How socially responsible are Indian corporates?

Forty nine per cent companies were not doing any Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities

Forty nine per cent companies were not doing any Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities

1,000 Indian companies have been rated for CSR by Karmayog, a group of Mumbai-based citizens, non-profits and corporate houses

CSR activities undertaken by 51 per cent of the companies mainly included education, healthcare and rural development

49 per cent received the lowest score of zero, none scored the highest level

57 per cent of the 40 banking companies scored the highest. Software and paper industries also showed high levels of CSR activities

Entertainment and media, retail, mining, trading and construction industries scored low

63 per cent of the 57 construction companies did not have any CSR activity. Only two of them-DLF and GMR Infrastructure-scored level three

The rating was based on two parameters--steps taken by the companies to reduce negative effects of their products and processes on the environment and the steps taken by them to use their resources and core competence to benefit society

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Source: Down to Earth Vol: 18 Issue: 20090531 pp: 1