Maruti Suzuki India (MSIL) has received the CII-ITC Sustainability Award 2016 for its CSR initiatives. The award was presented by Prakash Javadekar, Minister of HRD, Govt. of India to by R C Bhargava, Chairman, Maruti Suzuki India.
The award, ‘Corporate Excellence – Commendation of Significant Achievement’ in the CSR Domain Excellence, was a recognition for the Company’s performance in positively impacting the business and society by taking an approach to CSR. The award is based on a detailed application form and field visit by assessors.
According to the company, it is committed to create a long-term stakeholder value and benefit millions of lives through its CSR programmes and strategically addresses issues and concerns that are of national interest and relevant to the local community.
As part of its social strategy, it works to address road safety issues, create employable force by skilling youth in the automobile industry and undertake integrated water, sanitation and school upgradation programmes in village communities.
CSR has always been a part of Maruti Suzuki’s business approach and strategy:
Road Safety: The company’s focus is driving training, as “driver fault” is identified as the major cause of road accidents. By supporting driving training of underprivileged youth, the company is able to enhance their employability while making roads safer. Creating awareness among school children, and taking measures on specific road stretches are other ways in which the brand contributes to road safety. It has trained more than 3 million people in over a decade.
Skill Development: Maruti Suzuki offers India’s youth skills relevant to the industry requirement through its ‘Skill Development’. The company works in partnership with over 140 Government ITIs to offer vocational training to the youth through a curriculum that is designed to address the skill gap existing in the industry.
Community Development: The company considers local community as the direct stakeholder group. Maruti Suzuki has taken community development initiatives related to water and sanitation, education and infrastructure development. By adopting an inclusive and holistic approach, the company believes in implementing sustainable solutions resulting in long-term benefits to the communities.