“It always seems it is impossible until it is done” –Nelson Mandela.
140 of the world’s largest companies expressed support for aligning on a core set of metrics and disclosures in their annual reports about environmental, social and governance (ESG) matters.[1] The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) & DNV GL’s global survey of 2018 indicates that out of around 250 companies across 43 countries and four continents, 78 percent have undertaken efforts to identify priority with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for their organization.[2] Growing and maturing market of impact investing which directs capital to enterprises that generate social or environmental benefits. [3] All these point to the fact that more than ever the businesses are engaging in the themes of people and planet, sustainability and community development. Centre for Social Infrastructure (CSI) is built on this global need, appetite and responsibility for change.
CSI aims to study, research and propagate these themes through the framework of social infrastructure. According to Town and Country Planning Organization, Ministry of Urban Development in the UDPFI Guidelines, social infrastructure is defined as a system that creates a social safety net through the provision of health, education, public services and recreation.[4] The social infrastructure deals with the following aspects: 1. Health-care Facilities 2. Education Facilities 3. Socio-Cultural Facilities 4. Other Public-Semi-Public Facilities i. Police ii. Fire & Emergency Services iii. Communication (Postal Facility) 5. Recreational Facilities & Open Spaces 6. Distributive Services 7. Miscellaneous Facilities. Particularly in the Indian context, India Investment Grid identifies health and education infrastructure as core sub-sectors of social infrastructure sector with an expenditure of approximately USD 28 bn and USD 20 bn for both these sectors planned respectively over 2020-25. [5]
With increasing governmental budgetary allocation at both Centre and State levels and the centrality of guiding motto Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, (Everybody’s participation, every body’s progress), there have been many positive changes in designs of the policies/schemes. Improved access to social services is also reflected in expanding the reach of people’s participation, awareness generation, technology use, and direct benefit transfer. In spite of these, India’s rank in Human Development Index (HDI) is 129th out of 189 countries, as per HDR 2019. This leaves much to be desired and done.
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[1] https://www.weforum.org/press/2020/01/measuring-stakeholder-capitalism-world-s-largest-companies-support-developing-core-set-of-universal-esg-disclosure
[2] https://docs.wbcsd.org/2018/07/WBCSD_Business_and_the_SDGs.pdf
[3] https://www.ifc.org/wps/wcm/connect/8b8a0e92-6a8d-4df5-9db4-c888888b464e/2020-Growing-Impact.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CVID=naZESt9
[4] http://pdadnh.nic.in/Reports/11%20-%20%20Chapter%207_Social%20Infrastructure.pdf
[5] https://indiainvestmentgrid.gov.in/sectors/social-infrastructure
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