CSR Hub Helps to Facilitate the Process of Aligning Nonprofit Organizations: Roshni Nair, TISS

Day two kicks off with discussion on regulations and resources affecting partnerships

: Roshni Nair of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai

PUNE: After a debrief highlighting yesterday’s progress, the second day of the CSR-Nonprofit Summit got underway with an informative presentation on the TISS CSR Hub by Ms. Roshni Nair of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai.

Prompted by new CSR guidelines released by the government in April 2010, TISS created the National CSR Hub in March 2011.

“Five years back, CSR was not a very warmly accepted kind of concept,” said Nair. “Today, we don’t have a choice. It’s an opportunity that one needs to look at.”

The CSR Hub helps to facilitate the process of aligning nonprofit organizations to private CSR initiatives. By consolidating a database of credible nonprofits working on social and development issues in India, the Hub allows corporations to make informed choices when forming partnerships.

“The vision has implications for both corporations and NGOs. It’s supposed to be catering to both entities,” explained Nair. “Here the beauty is that the pressure is not on the NGOs. The pressure is on the public sector enterprise.”

Under government guidelines, any NGO chosen to receive public sector enterprise (PSE) funds from corporations must be listed on the Hub. Likewise, all PSEs have to register on the Hub in order for their donations and philanthropic work to count as CSR.

: Robins Duncan, Director, Mumbai Habitat Resounce Center

Any NGO can apply to register on the CSR Hub. The registration process includes baseline surveys that examine annual reports and project development, need assessment studies, and impact studies.

“Identification of projects and issues must happen together,” stated Nair. “They can no longer be two separate processes.”

Ms. Leela Karkaria as Asst Professor and Manager – Corporate Social Responsibility, Alliance University, Bangalore also addressed the conference.

By increasing awareness about government regulations and resources that impact partnerships between corporations and nonprofits, Nair’s presentation helped to further the goals of the CSR-Nonprofit Summit.

(Written by Katie Kenney with reporting by Annie Huth.)