RIL Spends ₹1,223 Crore on CSR in FY 2025-26, Strengthening Its ‘We Care’ Philosophy
MUMBAI (India CSR): Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), India’s largest private sector enterprise, continued to strengthen its social development agenda in FY 2025-26 through a wide range of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives. The company’s CSR spending reflected its long-term belief that business growth must be linked with national progress, community empowerment and sustainable development.
During FY 2025-26, RIL was required to spend Rs. 1,032 crore on CSR under Section 135 of the Companies Act, 2013. Against this requirement, the company spent Rs. 1,223 crore. This means RIL spent Rs. 191 crore more than its statutory obligation. The company’s CSR expenditure covered rural transformation, healthcare, education and skill development, sports for development, environment, ecology, animal welfare, disaster management, women empowerment, arts and culture.
The CSR spending was not only a compliance exercise. It was part of a larger development philosophy. RIL’s social initiatives are primarily implemented through Reliance Foundation and other approved implementing institutions. These initiatives seek to create long-term impact at scale, especially for vulnerable communities, youth, women, farmers, students, sportspersons, patients and disaster-affected populations.
CSR Spending at a Glance
For FY 2025-26, Reliance Industries reported CSR expenditure of Rs. 1,223 crore. The largest share went to Environment, Ecology and Animal Welfare, which received Rs. 640 crore. Education and Skill Development received Rs. 229 crore. Healthcare received Rs. 179 crore. Sports for Development received Rs. 115 crore. Rural Transformation received Rs. 1 crore. Other areas, including Disaster Management, Women Empowerment, Arts and Culture, received Rs. 19 crore.
The spending pattern shows that RIL’s CSR strategy is increasingly aligned with sustainability, ecological responsibility, healthcare access, youth development and nation-building. The company’s CSR portfolio has a mix of direct community development programmes and large-scale institutional initiatives.
Two-Year CSR Comparison
RIL’s CSR obligation in FY 2025-26 stood at Rs. 1,032 crore, compared with Rs. 1,048 crore in FY 2024-25. Its CSR expenditure stood at Rs. 1,223 crore in FY 2025-26, compared with Rs. 1,309 crore in FY 2024-25. The company spent more than its required CSR amount in both years.
In FY 2024-25, RIL spent Rs. 261 crore above its statutory CSR obligation. In FY 2025-26, it spent Rs. 191 crore above the requirement. This shows continuity in the company’s approach to CSR. Even when the required CSR amount changed marginally, Reliance continued to spend above the legal threshold.
The year-on-year decline in CSR expenditure from Rs. 1,309 crore to Rs. 1,223 crore should be viewed in context. The company still exceeded its mandatory obligation and maintained large-scale spending across multiple development themes. The shift also indicates a possible rebalancing of CSR priorities, with a stronger focus on environment, ecology and animal welfare.
Contribution to Society: ₹2,248 Crore
Beyond standalone CSR expenditure, RIL’s consolidated value-added statement reported a contribution to society of Rs. 2,248 crore in FY 2025-26. This was higher than Rs. 2,156 crore in FY 2024-25. This broader figure reflects the scale of the company’s social contribution as part of its stakeholder value creation model.
This increase shows that Reliance’s social investment continued to grow even as its CSR expenditure under the Companies Act stood at Rs. 1,223 crore. The company’s contribution to society is part of its larger value creation framework, which also includes contribution to the national exchequer, employee benefits, reinvestment in operations, returns to equity capital providers and debt servicing.
CSR Philosophy: ‘We Care’
Reliance’s CSR activities are guided by its “We Care” philosophy. This approach places people, communities and national priorities at the centre of development action. The company sees CSR as a way to create inclusive growth and strengthen the foundations of a Viksit Bharat.
The CSR initiatives are linked to the idea that business must serve a larger purpose. RIL’s social programmes aim to build capacity, improve access, support livelihoods, promote education, encourage sports, strengthen healthcare, respond to disasters and protect the environment.
Reliance Foundation has been a key institutional driver of this philosophy. Since inception, Reliance Foundation has reached over 9.7 crore people across India through several social initiatives. In FY 2025-26, the company reinforced its commitment to community empowerment through initiatives spanning rural transformation, education, healthcare, sports, animal welfare and environment.
CSR Governance and Committee Oversight
RIL’s CSR activities are overseen by a Board-level CSR Committee. For FY 2025-26, the CSR Committee comprised Dr. Shumeet Banerji as Chairman, K. V. Chowdary as Member, and Nikhil R. Meswani as Member. The committee held three meetings during the year, and all three members attended all meetings.
This governance structure indicates active oversight. CSR governance is important because RIL’s programmes operate across multiple sectors and geographies. Large-scale CSR spending requires clear policies, approved projects, monitoring, financial discipline and impact assessment.
The company has also disclosed its CSR policy, CSR committee composition and Board-approved CSR projects. This reflects alignment with statutory requirements and enhances transparency in CSR reporting.
CSR Policy and Focus Areas
RIL’s CSR policy focuses on long-term development priorities. The company’s CSR initiatives are aligned with Schedule VII of the Companies Act, 2013. The focus areas include rural transformation, healthcare, education, skill development, sports for development, environment, animal welfare, disaster management, women empowerment, arts and culture.
During the year under review, the company strengthened its CSR policy framework. One of the key changes was the inclusion of “Sports for Development” as a clear focus area. The policy also provided greater clarity on the role of the Corporate Social Responsibility and Governance Committee.
This is significant because sports is not treated merely as recreation. It is positioned as a tool for youth development, discipline, inclusion, physical fitness, talent identification and national pride.
Environment, Ecology and Animal Welfare: Largest CSR Spend
The biggest CSR allocation in FY 2025-26 was for Environment, Ecology and Animal Welfare. RIL spent Rs. 640 crore in this category. This accounted for more than half of the company’s total CSR expenditure for the year.
This large allocation reflects a strategic shift toward ecological responsibility and animal welfare. It also aligns with the company’s broader sustainability commitments, including its transition toward a Net Carbon Zero future by 2035.
Environment-focused CSR has become increasingly important for large industrial enterprises. It covers areas such as conservation, restoration, climate resilience, biodiversity, animal care, water stewardship and sustainable living. RIL’s allocation indicates that environmental and ecological action is not peripheral to its CSR strategy. It is now one of its central pillars.
Animal welfare has also emerged as a visible part of the company’s social impact agenda. The recognition of Shri Anant Ambani with the Global Humanitarian Award for his work on animal welfare also highlights the growing importance of this area within Reliance’s social responsibility framework.
Education and Skill Development: Building Future Capacity
Education and Skill Development received Rs. 229 crore in FY 2025-26. This was the second-largest CSR theme during the year. RIL’s education initiatives are important because they support access, merit, employability and youth empowerment.
Reliance Foundation Scholarships are among the most visible education initiatives. These scholarships aim to support meritorious students, including those from economically weaker sections. The impact assessment of the scholarship programme found that every Rs. 1 invested created Rs. 4.4 of social value. This indicates strong returns in education, employability and long-term societal impact.
The scholarship programme also reached students from disadvantaged backgrounds. A large proportion of scholars came from economically weaker sections, and many were first-generation learners. This makes the programme important not only as an education intervention but also as a social mobility initiative.
Skill development was another key area. Reliance Foundation Skilling and Employment received recognition at the Indian CSR Awards 2025 for Best Skill Development Initiative. This indicates that the company’s skill development work has gained institutional recognition.
Healthcare: Expanding Access and Support
Healthcare received Rs. 179 crore in FY 2025-26. This was a sharp increase from Rs. 92 crore in the previous year. The rise shows that healthcare became a stronger focus area for RIL’s CSR during the year.
Healthcare CSR can play a crucial role in India, especially in improving access for underserved populations. It can support hospitals, community health programmes, preventive care, health awareness, medical assistance, disease management and public health infrastructure.
RIL’s contribution to Reliance Foundation Hospital Trust also rose significantly during the year. The company reported Rs. 94 crore contribution to Reliance Foundation Hospital Trust in FY 2025-26, compared with Rs. 18 crore in the previous year. This indicates a stronger institutional focus on healthcare delivery and medical support.
Healthcare has long-term social value. It reduces vulnerability, improves productivity and supports families during crisis. RIL’s increased healthcare allocation reflects this wider understanding of social impact.
Sports for Development: Investing in Youth and Talent
Sports for Development received Rs. 115 crore in FY 2025-26. While the amount was lower than the previous year’s Rs. 290 crore, the inclusion of sports as a strengthened CSR focus area is important.
Sports-based CSR helps identify talent, build confidence, encourage discipline and promote inclusion. It also supports physical and mental well-being. In India, where many talented children and youth lack access to coaching, equipment, infrastructure and competitive platforms, CSR-led sports development can make a meaningful contribution.
Reliance Foundation Youth Sports has been one of the important initiatives in this area. RIL also contributed Rs. 2 crore to Reliance Foundation Youth Sports during the year. The broader sports work of Reliance Foundation received recognition, with Smt. Nita M. Ambani being conferred the Best Corporate Promoting Sports – High Performance award at FICCI’s India Sports Awards 2025.
Sports CSR is especially relevant for grassroots India. It can connect rural and urban youth with opportunities. It can also support India’s larger aspiration to become a stronger sporting nation.
Rural Transformation: Supporting Communities
Rural Transformation received ₹41 crore in FY 2025-26. This was lower than ₹92 crore in FY 2024-25. However, rural development remains a core part of Reliance’s social impact journey.
Rural transformation initiatives generally cover livelihoods, agriculture, water management, community institutions, local capacity building and resilience. Reliance Foundation’s Rural Transformation programme was recognised at the 19th CII National Awards for Excellence in Water Management 2025 for its project in Patan, Gujarat. The project was identified as a Noteworthy Project in Water Management under the “Beyond the Fence” category.
This recognition shows that the company’s rural development work is not limited to spending. It is also being assessed for quality, innovation and measurable outcomes.
Rural India remains central to national development. CSR investments in rural transformation can improve livelihoods, reduce distress, build water security and support sustainable agriculture. Even with a lower allocation in FY 2025-26, this remains an important part of RIL’s CSR identity.
Disaster Management and Other Areas
RIL spent ₹19 crore on other areas, including Disaster Management, Women Empowerment, Arts and Culture. These areas may appear smaller in financial terms, but they carry high social value.
Disaster response is especially important in a country frequently affected by cyclones, floods, heatwaves and other emergencies. Reliance Foundation was honoured by the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh for its contribution in mitigating the impact of Cyclone Montha. The foundation provided early warning support to fishing and farming communities.
Women empowerment also remains a critical development priority. CSR initiatives in this field can support livelihoods, financial inclusion, education, health, safety, leadership and entrepreneurship.
Arts and culture are equally important. They preserve identity, heritage and community memory. For a country with deep cultural diversity, support for arts and culture is also a form of social responsibility.
Implementing Agencies and Institutional Contributions
RIL’s CSR expenditure was implemented directly and through various institutions. The company reported contributions to Reliance Foundation, Reliance Foundation Youth Sports, Reliance Foundation Hospital Trust, Jamnaben Hirachand Ambani Foundation, Dhirubhai Ambani Foundation, Sir Hurkisondas Nurrotumdas Hospital & Research Centre, Hirachand Govardhandas Ambani Public Charitable Trust, Vividh Kridakhel Foundation and Vividh Hunarvikas Foundation.
In FY 2025-26, RIL contributed ₹155 crore to Reliance Foundation. It contributed ₹94 crore to Reliance Foundation Hospital Trust. It contributed ₹108 crore to Vividh Kridakhel Foundation and ₹22 crore to Vividh Hunarvikas Foundation. It also contributed ₹18 crore to Jamnaben Hirachand Ambani Foundation, ₹7 crore to Dhirubhai Ambani Foundation and ₹24 crore to Sir Hurkisondas Nurrotumdas Hospital & Research Centre.
These institutional contributions show how RIL uses specialised entities to implement social programmes. Such a structure can help create thematic expertise, scale, monitoring and continuity.
No CSR Shortfall
RIL reported that it had spent the required CSR amount for the year. There was no shortfall requiring transfer to a specified fund under Schedule VII or to a special account under the Companies Act.
This is an important compliance indicator. It shows that the company not only met but exceeded its legal CSR obligation. The reported CSR spend of ₹1,223 crore against the required ₹1,032 crore demonstrates full compliance.
Impact Assessment and Outcome Orientation
RIL carried out impact assessments through independent third parties. This is significant because modern CSR is moving beyond expenditure reporting. It is now increasingly focused on outcomes, impact, accountability and evidence.
The impact assessment of Reliance Foundation Scholarships offers a strong example. The study found that every ₹1 invested generated ₹4.4 of social value. It also highlighted that the programme supported students from economically weaker sections and first-generation learner backgrounds. Scholars reported increased confidence, motivation and improved career outcomes.
Impact assessment helps companies understand whether their programmes are creating real change. It also helps improve design, targeting, implementation and engagement. For a company of RIL’s scale, impact assessment is essential for responsible CSR governance.
Awards and Recognition
Reliance Foundation and its social initiatives received several awards and recognitions during the year. Smt. Nita M. Ambani received the Global Peace Honour Award and was also conferred the KISS Humanitarian Award 2025 for humanitarian initiatives. She was also recognised for corporate promotion of sports.
Shri Anant Ambani received the Global Humanitarian Award for 2025 for his work in wildlife care and compassion. Reliance Foundation Skilling and Employment received the Indian CSR Award 2025 for Best Skill Development Initiative. Reliance Foundation’s disaster response work during Cyclone Montha was recognised by the Andhra Pradesh government. Its rural transformation programme received recognition for water management.
These awards indicate that RIL’s CSR initiatives have gained recognition across multiple sectors: education, sports, healthcare, disaster response, animal welfare, rural development and communication.
CSR and National Priorities
RIL’s CSR strategy is aligned with national priorities. Its initiatives support themes such as Viksit Bharat, Ayushman Bharat, Swachh Bharat, Jal Shakti, Skill India, Digital India, NIPUN Bharat, rural livelihoods and grassroots sports.
This alignment is important because CSR can multiply the effect of government programmes. Large companies can bring resources, technology, management discipline, outreach capacity and institutional partnerships. When CSR is aligned with national development goals, it can support wider public impact.
Reliance’s CSR work reflects this approach. It does not operate in isolation. It connects with India’s larger development agenda.
Strategic Analysis of CSR Spending
The FY 2025-26 spending pattern shows four important trends.
First, environment and animal welfare emerged as the dominant CSR theme. This reflects the rising importance of sustainability and ecological responsibility.
Second, education and skill development remained a major priority. This is essential for long-term human capital development.
Third, healthcare spending increased significantly. This suggests greater focus on health access and institutional healthcare support.
Fourth, RIL continued to exceed its statutory CSR obligation. This demonstrates a compliance-positive and impact-oriented approach.
The company’s CSR portfolio is broad. However, the spending pattern also shows concentration in a few major areas. Environment, education, healthcare and sports together accounted for the overwhelming share of CSR expenditure.
Why RIL’s CSR Matters
RIL’s CSR matters because of its scale. A spend of Rs. 1,223 crore can influence thousands of communities and millions of lives when implemented effectively. The company’s long-term reach through Reliance Foundation, which has touched over 9.7 crore people since inception, shows the scale of its social footprint.
It also matters because RIL is one of India’s most influential companies. Its CSR priorities can shape wider corporate behaviour. When a company of this scale invests in education, healthcare, sports, rural development and environment, it sends a message that social responsibility is integral to business leadership.
