CB BureauSteel Authority of India (SAIL) and MARG Limited received
India Shining Star CSR Award for exemplary contributions towards corporate
social responsibility (CSR) in the iron and steel and infrastructure sectors,
respectively, on February 21 in Mumbai.
SAIL is a Navratna PSU and contributes more than two per
cent of its net profit annually towards CSR.
‘SAIL’s spending on corporate social responsibility (CSR)
activities goes beyond the minimum requirement of two per cent of profits
stipulated by the government ,’ CS Verma, chairman of SAIL, said in a statement.
SAIL manages and runs 17 hospitals, seven specialty
hospitals and 54 primary health centres, and also contributes to educational
development through 146 schools in its townships and 286 schools in other
areas. The company also runs five sports academies for hockey, football,
athletics and archery.
MARG, which is a diversified infrastructure development
company, claims to have developed its CSR initiatives as a business model.
‘Our CSR is integrated with our business. The model aims to
bring about a synergy between our business operations and our commitment to the
society, thereby creating an ecological and an economical balance. We call this inclusive
living – simply including everyone in the process of creating and sharing
progress. Our commitment is for a complete social transformation of thousands
of people in rural areas with sustained and diligent focus,’ said GRK Reddy,
chairman and managing director, MARG Group.
The awards were a part of the daylong CSR Thought
Leadership Conclave wherein corporate leaders discussed social issues and CSR.
The conclave was inaugurated by Nobel Laureate Muhammad
Yunus, while Dalai Lama was inaugural address speaker. The awards and the event
are conceptualized and organized by Wockhardt Foundation.