The scope and reach of CSR (corporate social responsibility) has grown exponentially since its origin in 2014 as a government mandate that had corporates set aside 2% of their profits towards socially responsible work. Today, businesses own this space and are invested in supporting and funding good, impactful work across the spectrum. An allied social-investment basket is ESG, or environment, social, and governance. This area — less known but equally impactful in reach and importance — has gained traction parallelly with both corporates and their stakeholders driving work in this space. For instance, under ESG, key areas which are under focus are: environment, renewable energy, sustainability, women employees, workers’ welfare, opportunities for differently abled, and health insurance, and higher representation for women on the board of directors. The demand for ESG today comes from both within and outside. There’s a keen understanding that corporates should be invested in the well-being of the society they live in; that people live in societies and not just in an economy. This means consciousness that sustainability, environment, governance, diversity work towards the benefit of all stakeholders is well documented. The Times of India, over the years, has launched hugely impactful campaigns and organised summits with powerful messaging and impact on the social sector. To recognise and reward work in the CSR & ESG space, The Times of India is holding a two-day Social Impact Summit on July 11 and 12, 2025, in Mumbai. The event, presented by Malabar Gold & Diamonds, has Ernst & Young as the knowledge partner. These are the sectors that most touch Indians and have the highest relevance at the ground level. The high-powered event will see panel discussions, fireside chats and a number of participative events for the attendees. The summit will see speakers from a broad section of the sector talk of their experiences and on mechanisms to further grow and strengthen these areas. It will showcase some interesting case studies — those that can be replicated and scaled. Beneficiaries’ stories will also be brought to light.
The summit will honour organisations and people who have done stellar work in CSR & ESG. Early vetting will be done by our knowledge partner, while an editorial board comprising of senior TOI journalists and select domain experts will weigh in on the winners. While recognizing work in these fields, we are also looking at new sectors like AI-driven initiatives and adding sectors like ‘Empowerment’ and ‘Gender’. CSR funds mostly go to geographic areas where the companies are located. Hence, wealthier states end up being the biggest beneficiaries: Maharashtra leads CSR spending with Rs 6,000 crore (28%), followed by Gujarat (21%), Delhi/NCR (16%), Tamil Nadu (10%), and Uttar Pradesh (8%). Coming to the ESG end, research suggests that 91% of companies face strong investor pressure to accelerate sustainable business practices, while 78% face pressure from activists. Both very large companies and MSEs have shown eagerness in adopting good ESG practices as it’s not just good narrative but is actually beneficial for companies to be good corporate citizens. Leaving the world with a better environment than the one we inherited is leaving a better world for the future generations. Having more women, differently abled and diverse workforce will help corporates be more productive, while sustainable business practices not only make for a great story but will also help the bottom line.