In an effort to bolster Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in India, the Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA) conducted an immersive CSR in-person Programme of its flagship course from April 4th to 6th, 2024, in Goa.

The event, organized by IICA’s School of Business Environment (SBE), brought together a diverse group of CSR professionals, industry experts, and academicians to engage in a series of technical sessions, group activities, and interactive discussions.

In her welcome address, Prof. Garima Dadhich, Head - School of Business Environment, IICA, set the stage for CSR Evolution followed by an in-depth session on ‘A Decade of CSR in India,’ charting the progress and milestones achieved in the CSR landscape. Dr. Dadhich suggested measures to tackle the challenges based on trend analysis of the past ten years.

In his address on the occasion. Dr. Ravi Raj Atrey, Chief Programme Executive at SBE, IICA, discussed the interplay between ‘ESG-CSR and Brand Building,’ highlighting the importance of integrating environmental, social, and governance factors into corporate branding strategies.

From Learning to Leadership: The sessions started with group activities where participants presented their Implementing Agency project report (IA) and Corporate Attachment project (CA) reports, receiving valuable feedback from the expert faculty.

Mr. Bharat Wakhlu, Founder and President of The Wakhlu Advisory, delivered a compelling session on ‘Nurturing Strategic CSR Leaders,’ emphasising the need for visionary leadership in the CSR domain with his innovative and creative PAMS (principles, actions, metrics/measures and srokes) strategy.

Mr. Dinesh Agrawal, Principal Consultant at Consocia Advisory, provided a ‘Bird’s Eye View of the Legal Regime of CSR,’ offering insights into the legal intricacies and compliance requirements and briefed all the 40 amendments of the past ten years in the CSR. The day concluded with Mr. Wakhlu and Mr. Agrawal conducting sessions on the role of CSR in fostering responsible business conduct and its strategic significance within the ESG framework.

Reflecting and Connecting: The final open house discussion, allowed delegates to share feedback and engage in a candid dialogue with the faculties. This session fostered a sense of community and collaboration among the attendees.

The event was not only a testament to IICA’s commitment to advancing CSR education but also a reflection of the collective drive towards sustainable and responsible business practices in India.

As the curtains closed on the CSR in-person Programme, the participants left with enriched knowledge, new connections, and a renewed determination to lead the charge in the realm of CSR and sustainability.

ABOUT IICA

Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA), has been established to create a knowledge infrastructure on corporate affairs-related matters and has been functioning as a vibrant think-tank assisting the Ministry of Corporate Affairs in continuously redesigning the regulatory response and service delivery systems.

For more information on future events and initiatives, visit IICA’s School of Business Environment LinkedIn page and IICA’s official website.

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YKB/VM/KMN

CSR legal regime clarity promotes ESG integration and compliance through professional capacity building and leadership development. Corporate Social Responsibility capacity building concentrated on integrating ESG with CSR practice, enhancing compliance awareness, and developing strategic leadership. The programme combined technical sessions, project presentations and expert feedback to improve implementation by implementing agencies and corporate attachments. A focused review of the legal regime of CSR examined recent regulatory amendments and implications for corporate governance, reporting and responsible business conduct, while promoting measurement, ESG alignment, and professional collaboration for sustained, accountable CSR delivery.