Corporate Social Responsibility or sustainable responsible business was always a buzz word in Corporate Sector. The inception of the concept CSR was in the late 1960s and early 1970s when many multinational corporations started focusing on ‘Business Ethics’ to gratify its stakeholders. But as in the case with many other progressive norms, in India the CSR concepts were accepted in its true sense by a very few corporates. Corporate responsibility was rarely practiced by Indian senior management teams and robust CSR programmes were only a concept in paper and presentations.
But this picture is going to change rapidly. The voluntary CSR guidelines which were issued by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs In December 2009 have got a follow up action now with Companies Act, 2013, where a certain class of entities were asked to shell out two per cent of their three-year average annual profit towards corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities.
Directus Consultants Private Limited was one of initial firms in India which responded dynamically to this season change. Directus recognized that the transformation with relate to CRS should happen with itself, before it could advice its clientele on social responsibility. Thus began the initiative ‘Directus Foundation’. Directus Foundation is a nonprofit organisation registered as a Public charitable trust in the state of Kerala with community development focus.
It has identified some priority areas where social security measures are lacking and chosen them as the primary focus sectors for the activities of foundation. The areas identified by Directus Foundation includes Education, Health Care, Old Age Care, Women Empowerment & Serving the Poor and needy in Society.
The Formal inauguration of Directus Foundation was on 11th October 2013 by Mr. K. N Marzook Chairman, Kerala Chamber of Commerce & Industry, in the presence of eminent personalities from the corporate world at Hotel Grand, MG Road, Cochin. The same function witnesses the unveiling of logo and tag line of Directus Foundation.
The first initiative from the foundation was ‘one day workshop on Companies Act 2013’. The initiative was received with an overwhelming response and active participation from more than 100 senior management professionals from Kerala. Lot more trainings and seminars for the benefit of corporate professionals are in the pipeline from Directus Foundation and the second one in that series is announced on 4th of January 2014 called ‘Refresher Course on Company Law for Corporate Executives & Students’.
‘Tagging Smiles’, the tagline of Directus Foundation, conveys the mission and vision of the organisation with almost clarity. This is a platform created with an intention to route the exposure and experience of corporate professionals for the well being of the society. Let us join our hands in this humble initiative of Directus Consultants to play its role successfully to contribute to the CSR era of the country.