola India’s flagship CSR initiative Project Jaldhara recently won The CSR Journal Excellence Award in the Environment Category. The company bagged tenth position in the ‘Top Companies for CSR and Sustainability in 2024’ ranking by The CSR Journal.
