CSR must move beyond expenditure to impact, outcomes and value addition for communities: Gyaneshwar Kumar Singh, DG & CEO, IICA

Success of CSR should be judged by the difference it makes to communities, and strengthening the capacity of implementing agencies: Rupinder Brar, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Coal

Public sector CSR has the ability to serve as a model for the wider ecosystem, said Lucas L. Kamsuan, Joint Secretary, Dept of Public Enterprises (DPE)

The Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA), an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA), Government of India, conducted the inauguration of the 11th Batch of the IICA Certified CSR Professional Programme on 21 August 2026. The virtual session brought together 45 professionals from across Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs), corporates, government institutions, academia and civil society.

The session was graced by the Director General and CEO of IICA, Shri Gyaneshwar Kumar Singh who delivered the Welcome Address, which was followed by Special addresses by honourable dignitaries Smt. Rupinder Brar, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Coal, and Shri Lucas L. Kamsuan, Joint Secretary, Department of Public Enterprises, Ministry of Finance.

In his Welcome Address, Shri Gyaneshwar Kumar Singh, Director General and CEO, IICA, emphasised that CSR must move beyond expenditure towards impact, outcomes and value addition for communities. Referring to figures placed before Parliament, he noted that CSR expenditure by companies in India stood at ₹34,908.75 crore in FY 2023-24, taking cumulative CSR spending over the five years from FY 2019-20 to FY 2023-24 to more than ₹1,44,159 crore. He further emphasised the need for greater focus on underutilised Schedule VII areas including women's empowerment, innovation, and art and culture, and highlighted the role of technology, data and platforms such as the CSR Exchange Portal in strengthening transparency between corporates, implementing agencies and communities.

He added that strengthening the capacity of implementing agencies is central to this shift, since the quality of execution on the ground ultimately determines whether CSR spending translates into lasting impact, and noted that building a well-trained cadre of CSR professionals - of the kind the programme itself seeks to develop - is essential to embedding this discipline across the ecosystem.

Smt. Rupinder Brar, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Coal, drew on the coal sector's experience to emphasise that meaningful CSR begins with listening to community needs and continues through sound project design, capable implementing partners, and rigorous monitoring of ground-level outcomes. She observed that the success of CSR should be judged by the tangible difference it makes to communities, and called for strengthening the capacity of implementing agencies and stronger social audit mechanisms. Smt. Brar also acknowledged IICA's recent collaboration with the Ministry of Coal on a comprehensive CSR framework for the sector, incorporating measurable outputs and outcomes.

Shri Lucas L. Kamsuan, Joint Secretary, Department of Public Enterprises (DPE), Ministry of Finance, highlighted the significant role of Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) in India's CSR journey through their substantial contributions to social development and national priorities. He outlined DPE's efforts to guide CSR initiatives of CPSEs through annual thematic priorities, convergence with government programmes, and collaboration with district administrations, NGOs and academic institutions, and noted that CPSEs are increasingly adopting strategic and thematic approaches to CSR rather than isolated, one-off interventions.

Shri Kamsuan observed that public sector CSR has the ability to serve as a model for the wider ecosystem, and emphasised the importance of closer integration of CSR with broader sustainability and ESG considerations, supported by capacity building and greater use of technology in design and monitoring.

Dr. Garima Dadhich, Head of School of Business Environment (SBE), IICA and Programme Director outlined the design of the nine-month certification, delivered through weekly live sessions by an interdisciplinary faculty of academicians, policymakers and practitioners, structured across seven modules spanning CSR's legal and regulatory framework, governance, project planning, impact assessment, reporting, and emerging areas such as ESG and the Social Stock Exchange.

The Inaugural Session of ICPCSR Batch 11 reaffirmed IICA's continued efforts to build a strong community of CSR professionals equipped to design transparent, accountable and outcome-oriented interventions, in support of India's wider CSR ecosystem.