Top Initiatives for CSR in Haryana

Haryana had made notable strides in food production during the Green Revolution era. However, this led to problems in the state such as declining resource base, soil degradation, hydrological imbalances and poorer biodiversity. Corporate social responsibility has tackled these issues through strategic programs.

The most successful programs on CSR in Haryana have improved rural agriculture, empowered women to be educated and self-sufficient, educated the children and improved rural infrastructure. Presenting some of the top CSR projects in Haryana for the financial year 2020-21.

Where does Haryana stand

As per data from National CSR portal, in the financial year 2020-21, the total CSR expenditure in Haryana has been Rs 536.86 crores, with a total of 1036 companies investing in 22 districts of the state under 10 different sectors.

Top 3 districts

The top 3 districts to get CSR benefits in Haryana are respectively Gurugram (amount spent towards CSR 130.99 cr), Jhajjar (51.71 cr) and Faridabad (42.66 cr). Hisar, Karnal, Sonipat, Rewari, Rohtak, Ambala and Panchkula are the rest of the top 10 districts enjoying CSR benefits in the state.

Top 3 sectors

The top 3 sectors in which most of the CSR activities have been performed in the state are

• Education, Differently Abled, Livelihood (CSR spent 259.07 cr)

• Health, Eradicating Hunger, Poverty and Malnutrition, Safe Drinking Water, Sanitation (CSR spent 220.63 cr)

• Environment, Animal Welfare, Conservation of Resources (CSR spent 34.54 cr)

Top 3 companies

The top three companies spending for CSR in Haryana in the FY 2020-21 are respectively

1. Indus Towers Limited (44.58 cr)

2. Infosys Limited (41.88 cr)

3. Maruti Suzuki India Limited (28.8 cr)

Indus Towers Limited

Telecom tower company Indus Towers Limited (formerly Bharti Infratel Limited) is formed by the merger of Bharti Infratel Limited and Indus Towers. Indus Towers Limited has over 186,474 towers and 336,382 co-locations (as on 30th June 2022) and a nationwide presence covering all 22 telecom circles.

Talking about CSR, Indus Towers mentions on their website, “Indus Towers’ CSR programs reflect the vision and values of the company. Indus Towers has always believed in taking an active role and responsibility in transforming the lives of communities by improving their socio-economic conditions. Committed to making social change, Indus Towers’ CSR and social initiatives are also designed to enhance the quality of life of those who are present in the ecosystem, which provide models to change social norms.”

The total amount spent by the company on CSR for the FY 2020-21, is Rs 70.64 cr. Out of this, 44.58 cr has been spent in Haryana alone, as per data from the National CSR portal. Highest spender in CSR in the state, the company has spent mostly in Education CSR projects.

Some of their top CSR projects in Haryana in the FY 2020-21, are:

• Satya Bharti School Program and Satya Bharti Quality Support Program – Haryana benefits from this program along with other states like Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. Under this 183 schools provide free and quality education to underprivileged children in rural India. This program especially focuses on girl children.

• Girl Child Education Program- Haryana benefits from this program along with other states like Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and West Bengal. This program has been designed to provide education access to girls from socially and economically disadvantaged sections of society, by establishing 410 community-based learning centres in villages. It also offers primary education for non-school going girls, those who have dropped out of school.

Infosys Limited

Infosys is the flagship company of India’s mighty ITES (Information Technology Enabled Services) sector. Along with sustained financial performance, the company was an early adopter of Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives.

Infosys addresses some of India’s most pressing development challenges in the areas of Education, Rural Development, Gender Equality & Women Empowerment, Environment Sustainability, Preserving National Heritage & Culture, Hunger, Poverty, Malnutrition and Health. Infosys Foundation has been spending on development projects through its CSR initiatives before it became mandatory for companies in India to spend 2% of their net profits on Corporate Social Responsibility Activities.

The total amount spent by the company on CSR for the FY 2020-21, is Rs 361.82 cr. Out of this, 41.88 cr has been spent in Haryana specific projects alone (apart from pan-India projects), as per data from the National CSR portal.

Second highest spender in CSR projects in the state, the company has mostly spent in CSR projects under the Healthcare sector.

Their major CSR project in Haryana in the FY 2020-21, is:

• Construction of the 800-bed Infosys Vishram Sadan or rest house at the All India Institute Of Medical Sciences in Jhajjar. The Infosys Foundation Vishram Sadan is a ten-storey structure which has been built over an area of 271,250 sq. ft. The rest house will be able to accommodate around 800 underprivileged patients and their families.

Maruti Suzuki India Limited

India’s largest passenger car company Maruti Suzuki India was formed in 1981 as the result of a joint venture between the Indian Government and Japanese firm Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC). Today, it is the largest subsidiary of SMC in both volume and sales, making it a profitable joint venture to say the least. The public limited company has manufacturing units at Gurugram and Manesar (Haryana). Another subsidiary of SMC born much later in 2017 is Suzuki Motor Gujarat Private Limited (SMG) which is headquartered in Gujarat.

The foundation stone of the third Maruti Suzuki plant in Haryana will be laid reportedly on August 28 this year. It will be located at Kharkhoda in Sonepat district.

CSR of Maruti Suzuki is mapped out on the value system that drives the company’s business operations. Fundamental to the way of being here is the principle of ‘optimum resource utilization’. Not only does this enhance the efficiency of operations, it also ties in with the corporate social responsibility of Maruti Suzuki. Optimum resource utilization leads to more energy and resource conservation, thus fulfilling the manufacturer’s contribution to the circular economy.

Using sustainable products and raw materials means a lower carbon footprint. Sustainability is not always about adding elements and increasing complexity; more often than not, it’s about consuming less. Maruti Suzuki corporate social responsibility makes visual impact by making such timeless wisdom part of the way it approaches corporate citizenship.

The total amount spent by the company on CSR for the FY 2020-21, is Rs 140.9 cr. Out of this, 28.8 cr has been spent in Haryana alone, as per data from the National CSR portal. Third highest spender in CSR in the state, the company has spent mostly in CSR projects under sectors like Education, Sanitation and Vocational Skills.

Some of their top CSR projects in Haryana in the FY 2020-21, are:

• Education: Maruti Suzuki Limited’s education projects in Haryana include upgradation of government school infrastructure and improving learning level

• Water and sanitation: The company has also spent towards water and sanitation, rural development projects, which include providing sewer lines, water tanks, portable drinking water, solid and liquid waste management, minimising ODC (Open Defecation) by constructing toilets in people’s homes.

• Skill Development: The company has initiated various skill development projects by making good use of Japanese manufacturing practices and international expertise to train and provide industry exposure to young people in India. They have spent for the training of apprentices from their various Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) across India. These ITIs help in making the underprivileged youth employable and also impart soft skills to them such as Kaizen (the timeless Japanese philosophy of continuous improvement).

• Rural Infrastructure: Maruti Suzuki undertakes regular initiatives to upgrade shared community facilities such as parks, cremation grounds, playgrounds, and community halls, in the villages around its Manesar facility.

Other companies spending towards CSR in Haryana

Indiabulls Housing Finance Limited, HPCL-Mittal Energy Limited, Honda Motorcycle And Scooter India Pvt Ltd, Escorts Limited, Aravali Power Company Private Limited, Gawar Construction Limited and Max Life Insurance Company Limited feature among the rest of the top 10 companies spending towards CSR in the state.