“The CSR Way to SDGs”
Pune – Confederation of Indian Industry organized the 2nd Edition of CSR – CSO Bridge 2018 in Pune with the theme on “The CSR Way to SDGs”. Speaking at the Inaugural Session Mr Viren Joshi, Chairman, CII Pune Zonal Council & CEO & President, Sigma Electric Manufacturing Pvt Ltd said that the objective of the Conclave today was to identify and share practical, evidence based solutions that can support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The theme “The CSR Way to SDGs” will define about how companies of all shapes and sizes can play a major role in driving a more sustainable, prosperous and inclusive society while also meeting their corporate goals of generating value and achieving competitive advantage. In this view, we can think about CSR as a way to implement these goals at all the levels.
Ms Leena Deshpande, Convenor, CII Pune Affirmative Action & CSR Panel and Associate Vice President – HR & Head – CSR, Bharat Forge Ltd said that this conference provides a unique opportunity to bring together stakeholders from government, academia, international agencies, NGOs, and grass root organizers to share practical solutions towards the achievement of more sustainable and inclusive societies. She also spoke about evolution of CSR and increasing involvement of corporates in it. She mentioned about the 17 goals and 169 indicators declared by UNO under the SDGs CSR policy and its targets. According to a report by KPMG, 84% of SDG’s are most relevant to the business of corporates. She further added that projects undertaken by corporates catering to the SDGs and role of public private partnerships play a vital role in today’s CSR scenario.
Ms Lakshmi Narayan, Founder-Secretary, Kagad Kach Patra Kashtakari Panchayat (KKPKP) shared information on the waste pickers’ co-operative – “Swachh” that KKPKP started partnering with Municipality as a Trade Union with an objective of focusing on environment with the help of waste pickers and providing them livelihood by registering waste collection, waste segregation and waste retrieval as professions under this union as sources of employment. She also mentioned about the Scrap Trade Store where usable scrap can be sold to buyers which thereby supported this Union.
The one day conclave focused on 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) declared by the United Nations – that aim to build a more prosperous, more equal and more secure world by the year 2030 and also provided a platform for the participants to discuss, debate, listen to experts from different fields and exchange ideas, experiences and expectations around the challenges involved in the implementation of the SDGs.
Over 100 participants attended the Conclave and interacted with the experts from the industry.
