Overview

The concept of CSR has been looked upon as closely linked with the principle of sustainable economic development, which requires that organizations should make decisions based not only on financial factors but also on immediate and long term social and environmental consequences of their activities. Therefore, being a knowledge-based company, EIL has always been sensitive towards the concerns of society and is committed to operating its core business in a socially responsible way by taking into consideration the wider interests of the community and the environment. The CSR mission of EIL have covertly been guided by two elemental ideations, namely, the philosophy of enhancing the educational, health and environmental environs of the society and towards supplementing/supporting the ongoing and planned initiatives of the local, state or central government with projects/programmes being located in and around its work places which includes project sites, regional and branch offices and the headquarters in New Delhi. The activities so undertaken are in consonance and consultation with State Governments, district administration, local administration as well as Central Government Departments/Agencies, Self-Help Groups, etc., so as to avoid duplication.

Although we have seen a period of sustained economic growth in the current decade, we still continue to face major challenges on the development front. Problems like poverty, illiteracy, environmental degradation continue to malign large segments of the population who continue to remain at the periphery of the development mainstream. There is an imperative need, therefore, to address these challenges through suitable efforts and interventions in which all the state and non-state actors need to partner together to implement innovative solutions. Aligning with the 11th Five Year Plan perspective of the government of ‘Faster and More Inclusive Growth’, EIL’s CSR policy renews its emphasis on Education, Health, Rural and Gender Development – the vital pillars of sustainable development identified above. In renewing its emphasis on inclusive sustainable development, the government in 2009, further strengthened the institutional intervention by directing Administrative Ministries towards ensuring an annual CSR allocation of 2% of post-tax profit of the preceding financial year in the financial year 2009-10 by central public sector enterprise in their domain.

Objectives

EIL in aligning its CSR endeavors has upgraded its CSR policy which states “commitment to operate in an economically, socially and environmentally sustainable manner while pursuing the core interest of stakeholders” and implementing CSR activities in the project mode with specified time frames and periodic milestones. The policy, therefore, extends the intends of the CSR initiatives beyond philanthropic activities to address the wider social and environmental concerns which would enhance the company’s overall contribution to society.

The objectives of the EIL CSR Policy are:

• To assist socially and economically weaker segments of society to overcome hardship and impoverishment while recognizing the interests of all its stakeholders.
• To create community assets for the development of rural/urban society.
• To undertake CSR activities largely in and around EIL project sites and offices.
• To reinforce the ‘positive & socially responsible image’ of EIL as a corporate entity.
• To enhance increased commitment at all levels in the organization towards reinforcing the social and environmental conscience of the company.
• To assure stakeholders that their company is sensitized toward enhancing the quality of life & economic well-being of the society.

Resources & Thrust Areas

EIL in following the guidelines issued by Department of Public Enterprises, mandated in the annual budget of EIL an amount of 2% of Net Profit of the preceding financial year as CSR budget and has created a CSR Segment in the Annual Budget of the organization for the funding of CSR project activities undertaken by it. Besides, the company is also encouraging employees to supplement the company’s CSR financial and other resources for such activities.

Education

The long term goal is to assist in providing and modernizing the infrastructure in educational institutions by giving impetus to the ongoing and planned initiatives of Central, State and Local Government programmes along with the public-private partnerships which are propelling such programmes. This would facilitate in imparting quality education to children which moulds their attitudes towards egalitarian values, compassion, tolerance, concern, respect for cultural diversity, gender sensitivity and health for developing energetic and vivacious attitudes which propel the knowledge economy of the country. The coverage of institutions would embrace primary schools, secondary/higher secondary schools, vocational training and higher educational institutes including research and development institutions. Another vital dimension of the educational sector which is integral to EIL’s CSR policy on this issue is addressing the triple objective of “expansion, inclusion and excellence” of society in institutions of higher learning by providing “need-cum-merit” scholarships and addressing the “education-employment” gap which has recently emerged as one of the biggest challenges of the country.

Areas of Intervention

• Construction/Renovation/Modernization of school/college infrastructure
• Providing Computer and other teaching aids including sports equipment
• Skill upgradation and literacy enhancement programmes
• Scholarships to under-privileged/disadvantaged children for primary/secondary/ professional education

Health Care

The principal objective of the national health policy is to achieve acceptable standards of good health amongst the general population of the country. Further, the national health policy recognizes that social, cultural and economic factors continue to inhibit women from gaining adequate access even to the existing public health facilities. Overriding importance would be given to ensuring a more equitable access to health services across the social and geographical expanse of the country with emphasis given towards increasing the aggregate public health framework. These interventions would supplement and support district/block specific health ongoing and planned programmes with involvement of all health related sectors. Besides, due attention would be given to the mentally and physically challenged and the aged in the society along with those affected by calamities, riots, violence, etc

Areas of Intervention

• Construction/Upgradation of Hospital Building
• Providing Mobile Medicare Units/Ambulances and other hospital equipment
• Construction/Renovation of Old Age Homes/Hostels
• Medical facilities to Mentally or Physically Challenged persons and Health Check-ups

Rural Electrification through Solar Power

The vision to make India's economic development energy-efficient over a period of time, inter alia, requires a graduated shift of economic activity based on fossil fuels to one based on non-fossil fuels and from reliance on non-renewable and depleting sources of energy to renewable source of energy. In this stratagem, the sun occupies centre-stage, as it should, being literally the original source of all energy. The National Solar Mission of the country plans to develop solar energy as a source of abundant energy to power our economy and to transform the lives of our people. EIL in recognizing this genre intends to pursue localized interventions through solar lighting of households and village streets. These initiatives are intended around the company’s project construction sites where grid power is inaccessible and/or there are significant attributes which find favor to the usage of solar power in that area.

Areas of Intervention

• Installation of Solar Cookers/Solar Water Heaters in rural areas
• Solar Electrification of remote villages not connected to power grid

Drinking Water & Sanitation Facility

A comprehensive approach encompassing individual health care, public health, sanitation, clean drinking water, access to food, and hygienic environments emerges as the imperative. Drinking Water is the absolute necessity and many villages of rural India are deprived from the facilities of clean drinking water therefore EIL focused on providing potable drinking water based on local requirements to all nearby villages where EIL performs its business activity(ies).

Areas of Intervention

• Potable Water facilities in schools/colleges/hospitals/rural areas
• Upgradation/Renovation of Sanitation facilities in schools/colleges/hospitals/rural areas
• Rain Water Harvesting
• Construction of Tube-Wells, Bore-Wells, Hand-Pumps, Over-Head Tanks in remote areas.

Women Empowerment

Gender disparity manifests itself in various forms including social stereotyping. Discrimination against girl children, adolescent girls and women persists in parts of the country. The underlying causes of gender inequality are related to social and economic structure, which is based on informal and formal norms and practices. Consequently, the access of women - particularly those belonging to weaker sections including Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes/ Other backward Classes and Minorities, majority of whom are in the rural areas and in the informal unorganized sector – to education, health and productive resources, among others, is inadequate. Therefore, they remain largely marginalized, poor and socially excluded. EIL intends to address this through localized interventions in association with local/state government programmes which would also include supplementing endeavors and efforts of non-government organizations which have already initiated programmes in these areas.

Areas of Intervention

• Supporting and facilitating professional/skill development programmes by providing infrastructure and training aids including sewing/ embroidery/ knitting machines etc.
• Training Programmes for effective empowerment and self-reliance
• Other gender development initiatives

Environment Protection

The mainstay of the strategy for environmental protection, hinges around reducing pressure on natural resources and enhancing awareness about the gains of environmental protection thereby enabling environmentally benign sustainable development. Key elements towards this progression, as identified in the approach document to the 11th Five Year Plan, include improving air and water quality; solid waste management; preservation of wildlife and bio-diversity; mitigating land degradation and increasing the green cover. In recognition of these strategic essentials and the fact that actions, awareness and involvement at the grass root levels would make a definitive impact, EIL intends to associate and support localized interventions in association with local/state government programmes include supplementing the endeavors and efforts of non-government organizations which have already initiated programmes to address such concerns.

Areas of Intervention

• Development of Environment benign products like paper bags etc.
• Waste Management in schools/ colleges/hospitals/ rural and urban areas

Upliftment of underprivileged

EIL’s upliftment of Underprivileged program adopts a multi dimensional approach incorporating initiatives like helping cancer affected women, providing wheelchairs for disabled sports men, provision of student home & old age home to facilitate the realization of equal opportunities, protection of rights and full participation of Underprivileged in the society.

• Support various initiatives/programmes for the physically and mentally challenged persons and destitute children.
• Social Welfare measures such as provision of health services, construction of old age home etc. for the ageing population.
• Training and skill development programmes for needy women & orphans to ensure accessibility and participation in the society.

Accomplishments

Success Highlights

Education

School bus at SOS Children’s Village, Bawana

• Sponsored education of 50 students of SOS children’s village at New Delhi coming from economically weaker sections of society.
• Provided a school bus to SOS children’s village at Bawana, New Delhi for facilitating students an easy access to their regular schools.
• Sponsored development and modernization of infrastructural facilities of educational institutes at Assam for facilitating quality education among the rural and urban poor: Industrial Training Institute, Rameshwar Higher Secondary School, Barbaruah Girl’s High School.
• Sponsored education and physical & psychological rehabilitation of child victims of communal, caste, ethnic or terrorist violence of 50 students, 25 each in Assam and Jammu & Kashmir
• Provided summer and winter uniforms to underprivileged girl children for supporting St. Mary’s School project of informal education ‘Naya Daur’.

Health Care

Mobile Medicare Unit serving aged and slum areas

• Provided Mobile Medicate Unit at Guwahati, Ahmedabad & Pune to serve aged people and slum areas on a weekly basis.

Rural Electrification through Solar Power

Solar Home Light System installed at household of a villager

• Solar electrification of villages; installation of 985 Solar Home Lights and 55 Solar Street Lights at village near Numaligarh, Assam; installation of 900 Solar Home Lights and 35 Solar Street Lights at village near Angul, Orissa; installation of 95 Solar Home Lights at village near Dibrugarh, Assam.

Drinking Water & Sanitation Facility

RO system installation at Vadodara

• Sponsored installation of RO system for providing potable water at Shri Samaj Pragati Mandal Vidyalaya, Vadodara.

Women Empowerment

• Supported poor and disadvantaged women and young girls by providing sewing machines and fashion maker machines.

Environment Protection

• Supported education, exhibition and the coffee-table book along with social outreach program and the expedition of Trans Himalayan region thereby contributing towards the upliftment of society and conservation of environment.

Upliftment of underprivileged

Distribution of wheel chairs to disabled sports persons

• Sponsored special wheel chairs for disabled sports persons enabling them participate in different sports at Paralympic London 2012 at Kolkata.