CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY OF ART OF LIVING

Submitted by: Sugandha Sharma Roll no: 337A12 MBA (LIM)

Submitted to: Prof Navjeet Singh

Established in 1982, The Art of Living Foundation is an educational and humanitarian foundation, registered in the US as a tax-exempt and nonprofits organization. It is not a religious organization, but as one adhering to the basic spiritual principles of love, kindness and unconditional service to the world. It carries out numerous charitable, educational and humanitarian programs throughout the world on the basis of donations. All the activities of the foundation are based on the saying of its founder teacher Sri Sri Ravishankar"a truly religious person will be secular in nature. Secular means one who thinks all human beings are his or her own." The Art of Living works in special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the UN, and as such it has accredited representatives at the UN in New York, Geneva and Vienna. It also works in formal consultation with the World Health Organization (WHO). Peace, joy and love are our true states of being. Stress disturbs the system and produces negative thoughts and emotions, which then get stored as toxins in the body. This leads to disease in the body and a disturbed mental state. ART OF LIVING BASIC COURSE The Art of Living Basic Course offers techniques to eliminate stress from the system and to pave the way for a joyful, vibrant life. Course participants report increase in the level of physical energy and an overall enhancement of well-being. The mind becomes more focused, more in the moment, more alert. Our inner strength becomes so strong and pervasive that nothing can shake it.

THE 5th Program Prison SMART Dollar A Day

Art Ecxel

MISSION OF ART OF LIVING: The Art of Living is a multi-faceted, not-for-profit educational and humanitarian NGO with a presence in over 140 countries. We are engaged in diverse initiatives aimed at uplifting humanity by bringing peace at the level of the individual, society, nation and the world as a whole.

The Art of Living Corporate Programme - APEX is designed to address the need for holistic management development for increased team spirit and inspiring leadership. By combining timeless wisdom and innovative processes, APEX transforms managers into leaders. Central to our approach is the fundamental principle of inspiration. It is not enough to merely motivate an employee through perquisites and promotions. An emotional or deeper level of connection, inspirational engagement, a sense of purpose is essential for the high performance of teams. Only when individuals are inspired, do they assume responsibility and display a greater level of commitment to people and the companys vision. Over 15,000 executives worldwide across more than 230 organisations have benefited from the APEX Programmes. The Programme touches the inner core of executives by using the Sudarshan Kriya - a powerful breathing technique that has brought profound benefits to the body, mind and spirit of millions around the world. Experiential modules on Creativity,

Personal Capability Building, Power vs. Influence, Risk-taking, Innovation, Team work, Conflict Resolution and various other management issues shed new light in creating empowered and engaged employees and teams. The major deliverables and objectives of the APEX Leadership Programme include: Instant and lasting benefits in the participants day to day work, enabling them to attend to their body mind spirit complex Effective communication, problem solving skills, and team building Enhanced creativity, with improved capability, job performance, productivity and organisational culture Improved physical well-being, clarity of mind, and dynamism To harmonise the crucial equations between home and work, amongst colleagues across hierarchies and cultures The APEX Team actively engages with HR and the Business/Team Leaders of an organisation to customise the intervention necessary to relieve stress at the individual, team and organisational level. The Programmes integrate the organisations values and mission to ensure relevance and effectiveness. APEX Reconnects and Advanced Programmes have been designed to deliver life changing transformation for aspiring leaders The Art of Living is a multi-faceted, not-for-profit educational and humanitarian NGO with a presence in over 140 countries. Founded in 1982 by His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, the Art of Living, today, is one of the largest voluntary organisations in the world. Inspired by its founders vision of making the world a violence-free, stress-free global family, the organisation is engaged in various initiatives that uplift humanity and enhance the quality of life. The goal of the organisation is to bring peace at the level of the individual, society, nation and the world as a whole. Its areas of work covers conflict resolution, disaster and trauma relief, poverty alleviation, empowerment of women, prisoner rehabilitation, education for all, campaigns against female foeticide and child labour and environment sustainability. Guided by Sri Sris philosophy of peace, Unless we have a stress-free mind and a violencefree society, we cannot achieve world peace, the Art of Living offers several stresselimination and self-development programmes based mainly on breathing techniques, meditation and yoga. These programmes have helped thousands around the world to overcome depression and violent and suicidal tendencies. The Art of Living has several sister organisations which are dedicated to realising its vision. International Association for Human Values, Ved Vignan Maha Vidya Peeth, Sri Sri Ravishankar Vidya Mandir, Vyakti Vikas Kendra India, among others, formulate and implement social projects of the Art of Living. Professional Affiliations

The Art of Living works in special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations participating in a variety of committees and activities relating to health, education, sustainable development and conflict resolution. It also carries our several joint initiatives with UN organizations such as United Nations Millennium Campaign (UNMC), United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF), etc. Organisational Structure In the Art of Living organizational structure, there is a board of trustees with a term of two years. Two thirds of the trustees change every two years. All the Art of Living teachers and the previous trustees are allowed to nominate a new board. There is a provision for an advisory board that monitors and guides the organization. All the accounts are regularly audited by an external auditor. Other than expenses, no trustee is entitled to benefits in terms of salary etc. The business case for CSR within a company will likely rest on one or more of these arguments: Human resources A CSR programme can be seen as an aid to recruitment and retention particularly within the competitive graduate student market. Potential recruits often ask about a firm's CSR policy during an interview, and having a comprehensive policy can give an advantage. CSR can also help to improve the perception of a company among its staff, particularly when staff can become involved through payroll giving, fundraising activities or community volunteering. Risk management Managing risk is a central part of many corporate strategies. Reputations that take decades to build up can be ruined in hours through incidents such as corruption scandals or environmental accidents. These events can also draw unwanted attention from regulators, courts, governments and media. Building a genuine culture of 'doing the right thing' within a corporation can offset these risks. Brand differentiation In crowded marketplaces, companies strive for a unique selling proposition which can separate them from the competition in the minds of consumers. CSR can play a role in building customer loyalty based on distinctive ethical values. Several major brands, such as The Co operative Group and The Body Shop are built on ethical values. Business service organisations can benefit too from building a reputation for integrity and best practice. License to operate Corporations are keen to avoid interference in their business through taxation or regulations. By taking substantive voluntary steps, they can persuade governments and the wider public that

they are taking issues such as health and saftey, diversity or the environment seriously, and so avoid intervention. This also applies to firms seeking to justify eye-catching profits and high levels of boardroom pay. Those operating away from their home country can make sure they stay welcome by being good corporate citizens with respect to labour standards and impacts on the environment. The various Corporate Social Responsibilities of Art of Living are:

Conflict resolution and peace - Violence Ends Where Love Begins

The underlying basis of its conflict resolution initiatives is to transform destructive emotions. Through its stress elimination workshops that inspire people to see life in a broader perspective, the Art of Living has turned violent aggressors into more reasonable, calm and loving people. Its commitment to build bridges between estranged communities has paved the way for mutual trust, lasting peace, and rapid economic development. The Art of Living's peace initiatives are not just limited to local conflict resolution. They take a global view of violence and conflict and seek to address them. As a testimony of that, Sri Sri embarked on a historic peace mission to Pakistan in 2004. Such cross border engagements encourage the hope that spirituality will fill the missing links to establish better ties between India and Pakistan. Sri Sri has also been advocating a holistic approach to deal with global terrorism and has initiated practical measures in this regard. Through its mass initiatives, the Art of Living has proved that violence ends where love begins. And the journey continues. Disaster management - Helping Victims Get Back to Life

With its worldwide network of volunteers, the Art of Living has been able to immediately reach the calamity-struck place anywhere in the world, providing physical and mental solace and material relief. Through this network, the Art of Living has established itself as one of the vital links in disaster rehabilitation programmes the world over. From extensive relief and rehabilitation work in the tsunami-affected areas to trauma relief camps in war-torn Iraq and in the aftermath of 9/11 attacks in New York to earthquake relief in Gujarat, volunteers of the Art of Living have gone beyond the concern of their own safety to tend to the mental, emotional and material needs of natural or manmade disaster victims. The Art of Living, along with its sister organisations, International Association for Human Values and Vyakti Vikas Kendra India, has taken upon itself the responsibility of soothing any society rattled by violence and other natural disasters. Guided by Sri Sri, it has developed an effective and dynamic three-stage model for responding to emergency disasters. IMMEDIATE MATERIAL AID AND SERVICE: This entails providing emergency services and material aid in the aftermath of a calamity which includes food, clothes, medicines and

shelter. Doctors, counsellors and other physical and mental health experts form an integral part of such immediate relief efforts. NEAR-TERM TRAUMA RELIEF: For survivors of such disasters, who have experienced severe physical and emotional trauma, material help alone is not sufficient. Alleviating the trauma and helping them reclaim their lives is essential. A study on the Art of Living Trauma Relief Programmes given to large groups of Southeast Asia tsunami survivors showed significant relief from post-traumatic stress disorder in four days only. LONG-TERM REHABILITATION: True relief can only happen when disaster survivors are completely rehabilitated - physically, emotionally and socially - and have a sustainable means of earning their livelihood. To achieve this, volunteers work in villages and with local communities, building homes, sanitation systems, roads, schools, vocational training centres and other necessary infrastructure. The Trauma Relief Programmes of the Art of Living have also been instrumental in alleviating post-traumatic stress disorder in war zones. The organisation has provided long-term rehabilitation and trauma care to victims in the aftermath of almost every major disaster in the world. Prisoner rehabilitation - Creating Peace Behind the Bars

The Art of Living has brought inner peace even to those who have always lived in violence and conflicts. Using the knowledge of the link between breath and emotions, the Art of Living has altered the lives of over 200,000 inmates in jails all over the world. If administrators and lawmakers knew the power of breath, many who are put in prisons would have been sent to breathing schools rather than jails! I used to actually look forward to fights but after doing the course, I am a totally different person. I can now walk away from a fight. This comment by an inmate of Pollsmoor Prison in South Africa is just another understated testimony of the impact of the Art of Livings immensely successful Prison Programme. Transforming Destructive Emotions The Sudarshan Kriya, in particular, has been extremely effective in helping prisoners cope with their emotions and eliminate destructive thinking. A study of 604 inmates of Taipei Tu-Chen Detention Centre and Taichung Detention Centre in Taiwan revealed that the inmates who had undergone the programme reported better sleep, calmer minds and a general feeling of

well-being. Over half of the group reported a reduction in negative emotions such as anger, depression and fear. In addition to transforming the destructive mindset, other benefits of the programme include measurable and sustained reductions in smoking, drinking and alcohol abuse. Holistic Rehabilitation In its endeavour to provide a more holistic rehabilitative intervention, the Art of Living has introduced a variety of opportunities such as theatre, music and dance workshops, personality development and vocational training (commercial arts, costume jewellery, fashion technology, weaving) workshops to harness their energies in a constructive manner. More recently, in cooperation with the jail authorities, the Art of Living started a handmade paper products unit for the inmates called SRIJAN for the inmates of Tihar Jail. Located on the jail premises, this unit employs inmates to make paper bags, lampshades, photo-frames, stationary and other utility items. There are two such units on the jail premises itself and one outside being handled by released prisoners. The inmates are paid wages for their efforts that is deposited into their accounts.

Community development - Building Society at the Grassroots

Guided by its founder His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankars vision of holistic and sustainable social development, the Art of Living runs several far-reaching community empowerment programmes around the world. The focus of these programmes is to raise the self-esteem of the people from the underprivileged sections and make them partners in the process of sustainable social development. The Art of Livings community empowerment programme focuses on the grassroots realities such as empowerment of the marginalised, rural development, promotion of social harmony, empowerment of women, reviving rural economy and preserving indigenous communities.

Its umbrella social intervention initiative, 5H Programme, is making a huge difference in the world by uplifting individuals, families and communities. 5H stands for Health, Hygiene, Homes, Human Values and Harmony in Diversity. The aim of the programme is to uplift individuals and communities at the grassroots so that they become self-reliant, both socially and economically. Secret of Success A team of motivated and committed volunteers who are a direct product of the Art of Livings Youth Leadership Training Programme (YLTP) are writing the script of this phenomenal success story in social development. Making Villages Self-Reliant Under Sri Sri Rural Development Programme (SSRDP), the Art of Living runs several

programmes to empower rural communities and bridge the needs and resources between the urban and rural populace. The outcome of these initiatives is the strengthening of the rural economy in the immediate future and a strong national economy in the long run. Established in the year 2001, the underlying philosophy of the programme is to share the burden and responsibility of poor villagers by helping them become self-sufficient and selfreliant. The immediate outcome of making villages self-reliant is the decrease in the number of villagers migrating to towns and cities in search of employment. This not only reduces the heavy strain on urban infrastructure, but also saves migrants from getting trapped in a web of urban crime. To train rural youth, the Art of Living offers a wide range of training modules, both in modern vocations such as manufacturing and service sector, and traditional skills such as bee water harvesting. Bridging Divides in Communities The progress of a community requires the contribution from each individual. In an atmosphere of communal tensions and society divides, progress and unity are the greatest casualties. This is an enormous challenge for India, especially since many communal divides are longstanding. The Art of Living has proved to be a significant bridge between estranged communities. By bringing together individuals of all backgrounds through stress-elimination programmes and community gatherings, religious and social differences are forgotten. The larger good of society is given a priority. When riots broke out between Hindus and Muslims in Gujarat in 2002, trained volunteers of the Art of Living carried out relief operations and trauma care in the worst affected areas. Art of Living volunteers worked with the local community leaders to restore harmony among people from different communities. Following one such engagement with five Maulvis and 35 leading Muslim leaders from Godhra, the worst-affected area during the riots, violence stopped in the area. The Art of Living is also working to end discrimination on the basis of birth and provide equal opportunity to all. In March 2007, the Art of Living initiated the Truth and Reconciliation conference to bring together decision makers, leaders and representatives of mainstream and the Dalit communities. The outcome was a seven-point action plan which is being implemented at the grassroots level. In many areas, estranged communities have come together in unprecedented gestures, paving the way for a socially progressive community.

Women empowerment - Harnessing Women Power

"When you train a woman, you help the entire family, community and nation."-His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar As envisaged by His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, the Art of Living is helping families,