Bata India Limited, has spent Rs. 7.59 crore on various Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programmes during FY 2019-20, the company’s annual report revealed. Annual Report for the year 2019-20 said that the company constantly ensure that it is working seamlessly to enhance the quality of lives of the local people. In FY 2019-20, Bata spent Rs. 7.59 crore against its 2% obligation amounting to Rs. 7.1 crore, thereby exceeding its entire CSR obligation.
Bata’s CSR programmes are aimed at making a positive difference and driving meaningful impact among local communities across the country where we operate. Bata Children’s Programme (BCP) is a Global programme which aims to work for the children from the underprivileged background and is operational in more than 30 countries wherever Bata has operations. Under BCP, Company worked with around 4,000 children across the 7 schools adopted under BCP near factories and Corporate Office. A new school was adopted near the Batashatak factory in Hosur.
A need-based analysis is done to map the essential requirements of the schools on infrastructure upgradation and basic sanitation requirements. Thereafter, larger programmes are implemented which focus on holistic approach such as promotion of STEM learning through setting up of science and computer labs, a comprehensive improvement on reading/writing skills through setting up of libraries, monitoring and improving overall health of children through regular health check-up camps and awareness sessions, life skills workshops on good touch bad touch, substance abuse, promotion of sports and well-being workshops.
During the year under review, the Company collaborated with a team from Piramal Foundation and Enable Health Society (EHS) to set up Water Filtration Plants at 2 schools in Gurgaon, providing clean drinking water to more than 1300 kids & staff. During the assessment of the drinking water quality, it was found out that the TDS levels in the water were very high as compared to the WHO standards which lead to serious diseases and illness. The filtration plant comes with a real time monitoring mechanism to monitor water quality, production, consumption and overall health of the machine.
In association with NIIT Foundation (NF), a new computer lab with 10 computers was set up at a Patna school with online learning modules. Teachers were trained by NF, lesson plans and syllabus were customized and structured as per the learning levels of the children, children were provided books and assessment was conducted with NF certification. A significant level of improvement in the knowledge levels of the children was observed during the year under review through various programmes.
As per Section 135 of the Indian Companies Act, 2013, a company, meeting the applicability threshold, needs to spend at least 2% of its average net profit computed as mandated by the Act for the immediately preceding three financial years on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities. The Act prescribes that every company having a net worth of Rs. 500 crore or more, or turnover of Rs. 1,000 crore or more, or a net profit of Rs. 5 crore or more during any financial year shall ensure that it spends, in every financial year, at least 2% of the average net profits computed as mandated by the Act, in pursuance of its CSR Policy.
