CRISIL Ltd has bagged the prestigious National Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Award, 2020¹ in the category 'Corporate Awards for Excellence in CSR' for financial capability building and environment conservation.

This is the second time in a row that CRISIL has received the accolade, after winning the 'CSR in Challenging Circumstances, North-East' award for its flagship programme Mein Pragati in Assam, which was conferred by the Hon’ble President of India in 2019. The latest award once again recognises the tremendous work done by CRISIL Foundation, the CSR arm of CRISIL Ltd.

Says Amish Mehta, Managing Director & CEO, CRISIL Ltd, "We have focused on doing impactful work by building the financial capabilities of rural women, vulnerable communities, and by conserving the environment. This has delivered high social returns for stakeholders via empowered and strengthened communities. The award is a testament to conscientious on-ground efforts, and a recognition of the highly committed and energetic team behind it."

In Assam and Rajasthan, CRISIL Foundation has established robust interventions via Mein Pragati. This is facilitated through a well-trained, all-women community cadre of sakhis. This cadre has helped address the last-mile constraints in awareness and access to financial services. As on date, these sakhis have supported over a million rural community members, mostly women, by facilitating access to banking, government, and welfare schemes.

CRISIL Foundation’s efforts through Mein Pragati have led to a larger partnership with the Reserve Bank of India, 10 public sector banks and NABARD for CFLs in 18 states and union territories.

CRISIL RE, the environment conservation programme, works on urban afforestation in line with the two Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations of 'Climate Action' and 'Life on Land'. The programme engages CRISIL employees and their families, friends, and relatives in conservation and other socially responsible activities. So far, this has led to planting of more than 100,000 native trees across cities in India.

Says Maya Vengurlekar, Chief Operating Officer, CRISIL Foundation, "Our CSR programmes follow rigorous frameworks to deliver impact. We continuously leverage data and insights from the ground, which enable improvisation of interventions to drive deeper impact. That has aided our sakhi cadre improve financial inclusion outcomes in communities. It has also ensured high survival rate of plants in our afforestation efforts."

The social impact driven by Mein Pragati has persuaded a ramp-up of CRISIL Foundation's financial awareness and inclusion efforts at scale across 18 states and union territories through the MoneyWise Centres for Financial Literacy (CFL) with the support of the Reserve Bank of India, 10 public sector banks and NABARD.

The annual National CSR Awards have been instituted to recognise companies that have made a positive impact on the society through their innovative and sustainable CSR initiatives. The awards are the apex national level recognition by the government in three categories: 1) Corporate awards for excellence in CSR; 2) CSR in aspirational districts / difficult terrains, and 3) CSR for contribution in national priority areas.

¹ https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1852885