NEW DELHI: The government on Monday said it has not been made compulsory for all companies to have a policy for corporate social responsibility (CSR), unlike state-run firms.
“The government has not made it compulsory for every company to have a policy for CSR. Howe
ver, the department of public sector enterprises has issued comprehensive CSR guidelines for central public sector enterprises in April 2010,” said RPN Singh, minister of state for corporate affairs in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.
According to the guidelines, state-owned companies have to mandatorily create, through a board resolution, a corporate social responsibility budget by allocating a specified percentage of net profit of the previous year for the purpose.
Singh also said that the ministry recently released a comprehensive set of guidelines known as national voluntary guidelines on social, environmental and economic responsibilities of business.
“The ministry is undertaking projects, programmes and activities in collaboration with national and international organisations, chambers of business, professional institutions and other for generation of awareness on CSR related activities of Corporate sector,” said Singh.
The ministry is also considering making some necessary provisions in the Companies Bill 2009 on these issues.
The Companies Bill 2009, introduced in Parliament in August 2009, is expected to be placed for consideration and passage in the winter session.
(PTI)
