CSR Consulting: Education as the Preferred CSR Spending Focus

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Building Futures Education as the Preferred CSR
Spending Focus
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Introduction
Education has emerged as one of the top sectors
attracting CSR funding in India. As per financial
year (2021-2022) companies have spent over 6000
crores on education and special education, with
an additional 1000 crores being allocated to
vocational skill development. According to the
World Population Fund, 26 of India's population
falls within the age group of 10 to 24, while
another 24 falls within the age group of 0 to
14. This means that 50 of India's population is
below the age of 25. Therefore, significant
emphasis must be placed on education, to ensure
that India's emerging youth are employable.

• If we closely analyze the projects of some top
  companies spending their CSR funds in education,
  we can identify some key focus areas
• Improving School Infrastructure - By leveraging
  CSR funds, corporations are partnering with local
  authorities and non-profit organizations to build
  schools, classrooms, libraries, and laboratories.
  These efforts not only enhance access to
  education but also create conducive learning
  environments that foster student engagement and
  academic excellence. The focus is also to
  transform traditional schools into smart schools,
  equipping teachers with innovative teaching
  methodologies.

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• Empowering Educators - CSR initiatives offer a
  viable solution by supporting teacher training
  programs aimed at enhancing pedagogical skills,
  subject knowledge, and classroom management
  techniques. Collaborating with educational
  institutions and expert trainers, corporations
  are facilitating workshops, seminars, and online
  courses to empower educators with the tools and
  knowledge necessary to deliver quality education.
• Supporting Education with Technology Whether it
  is supporting IIT-JEE aspirants with online
  learning resources, class recordings or mock
  tests or establishing digital libraries,
  technology can help cater to diverse learning
  styles. Also, through strategic partnerships with
  ed-tech companies and educational institutions,
  corporations are leveraging technology to
  democratize access to quality education.
• Skill Development Vocational skills is another
  area where forward looking companies are putting
  a lot of focus. Vocational training makes the
  youth employment ready - by bridging the gap
  between employers needs and available skills.
• Read More On CSR Thematic Areas, Trends
  Spending

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Examples of Education Focused CSR Programs

• TCS Ignite My Future (https//tinyurl.com/tcsprog)
  Ignite My Future in School is a pioneering
  effort to empower educators through a
  trans-disciplinary approach that integrates
  computational thinking into core subjects like
  English, Maths, Science, Art, and Social Studies.
  Computational thinking is a higher-level process,
  whereby students can learn how to collect and
  analyze data, find patterns, decompose complex
  problems, abstract, build models and develop
  algorithms.
• Spark IT program (https//tinyurl.com/2458z562) -
  Infosys Foundation started the Spark-IT program.
  Meant for engineering students, the course is
  aimed to provide technology and communication
  skills training to those who consistently
  performed well academically.
• HDFC Bank Parivartan's (https//tinyurl.com/y4xpkj
  ee) education programme focus on teacher
  training, scholarships, career guidance and
  infrastructure support.
• Tech Mahindra Shikshaantar (https//tinyurl.com/3a
  46np8d), In the domain of education, Shikshaantar
  is a flagship training program for school
  stakeholders including teachers, educators,
  school administrators and leaders to unleash
  their best potential for creating safer and
  happier classrooms.

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Why Education is the Preferred CSR Thematic Area

• As a CSR consulting services firm that has
  advised numerous corporates, we have observed
  specific reasons why education has emerged as the
  preferred sector for CSR spending
• Fundamental Societal Issue Education remains a
  fundamental societal issue that requires
  attention. According to the Annual Status of
  Education Report 2023 (ASER Beyond Basics),
  which surveyed 34,000 individuals aged 14-18 in
  rural India across 26 states, it was found that
  children still struggle with foundational skills
  such as reading and basic division. CSR funds, if
  invested wisely in result-oriented programs, can
  significantly improve learning outcomes.
• Measurable Impact Impact assessment is a major
  success metric for CSR programs and is also a
  reporting mandate as per the law. As a CSR
  consulting firm , having worked on multiple
  impact assessment assignments, we believe that it
  is easier to measure the impact of education-led
  interventions because key impact metrics are
  easier to measure compared to some other thematic
  areas.
• Availability of Implementation Partners and
  Expertise Another key factor is the availability
  of implementation partners and the requisite
  expertise to implement education-driven programs.
  There are a number of NGOs operating in the
  education space with the relevant expertise to
  implement programs effectively and demonstrate
  credible results.

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Conclusion
Education has emerged as a top priority for CSR
spending among Indian corporates, with
significant funds allocated to primary,
secondary, and vocational education. By focusing
on improving school infrastructure, empowering
educators, integrating technology, and supporting
skill development, companies are making tangible
contributions to address the educational needs of
the nation. As a CSR consulting services firm, we
recognize the pivotal role of education in
societal development and advocate for continued
investment in this critical area
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Thank You
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