The social faces of the money makers

Generally, people feel channel partners, sitting in AC rooms, make huge profits only, with thinking much about social causes. However, this is not true. Contrary to the misconception, the channel partners, besides difficult business targets and hefty deals, have a softer side to them where they love to do things for the betterment of the society and are in no way less than a well-educated socially responsible citizens.

CSR in India

The evolution of corporate social responsibility in India refers to changes over time in India of the cultural norms of corporations' engagement of corporate social responsibility (CSR), with CSR referring to way that businesses are managed to bring about an overall positive impact on the communities, cultures, societies and environments in which they operate. The fundamentals of CSR rest on the fact that not only public policy but even corporate should be responsible enough to address social issues. Thus companies should deal with the challenges and issues looked after to a certain extent by the states.

Among other countries, India has one of the richest traditions of CSR. Much has been done in recent years to make Indian channel partners aware of social responsibilities as an important segment of their business activity. However, besides the fact, CSR in India is yet to receive widespread recognition. If this goal has to be realized then the CSR approach of corporate has to be in line with their attitudes towards mainstream business, like, companies setting clear objectives, undertaking potential investments, measuring and reporting performance publicly. Pradeep Jhawar, CEO, Bard Roy Infotech, Kolkatta has made philanthropy as a part of his business model. "Through our organization, we regularly offer computers to the children in orphanages enabling them to acquire computer knowledge. Amid targets and other pressures of our business, such activities are a type of mental satisfaction." Jhawar also requests other channel partners to involve themselves in such activities. "We should not feel that we have done nothing for the society even after living 60 years. It is better to give away back what we have earned till now," he says. Jhawar also says that his company does IT-enabled services with deduction of 30 % of his profit for any projects done for social cause.

Many channel partners, who do not contribute directly from their pocket for such causes, give concessions when it comes to IT deployment of social causes. Devesh Aggarwal, CEO, Compusoft has a history of deducting the rates for any projects with a social cause. "There was a proposal from a small NGO which educates the small time retailers to grow big to install a CRM for their forum. With the vendor also reducing some amount, Compusoft did not take any money from them for the installation since it was for a social cause". Devesh also says that even though Compusoft does not directly involves in philanthrophy, does many social activities indirectly. Biren Selarka, CEO, Acma Computers, Mumbai, says that the channel partners themselves should form an NGO and do all the IT works for the socially deprived people. "Currently our organization is concentrating on two things. Primarily we want to concentrate on children who do not get proper education. Secondly, we are trying to concentrate on orphanages, especially those which do not have any attention from mass public," he further added. RK Malhotra, CEO, Velocis Systems, Delhi, feels, he has done many CSR activities at personal level and through his organization. "We focus primarily on the welfare of the handicapped people and we do a lot for orphanages," Malhotra says, who further adds that recently they have signed with a forum to conduct regular medical camps and checkups for the people who are in poverty. Malhotra also advises the growing entrepreneurs to give back the society, what they earned. "The young channel partners should consider what they obtained from the society and should spend at least 5 to 10% of their profit back to the society", he concludes. S Pulla Reddy, CEO, SO Software, Hyderabad, says that CSR activity is not necessarily to sign with the NGOs and help the society. "The partners should start it within themselves. " Our major concern is protecting the environment and even though we have not signed with any NGOs as such, 65 % of the factory land has been left without any construction", he says that the further construction of the new company is ensured that it is environment-friendly. "Apart from that, we recruit poor students, train them and cater to all their needs,"he concludes.

Associations and CSR activities:

Even though, lot of channel partners are involved in CSR activities at the personal level, various associations of the partners do various activities on different levels also. Recently, more than13 traders from Nehru Place came together to tackle the evil of child labor. This initiative was taken by IT traders including Shyam Modi, chairman, All Delhi Computer Traders Association (ADCTA), Mahendra Aggarwal, president, Swarn Singh, joint secretary; ADCTA, Rajiv Grover and Dr PS Sethi, active member of ADCTA. The association recently conducted a meeting with 'Save the Children', an NGO which has been working for protection and education of street children in Nehru Place for the last 2 years. At the meeting it was agreed that shopkeepers will pledge to keep their shops child-labor free by putting up notices (sticker) to declare it free of child labor. According to the NGO, "Out of almost 400 street children in Nehru Place, 'Save the Children' has reached out to almost 223 children in the last 2 years and has enrolled about 80 of them into mainstream MCD schools." "Despite laws to curb child labor, the number of children who are forced to work is on the rise. It is our common responsibility to strive to curb the practice. With this step, we want to spread awareness against child labor," said Modi. "We will actively participate and contribute, in any way possible, to make Nehru Place a child-labor free zone," added Aggarwal.

Singh points out, "We are going to run an awareness campaign through messages on the shop/offices and bring awareness amongst general public about this sensitive issue." He also added, "Under this campaign-'Street to School', we will create awareness for those children who are working at places like restaurants and dhabas among the occupants and visitors. Our association, ADCTA, will participates and supports this project." As an extension of its welfare activities, Chennai Electronics and Infotech Traders' Association (CEITA) has recently installed a ‘water hut' at Ritchie Street in a recent event.

H Chandalia, secretary, CEITA, says, "On the lines of our Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, who has initiated the 'cold water' scheme, we are placing a water hut in the IT hub where filtered water will be provided from 10am to 8pm." Chandalia further says that in any religion, providing water to the thirsty is the greatest dharma and so the association has decided to make a provision for water in the middle of this street from where almost 13,000 people cross every day. "The water hut, which consumes 30 cans of water per day, is used by around 1,000 customers entering into Ritchie Street. Nine hundred and fifty glasses of juices are also provided during the noon time," Chandalia informed. The association also conducts a 'holy mela' program where almost 700 people participate every year. "The association will provide dresses to 200 students studying in corporation schools and scholarships to the children of our staff who are in need," he adds further.

Chandalia also says that the association is planning to conduct an outstation program for the members. The Namakkal Information Technology Association (NDITA) is all set to have a socio-economic approach towards the society and its members with the installation of new office bearers along with organizing events like tree plantation and blood donation camps.

N.Loganathan, president of the Namakkal district assocaition says, "In my tenure, our association is planning to conduct a series of welfare activities for the society. We are planning to conduct tree plantations in large numbers, regular blood donation camps and plans are also to unveil some statues for the personalities born in our soil."

Loganathan, the newly elected president of the association, also added that the association, with the funding from the government, is planning to connect the public health center in the Kolli hills with the district government hospital. "Plans are on for that through video conferencing and V-Sat technology." he informed.

Meanwhile, elaborating on the members' welfare activity, he said, "As a foot-forward measure to increase the headcount of the association, we are planning to associate the Taluk-level and Panchayat-level small partners and integrate them into the association."

Loganathan adds that the association was ready to work till any extent for the enhancement of the society and the channel community.

Blood donation: Channel partners' favourite

The channel partners and associations are known for the blood donation camps. Nehru Place Improvement & Welfare Association (NIWA) organizes voluntary blood donation camp at Nehru Place regularly. Recently, 101 volunteers including visitors and occupants of Nehru Place IT hub donated blood during the camp which was held with the theme, 'Give blood, give life and save valuable lives.' Swaran Singh, one of the office bearers of NIWA said, "The response was overwhelming and we were not expecting so many visitors to donate blood for the highest cause." He also says, "It was indeed a great occasion to be a part of the blood donation camp which had been a great success. The purpose of the camp was to instill the spirit of caring and sharing and encourage good human values. Our association organizes this camp every month and visitors always look for such camps to be organized in the Nehru place plaza which increases their confidence and motivates them to serve the society." Baroda IT Association (BITA) at its recently concluded IT Show 2012 conducted a program called 'Recycle Bin 2012-e-waste management program'. This section was set up in a way to function as an IT e-waste collection center.

The 'Recycle Bin 2012' center received tremendous response and saw the biggest e-waste collection in 3 days. Rajeev R Patel, honorable secretary, BITA says, "We have set a new record of collecting e-wastes which amounted to 4.5 tons, that I think is the highest ever in India by any NGO. In the first 2 days itself we had collected close to 3 tons of e-wastes and by the end of the fourth day we crossed the 4+ tone mark."