CSR in India: Evolution, Models, and Impact

As one of the oldest civilizations of the world with a rich history of culture that embraces tolerance and social consciousness, the concept of social responsibility in India dates back to 1500 B.C. and is not a modern day twentieth century phenomenon. When companies emerged in the twentieth century, social responsibility was largely ingrained in volunteerism; however, today corporate social responsibility (CSR), apart from the philanthropy of individuals and companies, is triggered by the mandate to meet government’s legislation. This chapter traces the evolution of CSR in India across four phases. Conceptual models in vogue in the country are then outlined followed by an appreciation of CSR in a few major sectors. This is followed by an analysis of the impact of CSR with regard to overcoming major societal challenges. An attempt is made to answer the moot question whether CSR is part of corporate strategy, followed by an assessment of India’s unique CSR law. Thereafter, a critical evaluation of CSR activities in India including its linkages with the Sustainability Development Goals formulated by the United Nations is carried out.

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Notes

Manusmriti was one of the first Sanskrit texts studied by philologists. It was translated from Sanskrit into English by Sir William Jones in 1794. The Arthashastra is an ancient Indian treatise on statecraft, economic policy, and military strategy, written in Sanskrit. Kautilya, also identified as Chanakya, is traditionally credited as the author of the text.

The conversion rate for the whole chapter is based on data from April 15, 2019. The values in US Dollars are rounded accordingly.

The 18 GRI aspects include: (1) community, (2) corruption, (3) public policy, (4) anti-competitive behavior, (5) compliance, (6) investment and procurement practices, (7) nondiscrimination, (8) freedom of association and collective bargaining, (9) child labor, (10) forced and compulsory labor, (11) security plans, (12) indigenous rights, (13) employment, (14) labor/management relations, (15) occupational health and safety, (16) training and education, (17) diversity and equal opportunity, and (18) product responsibility.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

1. Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, Bangalore, India Suresh Mony
2. Amrita School of Business, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham University, Bangalore, India Shekar Babu

1. Suresh Mony