Getting started with CSR fundraising
Engagement with corporates is moving beyond conventional funding initiatives By Chaarvi Badani Fundraising is the most important work of a start-up, apart from their actual mission itself. It probably feels like every employee’s full-time job despite their designations! In their quest for funding, most entrepreneurs look at traditional options such as seed funders, incubators, impact investors and venture capital firms. But today, let’s focus on the new kid in the block – corporates and their pool of funding from corporate social responsibility. The new Companies (Corporate Social Responsibility) Rules 2014 mandates that 2% of companies’ net profits should be [...]
Understanding Inclusive Business
Why world leaders are promoting inclusive business as a way to tackle poverty By Priya Thachadi One of my top moments of 2016 was hearing Paul Polman deliver an inspiring speech in Singapore at the DBS NUS Social Venture Challenge Asia awards. Two key things he highlighted that are critical to the development agenda: First, the cost of not acting is higher than acting, it makes economic sense to address development challenges. Second, we have an unprecedented opportunity to work together and ‘finish the job now’ to eradicate poverty. To do that, we need businesses with purpose - from [...]
An overview: Better Business, Better World
By Priya Thachadi A new report argues the business case for sustainable development Even as the US administration takes what seems to be many steps backward with regards to the environment and sustainability, it has been encouraging to see that many companies have continued to pledge their support to continue to fight to build a sustainable world. What will it take for sustainability to become the norm? Here is a group that is leading by example. Leading the path for sustainable development is the Business and Sustainable Development Commission. The Commission was set up in January 2016 in Davos, brings [...]
Building a CSR strategy? Here’s what you need to do to know:
By Aditi Seshadri Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is ever more so important today, most directly because of the April 2014 mandate for companies to invest 2% of their net profits in CSR projects, but also because of the private sector’s eroding ‘license to operate’ due to the growing inequalities in societies. Historically, companies have viewed their CSR commitments through a philanthropic lens—they are spending some of their profits in the community to garner positive PR and customer goodwill. Today, many businesses are taking the next step in the evolution of CSR - moving towards responsible business and recognizing that [...]
