The ‘National Conference and Exhibition on Aligning CSR with SDGs’ held on 02 – 03 October 2024 by the Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs - IICA (an autonomous institute under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Govt. of India) was inaugurated at the Hotel Lalit, New Delhi by Dr Auguste Tano Kouamé, Country Director-India, the World Bank; Dr Ajay Bhushan Prasad Pandey, Director General & CEO of IICA and Chairperson, NFRA; and Mr. Rob Lederer, Chief Executive Officer, Responsible Business Alliance. Padma Vibhushan Dr Raghunath Anant Mashelkar Professor Emeritus, IICA; and Prof. Gourav Vallabh, Economist & Professor of Finance, XLRI   were also present on the occasion among others.

The event was organized to commemorate the very first Annual CSR Day in India on the Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi to promote the Trusteeship philosophy in the CSR initiatives and to promote CSR alignment to help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.  

Dr Ajay Bhushan Prasad Pandey delivered the Welcome Address, highlighting the pivotal role of corporate responsibility in shaping a resilient and inclusive India. He emphasised the collective efforts needed from public and private sectors to achieve the goals of Viksit Bharat by 2047, in alignment with the SDGs.

In his Keynote Address, Dr Auguste Tano Kouamé lauded India’s ambitious approach to tackling global challenges through CSR and emphasized the need for scalable and replicable models that could be adopted across the world to meet the 2030 Agenda. He praised India's growing leadership in integrating CSR with national development priorities, stressing that businesses must view CSR as an investment in long-term growth rather than mere compliance.

Mr. Rob Lederer provided a global perspective on responsible business conduct, stressing that as India’s CSR ecosystem matures, it must continue to align with global standards while focussing on local challenges.

In his address Padma Vibhushan Dr Raghunath Anant Mashelkar, emphasised the critical role of innovation in CSR, urging Indian businesses to create disruptive solutions that can address the multifaceted challenges of sustainable development.

At this occasion, a Book ‘CSR Ready Reckoner in India,’ by Dr. Garima Dadhich & Dr. Ravi Raj Atrey was released.  This book is a compilation of the latest developments in the legal regime of CSR, it also presents key trends and recommendations to make effective CSR strategies, compliance and implementation and provides the required FAQs on CSR in a comprehensive way.

In his valedictory address, Prof. Gourav Vallabh emphasized the importance of integrating CSR with sustainable business practices, stating, "CSR is not merely a corporate obligation but a driving force for innovation and societal transformation. Through strategic alignment with SDGs, we can foster long-term growth that benefits both businesses and communities." While emphasising that inclusiveness is the essence of CSR, he propounded the concept of Integration, Leveraging, Collaboration and Inclusiveness (ILCI). With this vision, he encouraged corporates to go beyond the 2% threshold to subserve the greater societal good through affirmative corporate actions.

Dr Garima Dadhich, Associate Professor & Head, School of Business Environment, IICA delivered a Vote of Thanks expressing gratitude to the esteemed speakers and attendees for their invaluable contributions. She reaffirmed IICA’s commitment to driving the CSR agenda forward, ensuring that it remains at the core of India’s developmental journey.

The event saw distinguished attendees from government, academia, and corporate sectors, reinforcing India’s commitment to sustainable development with 400 plus participants. The exhibition showcased impactful CSR initiatives aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), spotlighting innovations in different thematic areas within the Schedule VII of the Companies Act 2013.

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