CSR and Covid-19: Corporate Response to the ongoing Covid crisis in India

Several companies have initiated CSR-led activities towards supporting the relief measures to combat Covid-19 and also rolled out various HR policies to support their employees during these challenging times. Across the board for India Inc, the prime focus has been to come together, collaborate and manage the crisis for employees, customers, partners and the community as a whole.

While most corporates employed have shown growing interest in increasing Covid-specific health covers, others have enhanced such policies and insurance schemes to support workers, especially those in roles that require physical workspace presence.

Further, the Corporates have embarked on various morale building activities such as providing food to infected employees in the Covid ward for a year, outreach to all impacted employees and providing support with insurance, hospitalisations and medical services, mental health support through psychiatric counselling through a counsellor, and ensuring continued bonuses, increments and incentives to employees.

Quess Corp

In order to bolster the healthcare infrastructure that has come under pressure due the second wave of COVID-19 in Bengaluru, Fairfax Financial Holdings Group, in partnership with GiveIndia, has provided the funding to set up COV-AID at BLR, a 150-bed, oxygenated COVID-19 treatment centre at BLR Airport. The facility, operational since May 18, 2021, is part-funded by Kempegowda International Airport Foundation (KIAF) – the foundation of Bangalore International Airport Limited. The initiative is being managed by Fairfax Financial Holdings Group’s investee companies – KIAF and Quess Corp Limited.

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Quess Corp, a leading business service provider, has also undertaken several corporate initiatives keeping in mind employee safety and well-being amidst the Covid-19 pandemic. In addition to Quess’ existing Mediclaim policy, which covers hospitalization charges for Covid-positive employees as well as statutory and gratuity benefits, the company has a centralised health insurance policy in place, setting the bar for its large base of temporary staff, core, and associate employees, over and above the mandatory state compliances.

In addition to standard leave benefits as applicable, Quess has also rolled out Covid-19 treatment leave of up to 28 days and caregiver leave of upto 14 days, will full pay, to core employees for the duration of their recovery or that of their loved ones, and also extending their full support to associate employees in collaboration with clients, during these challenging times.

Furthermore, Quess has tied up with network hospitals to undertake vaccination drives for employees, along with Covid-19 Emergency & Critical Care Support, Oxygen Concentrator Support, and healthcare consultation and assistance.

In light of the ongoing Covid crisis, Quess has instated wellbeing initiatives to assist employees in maintaining both physical and mental health through 24/7 virtual consultations, home care options, and professional counselling services and mindfulness sessions. Further, Quess also extends paid leave for Covid related exigencies, as well as emergency and critical support, and medical and insurance aid, in addition to ongoing vaccine registration and awareness drives and virtual engagement programmes for employees and families.

InterviewBit & Scaler Academy

Scaler, a leading ed-tech start-up for upskilling students and working professionals, has recently launched a mentorship service, offering paid mentorship sessions to anyone from a technical background, including those who are not Scaler learners, the entire proceeds of which will be donated to organizations working for Covid relief activities.

Scaler is also extending its support to all their employees and their dependent family members to secure vaccinations, in addition to Covid cover of INR 5,00,000 and paid time off as part of the company’s employee friendly policies, such with regular wellness sessions, among others. The company is also exploring collaborations with leading healthcare service providers to enable their workforce to avail the vaccine in their respective hometowns. The vaccination drive is entirely voluntary and will be carried out per the Government’s eligibility guidelines.

Ola

Ola, one of the world’s leading mobility companies, to address the growing demand for oxygen among the community suffering from COVID, through its philanthropic arm – Ola Foundation, has successfully launched the O2For India initiative. Ola Foundation partnered with GiveIndia to provide consumers with oxygen concentrators for free through the Ola app. Along with the Karnataka and Delhi Governments, Ola cabs are now ferrying oxygen concentrators to people suffering from COVID – 19.

Furthermore, Ola has undertaken a series of initiatives aimed at safeguarding their employees and the community at large. To safeguard their employees and dependents, the ride hailing start-up announced that it will cover the COVID-19 vaccination cost for their workforce. The vaccination drive will also be extended to all the direct contractual employees, consultants, advisors of the company and their immediate dependents including spouse, kids and parents, comprising more than 24,000 people. The COVID vaccination drive was undertaken over and above Ola’s existing medical insurance policy.

HGS

HGS has leveraged its experience in contact center services and expertise in the healthcare domain to setup and support two helplines for the government of Karnataka at facilities in Bengaluru. The COVID-19 telephone helpline (‘104’ helpline) for Karnataka residents was a 24/7 helpline that supported symptomatic reporting, information dissemination, and grievance counselling to the distressed. A team of 70 HGS volunteers manned the helpline in shifts. Volunteers have contributed 32,221 hours and attended over 83,268 calls to support this initiative. Through this ‘104’ helpline, we identified 1,651 probable COVID-19 cases and provided information regarding treatment to those who tested positive, while over 380 suspected cases were reported to surveillance authorities for tracking and isolation. Additionally, more than 800 Migrant workers have been helped through information on food and travel arrangements.

HGS has also been able to leverage its experience with nurse triage and advice services with healthcare clients to support the Karnataka Department of Health and Family Welfare and the state telemedicine helpline, Apthamitra Sahayavani. This was a 12 hours critical helpline initiative manned by 50 nurses and doctors from the state. HGS supported the team to setup the helpline in one of its delivery centers in Bengaluru, and also provided training on call, handling etiquettes and project management skills. The Apthamitra Helpline team reported around 21, 299 probable COVID-19 cases and reported 1,572 suspected cases to surveillance authorities. They also supported 109 immigrant workers.

HGS worldwide has been actively involved in supporting the local communities in their pandemic relief efforts. HGS has supported PD Hinduja Hospitals in their efforts towards battling COVID-19. The funds will be utilized for the conversion of existing wards into dedicated wards for Covid-19 patients (isolation wards), procurement of materials like PPE, and masks for patients and care providers, drugs, and medical equipment. HGS donated over 30,000 reusable face masks to the Bengaluru City Police who have been providing round-the-clock services to keep the city safe.

Healthium

Healthium is sponsoring townships at factories to limit the spread of the pandemic. They have conducted a vaccination drive with BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike) at Healthium’s plant to vaccinate workers and families. The company has also donated provisions, masks, and sanitizers, along with 10000 face masks, 154 PPE kits for HCPs, and surgical consumables to Government hospitals to serve the needy. They have worked in solidarity with 154 hospitals largely in Tier 3, 4 and 5 towns towards educating on COVID appropriate behaviour and to support OPD safe surgery during the last wave. Further, the company is also working to offer continuous support to employees to fight the war against Covid-19, through various measures such as Covid leave, and health insurance benefits, enhanced Life and PA coverage limits for employees.

In the unfortunate event of bereavement of an employee (aged upto 60 years) due to COVID, the company has availed additional Covid cover insurance and commits to support the dependant and family of the bereaved with an amount of INR 20,000,000. The company will provide gratuity to the family of deceased employee, even if the designated period to become eligible, is not completed.

Mphasis

At Mphasis, a leading IT solutions provider specializing in cloud and cognitive solutions, all possible measures to ensure the safety of employees and continuity of operations are being employed, and efforts are being made to support the local authorities in each of the company’s locations to bring the effects of the second wave under control. For employees who are required to work from the office, stringent safety protocols and social distancing rules are being enforced, including touch-free attendance, thermal temperature screening, UV disinfection and wearing of masks at all times. Proactive RT-PCR is also being conducted periodically across campuses. Various benefits that employees can avail such as CORONA KAVACH insurance, and Bio bubble creation to ensure safe quarantine are also being rolled out.

Even as hospitals and medical facilities in proximity to employee locations are being onboarded to ensure emergency access, a COVID War Room has been created which provides a single window assistance to all COVID related emergency assistance and relevant information for Critical Care and/or Self Care Services. The objective of the war room is to provide credible reference and support with the following services on a best effort basis, regarding ICU Beds, Ventilators, Oxygen Suppliers, Medicine suppliers, Ambulance services, Plasma donors, Remdesivir injections etc. Consistent wellness and awareness initiatives such as around vaccine hesitancy are also being conducted. A database of Covid recovered employees who volunteer to come forward and donate plasma has also been created, to be used as and when the requirement comes up for employees and their families.

Hitachi ABB Power Grids in India

To manage the Covid-19 crisis, Hitachi ABB Power Grids in India is using a three-pronged approach: Protecting its people – employees, customers and partners, preserving business continuity – leveraging digital solutions for product service, training, and even commissioning of certain projects, and Preparing for the new norm – amplifying customer engagement through technology and transitioning ourselves and our customers to remote operations as much as possible.

Some of the measures they have initiated include encouraging those who can work from home to do so, following all Covid-19 protocols in our factory locations that have to remain open to support essential services such as electricity, and conducting voluntary mass testing to identify asymptomatic people so as the burden doesn’t fall solely on government and private bodies. The company has also instituted a team of on call doctors to tend to any employee emergencies, as well as an exclusive SOS helpline for employees’ and their families’ mental and emotional welfare for anxiety and stress relief. They have also thus far vaccinated 88% of eligible employees in the over 45 age group, under the voluntary vaccination drive. With the widening of the eligible age group, the facility will be extended to the rest of the staff as well.

Shriram Properties Limited (SPL)

Shriram Properties Limited (SPL) has broadened the medical and life covers for their employees and families, as a support measure during the pandemic. The additional group mediclaim policy introduced by the company for the employees and their immediate family members provides exclusive coverage for COVID treatment. This Policy also covers home care treatment availed by the insured person on clinically diagnosing positive for COVID.

Under this policy, medical expenses related to treatment of COVID incurred before hospitalisation for a period of 15 days, and after discharge from the hospital for a period of 30 days are also covered. The liability of the company towards COVID treatment in case of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy treatments will be 100% of the sum insured. Shriram Properties is also providing life insurance cover to their employees through a Group Term Life Insurance. In case of any uncertain event, the employees’ dependents / nominees are assured a financial assistance up to INR 50L through this policy.