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Showing posts from September, 2023

CSR Law & Social Transformation In India

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* Birendra K Jha Practitioner "Social Impact Assessment Audit"; "Social Audit"; "CSR Audit";  Qualified Member of the Institute of Social Auditors of India; Director, HR Lab   The SEBI Board in its meeting held on September 28, 2021 had given specific note to the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (“MCA”), Ministry of Finance (“MoF”) and Ministry of Home Affairs (“MHA”) to change Company Law 2013 and FERA Provision on the accountability check by the Social Auditor. This has been done to ensure clean route in the social projects and the CSR fund utilization. The SEBI ICDR and SEBI AIF Regulations, have  already been amended. This amendment, with immediate effect has changed the SEBI Listed entities to conduct CSR's Social Impact Assessment Audit, as per the new Law.   Now, only Qualified Social Auditor can conduct the Social Impact Assessment Audit. The Ministry of Corporate Affairs is also changing the provision with regard to the Corporate Social Responsib

CSR's Social Impact Assessment In India & Social Stock Exchange

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* Birendra K Jha Practitioner "Social Impact Assessment Audit"; "Social Audit"; "CSR Audit";  Qualified Member of the Institute of Social Auditors of India; Director, HR Lab The SEBI (LODR) Regulations 2015, Amendment 2023, has moved one step further and defined clearly the "Social Impact Assessment" Audit and the "Social Auditor" and clearly given the Qualification norms of the "Social Auditor". This definition is absent in the Company Law 2013 so far. This law is immediately applicable in all the SEBI listed companies. The CSR compliance for the SEBI listed Companies, shall have to go with the new SEBI Law.  The important part of the SEBI Law change this year is not only the clear definition and direction on the   "Social Impact Assessment" Audit and "Social Auditor", but has also added another wing on the social economy. This is  the creation of the Social Stock Exchange. Now fund scarcity NGOs, who begs

CSR NEEDS ASSESSMENT

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  * Birendra K Jha Practitioner "Social Impact Assessment Audit"; "Social Audit"; "CSR Audit";  Qualified Member of the Institute of Social Auditors of India; Director, HR Lab During "Social Impact Assessment Audit", most of the time, what  we see, the CSR department has no any  "CSR Need Assessment". At the last hour, just for the sake of utilization of CSR fund call at random XYZ NGOs and use CSR fund in the name of discharging obligation. This is done to save from the penal  punishment for not using the CSR fund "on-time". A stringent penal punishment is there separately against the  CSR officer and Company's MD both, for not using the CSR fund. This is although a poor practice of discharging CSR Obligation.  Sound CSR department is the one, which prepares "CSR Need Assessment". This "Need Assessment" is a very complex procedure, where expertise  is needed in determining the "Need Assessment&quo

Understand, Manage, & Measure CSR Programs:

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  Many CSR Professional do not know how to measure CSR Program. This is the reason many says, CSR Program measurement is difficult. But, this is one bad and unreasonable fear of many CSR Professional showing just skill gap and nothing else. Without "measuring index" any program is rudderless. The measuring scale what I call "Measuring Index" gives an understanding of clear company's overall CSR alignment, where to go and at what resource delivery. This is a must important tool in the CSR to monitor the program.  This has been thoroughly tested that the CSR Programs, which are measured continuously, by the CSR department gives twice the rate of achieving the growth targets. Choosing and integrating "Measuring Index" ( MI )in the CSR Program, requires technical know-how that may be out of the  wheelhouse of general CSR Professional. Social Auditor, first looks the "Measuring Index" in the baseline. If Measuring Index is absent, this is complete

CSR Reborn : "With Malice Towards One and All"

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  "Tare Zameen Par" ( See Excellent Theme Area - One below ),  has driven   scientific passion delivery, making it  reality.  This is   a mobile driven planetarium ; Adar Punnawalla ( See  Excellent Theme Area - Two below)   a brand name with lot of hope and aspiration and Bal Raksha Bharat (  See  Excellent Theme Area - Three below )  are new hope of India as new emerging  players on  the Social Sector. They need hand holding support  from the society for whom they work.    * Birendra K Jha   Yesterday I had been invited at the CSR Summit at the grand, beautiful and magnificent Habitant Centre at New Delhi. I have always loved to go to the Habitat Centre at New Delhi. The important  summit the SMX CSR LEADERSHIP was organized in an excellent way by the "Innoserv" and its excellent and dynamic  MD Mr Rahul Jain. Thanks to Mr Rahul Jain for inviting me and conducting the summit in an excellent way.  Some 3 or 4 panel discussions were there including the   CSR New Reg