Empowering Sustainable Development: CSC-IESGN SDG Conclave Promotes ESG Awareness

The CSC Academy and Indian ESG Network jointly organized the “CSC-IESGN SDG Conclave” on May 3, 2024, at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, to promote ESG awareness in the country. The objective of this conclave was to facilitate meaningful debates on key topics related to ESG in the presence of renowned experts.

Key issues discussed included strategies for large-scale social impact, the comparison between ESG and CSR, and the evolving landscape of CSR. In today's era, ESG has become a popular term associated with sustainable development, encompassing environmental, social, and governance factors. It sets standards for how companies operate for the betterment of the planet and its people.

Inaugurating the conclave, Atul Kumar Tiwari, Secretary of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, expressed his delight at the collaboration between CSC and IESGN, recognizing it as a significant step toward achieving SDG goals. Tiwari highlighted CSC's role in empowering rural governance through direct benefit transfers. He noted that nearly two-thirds of companies are striving for better execution of SDG goals, with 60% emphasizing capacity building and technological intervention, in which CSC plays a prominent role. Tiwari also commended CSC's initiatives, like CSC Bal Vidyalaya, for promoting tech-enabled learning and extending services to marginalized communities. He emphasized CSC's crucial role in enhancing rural livelihoods through ESG goals, contributing to India's overall consumption and income.

1. Krishnan, Secretary of the Ministry of Electronics, and Information Technology, shared his views on Digital India's impact on sustainability, praising CSC's commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR) for its significant impact on social upliftment. He highlighted the importance of well-designed, conceptualized, and defined projects that naturally attract support, emphasizing CSC's diverse contributions to society.

Efforts toward sustainable development play a significant role in advancing social development in the country. CSC empowers rural communities through poverty alleviation, gender equality, rural development, and economic activities. The conclave showcased CSC's journey of 15 years, highlighting its achievements and initiatives like digital vans, Stree Swabhiman, and Bal Swasthya, aimed at tech-enabled education and local development.

Welcoming the guests, Sanjay Rakesh, President and Secretary of CSC Academy, said, "The journey of CSC with over 5.7 lakh VLEs over the past 15 years demonstrates the power of community and non-governmental service distribution in the direction of social upliftment. Our commitment to sustainable development has increased through initiatives like Digital Vans, Women's Dignity, and Child Health. Our partners have contributed significantly to all of these. The CSC Academy's initiation of new projects like CSC Bal Vidyalayas and the collaboration with IIT-Delhi to enhance awareness through 20 model Anganwadi centers reflects our focus on technology-based education and local development. Our goal is to bring significant changes to people's lives in remote areas, reduce migration from villages to cities, and empower local communities."

The event explored the important role of CSR in the era of ESG and how environmental conservation can drive social development. Expert-led discussions delved into various aspects of ESG, including CSC initiatives in education, skills, and women empowerment, aligning cyber security initiatives with CSR and Sustainable Development Goals, and fostering sustainable development alongside government efforts.

Prominent dignitaries present included Vikrant Abrol, Founder of Indian ESG Network; Prof. Jyoti Kumar from IIT Delhi; Dr. Nishant Chadha, Director of Policy and Research at Indian School of Business; Priya Naik from Samhita; Ashima Singh, General Manager of Learning Link Foundation; Mary Rupa Tete, Vice President of USHA; Rajiv Malik, CEO of Graposs Connect; Dr. Ajit (Retd. IAS) from Earth Care Foundation; Dinesh Aggarawal, Principal Advisor at Consocia Advisory; Dr. Chandrashekher, Executive Director of EDCIL; Akshay Dhoot, Director of Smartping; Sheena Suresh, AVP at HSBC; Girija Mukund, Director of Corporate Social Responsibility and ESG at Kyndryl; Vidushi Saxena from Adobe; Pradeep Singh, Head of CSR Monitoring and Impact Assessment at HDFC Bank; and Sanjeev Sehgal, MD & Founder of Sparsh CCTV.

The event provided an excellent opportunity to connect with ESG professionals and highlighted the crucial role of Common Services Centers (CSCs) in the Digital India mission. CSCs serve as access points for delivering Digital India services to rural and remote areas, contributing to the vision of a digitally and financially inclusive society. Besides delivering essential government and public utility services, CSCs offer a range of social welfare schemes, financial services, educational and skill development courses, healthcare, agriculture services, and digital literacy programs.