Anju Kanodia is the Executive Director of Lumina Datamatics, committed to the holistic progress of society through the company’s CSR contributions. Lumina Datamatics focuses on education, healthcare, environment, and sustainability, with initiatives such as distributing essentials to a village near Mumbai, skill development programs for underprivileged women, and a scholarship program for students from weaker sections of society. Challenges faced during social activities include ensuring funds reach the grassroots level and selecting genuine avenues for making a difference. Collaborative efforts in CSR generate social learning opportunities for diverse perspectives and ideas to be shared.
How is Lumina Datamatics initiating causes which have a special meaning and which improve the lives of others?
Community development remains at the core of every initiative we undertake. We are deeply committed to the holistic progress of society, and therefore we are determined to work towards the same through our CSR contributions. Our focus is on education, healthcare, environment and sustainability.
The initiative that is close to our heart is the one where we distributed essentials such as wheelchairs, walkers, ration, sanitary napkins, books, and blankets in a village near Mumbai. The smiles across the faces of the residents encourage us to continue our pledge to social development. We have also initiated a skill development program for underprivileged women. This program helped their skills to be recognized and empowered these young women and their families financially and socially. For students, we have initiated a scholarship program through which we identify students from weaker sections of society and reward them with scholarships based on merit. By creating such programs, we are optimistic that Lumina Datamatics will be able to bring about even more significant changes in the community, empowering the people to grow in a better and more sustainable environment.
What is your take on sustainability leadership?
For me, sustainability is having a long-term view and considering how my decisions today will impact the future generation. It’s the ability of a leader to initiate, drive, and support sustainable practices and initiatives within the organization. We have to prioritize environmental, social, and economic sustainability in our decision-making process since it’s beneficial for the planet and works well for the business. We are constantly trying to embed sustainable practices in our offices. We believe these practices can drive efficiency and innovation, reduce costs, build resilience, and enhance brand reputation.
What has Lumina Datamatics’ approach been towards social responsibility and developing social programs?
Lumina Datamatics envisions achieving a sustainable society and strengthening the country’s social fabric. While growth and success are business priorities, the company’s management team believes in giving back to the community with available resources. Hence, they continue to drive meaningful and welfare-driven initiatives to impact more lives and make the communities future-ready. Our focus is on education, healthcare, environment and sustainability.
After the successful rocket launch of helping 750 school girls are you looking at exploring social projects in different sectors?
It was an exciting and very satisfying project to be a part of. As a company, we believe in the power of education to transform lives. We are committed to exploring social projects in the education sector that can make a measurable impact. We understand the importance of investing in our future generations, and we are willing to contribute our resources and expertise to support worthy initiatives that align with our values.
Were there any challenges you faced while performing the social activities in India?
In India, the need for social activities is extremely high. Yet challenges do remain, one of the challenges is to ensure the funds reach the grassroot level without very high overhead expenses. Keeping that in mind we have been able to partner with institutions with a similar ethos. The utilization of the funds have been in an optimum manner. Another challenge is to be able to sift through multiple available avenues and select the one which seems genuine and where one can make a difference.
How is the Indian market important to you from a CSR perspective and what are a few tips you can tell organizations to implement the right CSR policy
India is the world’s largest democracy, with a population of over 1.3 billion people, including a large economically disadvantaged population that needs support, making it attractive for CSR initiatives. It is one of the most diverse countries in the world, with varying socio-economic and cultural backgrounds. Hence, the intervention of CSR policies can benefit a diverse group of individuals and communities.
It is essential for organizations to implement the right CSR policy and to do that effectively:
- Identify the needs of the target community by conducting a thorough analysis to understand the community’s unique needs and tailor the CSR interventions accordingly.
- CSR policies must align with the business’s objectives and vision to ensure long-term sustainability.
- Collaborating with local partners is essential since it helps gain a deeper understanding of the local context and work collectively to implement the CSR policy.
- Regularly monitor and measure the impact of the CSR activities to continuously identify areas of improvement and make necessary changes.
How has Lumina Datamatics benefited from the CSR initiatives and any social learning which took place along the way?
CSR initiatives have become an essential element of our company policy, as it helps us contribute to societal and environmental improvements. It gives us the feeling of being socially responsible, which is the biggest benefit. One of the most significant social learning outcomes of CSR initiatives we experience is the development of an individual’s skills and knowledge while addressing societal challenges. For example, while Lumina Datamatics has dedicated its efforts to the social upliftment of villages, our employees voluntarily participated in this event, leaving them satisfied and inspired, knowing that this will bring about some change in society at a local level.
CSR initiatives generate collaboration and teamwork as different entities work towards a common goal. This has led to social learning, where diverse perspectives and ideas are shared, and participants learn from one another while advancing a societal cause.
(India CSR)
