Strategic CSR today is more aligned to business context: Here's how?

Statistics show that in the pre-COVID period, the Including vocational training and special education, this period probably saw about 35 percent of the total spend going towards education. This was followed by healthcare, drinking water and sanitation. Activities related to environmental sustainability come next.

After COVID hit in financial year 2021, there was an almost 30 percent increase in healthcare spends. A lot of money also went into PM Cares and other government funds towards COVID relief. There was a consequent decrease in spends on education, environment and sustainability.

Funding to causes like orphanages, or activities like technology incubators and sports, has always been low. I feel that it will take a year or two for the situation to settle, and for companies to review and re-align priorities for the future.

By definition laws are about compliance, black and white options, yes and no answers. Development processes, on the other hand, are long-term, and they involve some uncertainties. They need both patience and innovation. We are dealing with people, change processes and field situations, not production or marketing where targets can be set and met.

The focus on management and metrics disempowers development sector professionals who should actually be setting the goals and delivering the impacts. The system lays emphasis on numbers and measurable targets that are comprehensible to business leaders. I feel that to some extent, this leads to the nuances of processes and space for mistakes being sacrificed.

The ability of a large corporate groups try to reach out and develop partnerships with other companies gave me an understanding of the potential of partnerships for impact. For instance, we were early innovators in the skilling space. As the GMR Group, with the backing of Mr G.M. Rao, the GMR Varalakshmi Foundation was able to reach large corporates like Voltas, Schneider, Volvo, to help us with expertise and equipment for specialized skill training, and thereby get better.