Chennai Hosts its First Ever CSR Leadership Conference

• NASSCOM Foundation brought together over 150 Industry leaders, NGO heads, Government officials, CSR thought leaders, and Social Innovators to help create a roadmap to achieve Tamil Nadu’s Vision for 2023 to become India’s most prosperous and progressive
• In the presence of revolutionary policy and IT industry leaders like R Chandrasekaran, Executive Vice Chairman, Cognizant, the NASSCOM Foundation CSR Leadership Conference provided an excellent platform for collaboration amongst, the government, the industry, and the development sector

  Chennai, 30^th October 2018: NASSCOM Foundation hosted one of India’s largest Tech for Good driven CSR Conclaves – The CSR Leadership Conference in Chennai. This is the first time Chennai has hosted a CSR conference of such a scale.   The event brought over 150 CEOs, CXOs, CSR Heads, HR Heads from companies across Chennai, NGO Leads, Government officials, thought leaders, Tech4Good champions and social innovators come under one roof to discuss and create collaborative and innovative ways of fulfilling the essential Social Development Goals for Tamil Nadu and for India.   With CSR law recently completing five years, the conference gave a much-needed platform to deliberate on past CSR interventions, refine strategies, catalyze collaborations and discuss new approaches to CSR through innovative practices, helping create a roadmap to a better Tamil Nadu.     Ashok Pamidi, CEO, NASSCOM Foundation, said, “Tamil Nadu has been in the top 5 states in terms of CSR spending where according to a report, over 1200 organizations in Tamil Nadu spent over 450 crores on CSR activities in 2016-17. With a strong presence of the IT industry, the region has had focused interventions from many technology organizations and has incredible potential for using technology for social good. “   He further added that, “The companies here have always been at the forefront of CSR, and we at NASSCOM Foundation hope to encourage and enable this practice further through this CSR Leadership Conference. The event acts as a platform where corporates, NGOs and Government can come together to focus towards creating large scale impact using technology as an enabler.”   Other eminent speakers at the conference included R Chandrasekaran, Executive Vice Chairman, Cognizant, Sanjay Podder, Managing Director, Accenture Labs, Srimathi Shivashankar, Executive Vice President, HCL Technologies, Chandramouliswaran V, PhD, Sr. Director, Enterprise Data Services & Chennai Centre Head, PayPal, Amardeep Devadason, Senior Vice President, Operations, Global Outsourcing, RR Donnelley, Praveen RK, Group Manager – Transformation and Program Management, BNY Mellon India, Girish Kamath, Vice President and Managing Director India, Scientific Games India and PR Ganapathy, President, Villgro.   India is in the midst of a digital revolution, as technology is altering our current systems of production, distribution, and consumption at an unprecedented pace. The CSR Leadership Conference (CLC) with one of its partners BNY Mellon, looked to seek answers from the leaders in technological innovation space on how digital transformation can create myriad opportunities, by tapping disruptive technologies and how can it act as a platform for change to expedite the fulfilment of the formidable Social Development Goals with innovation, inclusion and collaboration.   The CLC with its partner Scientific Games, also deep-dived into finding the ways in which CSR teams can strengthen the ecosystem for social innovation through impact investments. The panel on ‘Social Impact Investing: Models, Opportunities and the Role of CSR’ also shared best practices and examples where CSR investment in disruptive innovations had created tremendous large-scale impact.   Focusing on sustainable long-term impact, the CLC through its session on ‘CSR for Lives and Livelihoods’ discussed the current practices and the effectiveness of programs focusing on competency development and employability skill training. The session had companies sharing their successes and failures whilst discussing a way forward for robust and effective programs that positively impact livelihoods and empower lives.   Through a fireside chat with R Chandrasekaran, Executive Vice Chairman, Cognizant, the CSR Leadership Conference also attempted to help understand the importance of the role of leadership in creating a CSR philosophy, a culture of inclusion and giving in any organization.   The conference through its innovative ‘Impact wall’ also presented a multitude of opportunities for all participating NGOs, Social Enterprises and corporates to demonstrate their work and collaborate to solve common problems.   The NASSCOM Foundation CSR Leadership Conference, therefore, provided with a 360-degree outlook into the CSR landscape of Tamil Nadu and encouraged partnerships to solve critical social and developmental issues that pose a roadblock to the state’s rapid growth.       About NASSCOM Foundation: NASSCOM Foundation is a leading non-profit organization driving technology for good. The Foundation’s work is just as expansive and evolutionary as the potential that technology and corporate India entail. Drawing strength from its parent body NASSCOM, the Foundation works closely with four major stakeholders: NASSCOM member companies, NGOs, emerging social enterprises and Government to foster a strategic relationship between technology and development. NASSCOM Foundation’s core initiatives include working for Persons with Disabilities, fostering innovative solutions for social good, creating unique skilling models for underserved communities, helping transform Indian Public Libraries into community engagement, information and knowledge centres and digital literacy where it is the industry partner to the Govt. of India’s National Digital Literacy Mission (NDLM / PMGDISHA) Know more at www.nasscomfoundation.org     Media Contact Nasscom Foundation: Saurabh Madan +91 9891996685 [email protected]