The Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA), a body established under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs had launched a certificate programme for CSR in the year 2014, for preparing professionals for CSR through a nine months programme –‘IICA Certificate Programme (ICP) in CSR’. In the first batch 169 participants, of which 60 were corporate sponsored, were registered and completed the course. This includes 33 officers of six Public Sector Undertakings. In the second course running since February, 2016, 130 participants have been registered.

This was stated by Shri Arun Jaitley, Minister of Corporate Affairs in written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha.

Corporate Social Responsibility training expands professional capacity, enhancing CSR implementation and compliance through formal certification. The Ministry-supported nine-month Corporate Social Responsibility certification programme, administered by a government-affiliated institute, aims to professionalise CSR implementation by developing qualified practitioners from corporate sponsors and public undertakings; reported cohort completions and ongoing enrolments were disclosed to the legislature as evidence of uptake and capacity building for CSR compliance and management.