The environment and the economy are really two sides of the same coin. -Wangari Maathai
Do you consciously think about social impact? If you’re reading this, you
probably are.And like you, we do too. A brief introduction is therefore par for the course.
We started small, with a proof of concept for a financial inclusion programme in Assam and Rajasthan (a few years before the enactment of Section 135 of the Companies Act). As we tested the waters, got involved at the grassroots, and undertook extensive field work, we improvised our maiden programme - Mein Pragati - to reach out to excluded communities. What emerged was the realization that social impact requires tremendous investments of time, effort and understanding, so that we as service providers customise solutions allowing beneficiaries to move onward with dignity and confidence to improve the quality of their lives. Getting over stereotypical mindsets of rural women as the only potential target group was just the beginning. Suffice to say, our journey into the depths of community outreach has been exciting.
CRISIL Foundation, as it stands today, is a public charitable trust. Set up in March 2013, we are CRISIL’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) arm, reaching out to socially and economically disadvantaged communities within and beyond our areas of operations.
CRISIL Foundation has bagged the prestigious National Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Award, 2020, 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, in 2019.
Empowering people to make informed
financial choices
Build awareness and capacities of the
financially excluded in India
Share knowledge and insights backed by data, leveraged by analytical rigour,
credibility and experience
Shape thoughts, influence policy, set benchmarks to drive strong
social impact
Leverage multiple platforms to drive experiential learning, and therefore,
behavioural change as an outcome
CRISIL Foundation’s flagship financial capability building programme empowers disadvantaged communities by strengthening their financial capabilities. Apart from financial capability building, pilots on upskilling and livelihood enhancement being implemented at a small scale.
CRISIL RE, the flagship programme for social impact and outreach in cities, leverages CRISIL’s vibrant workforce as agents of change in Ahmedabad, Chennai, Gurugram, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, Pune, and Bengaluru. Used as a prefix, 'RE' is a simple but powerful idea that conveys the potential to alter the status quo.
An online learning-cum-certification programme to build the capacities of the Sakhi cadre, and to enable their seamless replication.
An initiative by the Reserve Bank of India, where CRISIL Foundation has been empanelled to manage over 675 MoneyWise Centres for Financial Literacy in 18 States/ Union Territories of India.