India CSR News Network
MUMBAI: Rotary, a global network of volunteers who connect leaders and take action to improve lives, will honor six individuals and two corporations for bringing positive, lasting change to their communities.
Through inclusive business practices, each brings employment, mentoring, education, innovation and collaboration to their humanitarian work. “These business leaders represent the intersection of commerce and cause,” said Rotary International President John Germ. “Because of their dedication to economic development, thousands of individuals have gained steady employment, vital job skills, and the education necessary to build a better life. I extend my warmest congratulations to them for their outstanding service to humanity.”
The following honorees will receive Rotary’s Responsible Business recognition on Nov. 12 at Rotary Day at the United Nations, an annual event that highlights humanitarian activities that Rotary and the United Nations lead around the world.
Coca Cola Beverages Pakistan: Raises public awareness for polio vaccinations in Pakistan – one of the few remaining countries that has never stopped the paralyzing disease — and clean water and sanitation projects.
Mercantil Banco Universal: Supports a project that has trained 6,000 students at 40 universities on social responsibility and leadership, with the goal of encouraging students to use their academic knowledge to help underserved communities in Venezuela and beyond.
Juan Silva Beauperthuy, Rotary Club of Chacao, Venezuela: Helps keep disadvantaged youth on the right track throughQueremos Graduarnos an education program focused on mentoring and skill development supported by his engineering firm. Today, the program serves over 700 students in 18 schools.
Jean-Paul Faure, Rotary Club of Cagnes-Grimaldi, France: Encourages young professionals and provides promising new businesses with training and funding. Faure launched a business contest called Le Trophee du Rotary. Now in its seventh year, the program has drawn support from a major bank and kept past participants involved as mentors.
Suresh Goklaney, Rotary Club of Bombay, India: Provides clean water in rural villages and urban slums throughout India. Goklaney, executive vice chairman of the world’s largest manufacturer of UV water purification systems, has also established water centers where local women sell clean water to generate income.
Annemarie Mostert, Rotary Club of Southern Africa, South Africa: Offers education, job training, entrepreneurship, and leadership development for women through Sesego Cares, a Johannesburg-based nonprofit Mostert established in 2005. She also collaborated with TOMS and mobilized 70 Rotary clubs across the country to provide 1.3 million pairs of shoes to children in need.
Stephanie Woollard, Rotary Club of Melbourne, Australia: Helps Nepalese women make and sell products abroad. Woollard founded Seven Women after meeting seven illiterate craftspeople during a visit to Nepal – and has since trained and employed more than 1,000 women in the last decade, while also teaching basic bookkeeping and computer skills.
Larry Wright, Rotary Club of Taylor, Michigan, USA: Supports entrepreneurs in bankruptcy-era Detroit, providing microloans, business classes, and mentorship through his organization Launch Detroit.
Rotary brings together a global network of volunteer leaders dedicated to tackling the world’s most pressing humanitarian challenges. Rotary connects 1.2 million members of more than 35,000 Rotary clubs in over 200 countries and geographical areas. Their work improves lives at both the local and international levels, from helping families in need in their own communities to working toward a polio-free world. Visit rotary.org to learn more. To access broadcast quality video footage and still photos: The Newsmarket. For more information on the Rotary Responsible Business Awards, visit: https://www.rotary.org/myrotary/en/news-media/rotary-day-un-highlights-role-business-building-better-world
