Head CSR
UPL Limited

Rishi Pathania has spent 25 years in the development space, largely focusing on CSR and sustainability. He has worked with both grassroots NGOs and multinational NGOs in some of the most backward areas of India, often without proper amenities.

For the last 10 years, Rishi has been working as the Head of CSR for the UPL Group and has been driving the company’s “Always Human” philosophy.

• UPL’s work for economic and social growth of the community began almost 50 years ago, as the company believes that humankind is one community where each member is responsible for the well-being of others.
• UPL is consistently listed among the top 10 most generous companies in India and has been for the last 7 years. The company consistently spends 4-5% of its net profit on CSR.
• UPL’s CSR initiatives have four focus areas: Institutions of Excellence, Sustainable Livelihood, Nature Conservation, and Local and National Area Needs.
• He was selected for the Common Purpose International Leadership Development program for future leaders of India (one of only 20) and the UK, which was launched by British Prime Minister David Cameron in Bangalore, India and London, UK.
• He has attended the prestigious Tata Group Emerging Leaders Program, a three-phase module for leadership development.
• He is a Certified Achievement Motivation Trainer, working on achievement-themed based on human process lab.
• He is a Sustainability Assessor for CII-ITC Sustainability Awards.
• He has been trained on GRI sustainability reporting during the G3 launching and GRI conference Reporting: a Measure of Sustainability in Amsterdam.
• He is a recipient of many CSR and sustainability leadership awards.
• Furthermore, his active interest in policy advocacy has earned him a position in different national and international forums. Being an active participant in these forums has greatly helped him in integrating community needs with project planning at a macro level.