Background

Corporate Responsibility (CR) is an expression used to describe a company’s obligation to be sensitive to the needs of all its stakeholders, in its business operations. The principle is closely linked with the imperative of ensuring that these operations are "sustainable" i.e., it is recognised that it is necessary to take account of not only the financial and economic dimensions in decision making, but also the social and environmental consequences.

Partners in Change

Website: www.picindia.org

Partners in Change was established by ActionAid International (AAI) in 1995 as a not for profit organisation under the Societies Registration Act 1860 to promote the understanding and practice of Corporate Responsibility in India and was among the first organisations in India dedicated to promoting pro-poor CR through partnerships. During the past decade PiC received funding support from ActionAid International (AAI) India and The Ford Foundation. PiC’s mission is to increase the understanding and active participation of business in equitable social development as an integral part of good business practice by promoting partnerships between business, disadvantaged communities, development initiatives and government.

PiC since its inception has recognised the need to have a clear Strategy Plan and it was with this objective that it launched its first Strategy Plan a decade ago in 1995. The year starting April 2006 marks PiC’s entry into its third Strategy Plan period 2006-2010. Our recent experience has suggested that we further invest our energies in some of the following areas.

1. Promoting responsible business practices across the value chains of select sectors of Indian business and SMEs.
2. Promoting responsible business practices by Indian companies in their overseas investments, particularly in other developing countries.
3. Sensitisation of Indian business to their obligations vis-à-vis Human Rights, with specific reference to the UN Norms.

Today, in order to more effectively engage with CR issues in the developing country context, PiC allies with a wide range of international networks and regional groupings comprising business and civil society. PiC has also acted as a Secretariat to the Mumbai Chapter of the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) from 2001 till 2003 and has been endorsing and promoting the Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights (UN norms) through its associations with various expert groups and committees.

PiC has pioneered surveys amongst leading companies in India to assess their involvement and attitudes towards social responsibility and development.

SRI - IMRB had been appointed by Partners in Change to undertake a nation wide survey of corporations to assess their involvement in, and attitudes towards social responsibility and development. The previous three surveys had also been undertaken by SRI-IMRB. The survey was carried out among some of the top companies. 13 of the companies covered in this survey were Fortune-500 companies and 98 of the companies covered in this survey were ET-500 companies. This document outlines our findings from the study undertaken during this round.