IRMA and IICA signs an MOU to organize CSR Training Programmes

Country's premier institute Institute of Rural Management Anand  (IRMA) on Friday signed a MoU with the Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA). 

IICA is an institution which was set up by Government of India in 2008 to act as a think tank and capacity building hub for corporate regulations and reforms. 

The MoU, which comes in the wake of recent changes in the Companies Act, 2013 with respect to Corporate Social Responsibility was signed by IRMA's Director Professor Jeemol Unni and Director General and CEO of IICA Dr. Bhaskar Chatterjee. 

IRMA has signed the MoU with the intent of furthering collaboration between IICA and one of IRMA's five centers of excellence, the Centre for Rural Infrastructure and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) which were set up with grant from Government of India in 2013. 

Under the MoU joint training programmes will be conducted by both IRMA and IICA to train CSR professionals from Private and Public Sector Corporations and NGOs/CSOs. The demand for CSR professional has skyrocketed due to changes in The Companies Act, 2013. First of such programs was held during April 13 to 17, and marked the initiation of the collaboration between IRMA and IICA. Dr. Chatterjee awarded certificates to the participants of the joint training on culmination of the programme. The participants came from private and public sector organizations like BHEL, ESSAR, Aditya Birla Companies as well as NGOs like AIF, Mesco, Jan Vikas etc. 

The MoU also envisages the designing and knowledge sharing of CSR programmes (on the part of both signatories) besides engaging in CSR relevant activities concerning impact assessment, research and knowledge dissemination, among other things. Other collaborative activities include joint certification and diploma courses besides joint seminars, conferences, and workshops. 

On this occasion Dr. Bhaskar Chatterjee also delivered the Rajan Memorial lecture. Dr. Chatterjee, speaking of his journey into CSR touched upon his experiences with the tribal community and marginalized classes as an IAS officer in the Orissa cadre. "I feel privileged," he told students assembled in the audience, "about being here since IRMA students understand the spirit with which the Companies' Act was drafted." There could not have been a better place than IRMA to launch CSR training programs, he said, as IRMA is well known for its excellence in development management.

Predictably, Dr. Chatterjee had been dissuaded by the corporate big wigs, even intellectuals, against pushing for legislation. According to Dr. Chatterjee, however, "When you have an idea explore it to the hilt and pursue it." Which is what he did as he spent months doing his research and finding ways of rooting CSR firmly in the Indian soil.

In the process of evolving the framework and guidelines for what eventually crystallized into Section 135, he was appalled by two factors. One, nobody was asking the question, "How much is being spent on CSR?" Second, CSR was seen as a form of charity or donation activity.

In a bid to divest CSR of its "intermittent" character he came up with the idea of "Strategic CSR" whereby the latter would be conceived as mandatory project or programme on the part of companies.

As the world's eyes are on India with this new, path-breaking legislation, it remains to be seen whether it will work in favour of the nation's growth and development.