CSR Health Impact Awards 2017 recognizes exemplary efforts and contributions of organizations to health

The first annual edition of the CSR Health Impact Awards 2017 was held on Friday, 7th July, 2017 at Hotel Taj Palace in New Delhi.

The gala awards ceremony was graced by ministers, healthcare practitioners, industry service providers, innovators, corporate professionals, and many other stakeholders, all coming together to celebrate outstanding efforts that the corporate world has made towards the nation's well-being across the last financial year, through their investments in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

The CSR Health Impact Awards has been introduced by an organization already having gained huge credibility in the field of health communications, and who has been addressing today's health needs through various events and publications in the recent past - the Foundation for India Health and Wellness. They are also the curators of the successful India Health and Wellness Summit and Awards, which is in its fourth year right now.

Reaffirming the Foundation's credo that health is the responsibility of one and all, CSR Health Impact Awards 2017 was designed to reward both best CSR initiatives that have contributed to better health, as well as businesses that have been the backbone of these efforts, either by themselves or in partnerships with organizations, impacting health outcomes in the areas of their work across India.

Delivering his welcome address at the event, Kamal Narayan, Founder, Foundation for India Health and Wellness said, "Improving health and well-being of the nation is a significant part of our country's Sustainable Development Agenda 2030. In my opinion, health is the collective responsibility of citizens. It is important to look at the components of the health ecosystem such as food, air, water, and healthcare in a more integrated and non-compromising manner, and also celebrate health CSR projects and partnerships that have made a real world of difference in the lives of communities. Today's awards ceremony, I believe will provide valuable insights in showcasing such initiatives, and further bringing all of us closer to the vision of a Healthy India."

Dr. Dharminder Nagar, Managing Director, Paras Healthcare, known for his work in making quality healthcare accessible and available to the masses, shared his thoughts on 'Creating Real Impact on Health with CSR'.

"The current challenges of CSR for health in India presently are sustainability, formulating measurable agendas and creating the population impact. These are the areas we need to work upon in order to facilitate more impactful outcomes. Another interesting aspect is to create social-private partnerships for CSR, beyond the much-talked about boundaries of public-private and private-private partnerships," said Dr. Nagar.

Praveen Prakash, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Urban Development and Mission Director- Swachh Bharat mission, discussed pertinent views on Swachh Bharat, the Government of India initiative that has caught the attention of both India and the world, where the demand for clean neighbourhood and hygienic habits comes at the very top of the mind.

He also mentioned how the SWACHH (Swachhata Augmentation Through Corporate Help) portal has gained traction over the last one year, connecting city municipal commissioners and authorities with individuals and companies who are interested in funding and getting involved in city-level Swachh Bharat projects, leveraging the use of CSR to build a cleaner and healthier India.

Dettol Banega Swachh India, a one-of-its-kind CSR project aimed at raising the bar higher for hygiene and sanitation in India, and providing inspiration to make cleaner and greener India a reality, was also highlighted as the focus initiative during today's program.

The main awards ceremony was followed by a panel discussion on a highly relevant topic, i.e. 'How CSR can contribute to better health for all'. The reputed speakers on the panel included Sanjiv Navangul, MD, Janssen India; Ravi Bhatnagar, Head External Affairs and Partnerships, Reckitt Benckiser; Mr. Anshu Gupta, Founder of Goonj; and Dr. Kavita Narayan, FACHE Technical advisor, Ministry of Health & family Welfare. The session was moderated by Mr. Sridhar Ranganathan, MD, Allergan India.

Under the Companies Act, which has come in effect from April 1, 2014, certain classes of profitable companies are mandated to shell out at least two percent of their three year average annual net profit towards CSR activities. This has led to, in addition to all the good CSR work that was already being done in India, an increased interest in this space, as companies have increased their spends on CSR, and newer companies emerging as CSR champions.

The award categories at the event were divided into three groupings: the CITIUS (for firms registering an annual turnover up to Rs. 250 crore), the ALTIUS (for firms registering an annual turnover between Rs. 250-1000 crore), and the FORTIUS (for firms registering an annual turnover over Rs. 1000 crore). Within each of the groupings, eight categories were present; so, in total, the CSR initiatives were adjudged titles across 24 categories.

The notable and meticulously planned categories were Health CSR Project of the Year, Healthcare Support Initiative of the Year, WASH Initiative of the Year, Employee Volunteer Program of the Year, Healthy Nutrition Awareness Initiative of the Year, Health Awareness Campaign of the Year, Swachh Bharat Impact of the Year, and Carbon Footprint Reduction Initiative of the Year.

Over the last three months, the website of CSR Health Impact Awards 2017 overwhelmingly registered more than 200 entries. After intense analysis on sustainability and scalability of the brands, and transparent selection through a jury-driven process, the prestigious awards were given out today to the most deserving candidates.

-ANI