PROFESSIONAL ETHICS AND VALUES

ASSIGNMENT 2

Corporate Social Responsibility of Arvind

Submitted by:

Hema Shivaranjani(MFM/20/365)

Isha Singh(MFM/20/284)

Sri Pragathi (MFM/20/446)

Vatsala Agarwal(MFM/20/59)

Under the guidance of

Mr. Joseph Regy

Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of

Masters of Fashion Management Studies

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FASHION TECHNOLOGY

BENGALURU

(2020-2022)

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Certificate……………………………………………………….3

Acknowledgement………………………………………………4

Overview………………………………………………………..5

Education………………………………………………………..7

Empowering Tribal Women……………………………………10

Health.………………………………………………………….13

Slum Rehabilitation…………………………………………….15

Conclusion……………………………………………………...18

References.……………………………………………………..19

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 CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the Assignment Report entitled ”Corporate Social Responsibility” which
is submitted by Hema Shivaranjani, Isha Singh, Sri Pragathi, Vatsala Agarwal in partial
fulfilment of the requirement for the award of degree Master of Fashion Management in
National Institute of Fashion Technology. The matter presented in this Assignment is duly
acknowledged and has not been submitted for the fulfilment of any other degree.

Mr. Joseph Regy

(Project Supervisor)

Department of Fashion Management Studies (FMS)

National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT)

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

It gives us great pleasure to present the Professional Ethics and Values Assignment that has
been undertaken during the NIFT MFM first semester.

We would like to express our gratitude to all those who have helped and guided us for the
completion of this report throughout the working period.

We are especially grateful to our honourable Mr. Joseph Regy for his suggestions and support
which helped us immensely in preparing this report. Without his advice and support, it would
not be possible for us to complete this report.

Last but not the least we express our gratitude to all the individuals who have helped us directly
or indirectly

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 OVERVIEW

Arvind is said to be the most valuable lifestyle powerhouse that has redefined the
retail and fashion industry in India.

One of the fundamental values that are embedded into the very DNA of Arvind
Limited is the belief that only in a healthy society can healthy businesses flourish and
to ensure this, businesses must positively impact society.

The Founders of Arvind Limited, Flagship Company of the Lalbhai Group, believed
that every human being needs to be engaged productively for accomplishment of his /
her personal, social, spiritual and professional goals. To nurture this, the society needs
institutions that would equip individuals with relevant knowledge, appropriate skills
and right attitude and values.

Image Source: https://www.arvind.com

The Founders were instrumental in setting up pioneering institutions for sustaining

and improving Educational, Social, Cultural and Religious conditions that supported
these values and thereby Ahmedabad’s social and business progress.

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Ahmedabad Education Society, Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, Centre
for Environmental Planning and Technology, H L College of Commerce and Lalbhai
Dalpatbhai Institute of Indology are some examples.

In addition, Arvind’s CSR activities so far have been carried out through
SHARDA(Strategic Help Alliance for Relief to Distressed Areas) Trust and
NLRDF(Narottam Lalbhai Rural Development Fund) working urban and rural settings
respectively.

Arvind Foundation has been created to act as an umbrella organisation to represent all
CSR Initiatives. The initiatives of educational, social and cultural renewal have been
supported much before the term CSR was coined.

The New Companies Act mandates CSR operations by the corporate entities, provides
broad guidelines and sets up a reporting framework. The Arvind Limited Policy on
Corporate Social Responsibility (ALPCSR) has been put in place to facilitate the
process.

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 EDUCATION

Gyanda is Arvind’s flagship educational programme under its Corporate Social

Responsibility (CSR) initiatives. Gyanda literally means ‘Fountain of Knowledge’. What the
programme attempts to do is to mentor children from the urban poor families, studying in
municipal schools run by Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, and provide them with
supplementary education. The idea is to ensure that these children not only complete their
education up to Class XII, but go on to graduate. At the heart of this programme is to equip
these children to break the vicious circle of poverty.

Image Source: https://www.arvind.com/fashioning-possibilities

Background

Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation runs over 450 schools that provide free education to over
1.3 Lacs students. Most students in these schools come from the urban poor families living in
congested urban settings.

Due to the social and economic constraints, many students tend to drop out after primary
education. They need guidance and financial support and hand holding to continue their
education at least till higher secondary.

Concept

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Gyanda is a unique initiative that provides educational, financial and motivational support to
help students from economic backward sections of society to complete their education till
Class 12 and further, if they have the merit and desire to study

Image Source: https://www.arvind.com/education

The objective is to ensure that these children get quality education that results in gainful
employment, thereby ensuring that theirs is the last generation in poverty.

Implementation

1. The Primary School programme

This programme works with students of Class 5, 6 and 7 studying in Municipal

Schools in Ahmedabad. Teachers are from SHARDA Trust which is a charitable
Trust under the umbrella of Arvind Foundation teach Mathematics, English,
Computers and Gujarati in these schools during school hours, with emphasis on easy
learning and practical applications.

2. The Secondary School programme

Here Selection is done through a sensitive and careful process where students from
primary sections join the secondary sections. The academic curriculum expands
tremendously once a student reaches Class 8 and above. To cope with this, students
require a great deal of personalized attention and subject-wise guidance.

3. SHARDA Trust

Conducts three-hour classes for these students after school hours. Currently, there are
two centers where these classes are conducted. Students from various schools who
have been sponsored by SHARDA Trust come to these centers.

4. Financial support to students

To prevent students from dropping out of the education system, they facilitate their
admission in higher classes in various schools, based on their merit and choice. They
also provide all-round support, including payment of education fees, financial support
to buy uniforms, books.

5. Scholarships to pursue professional degrees

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Meritorious and needy students get financial support for higher education after the
12th, in professional streams of their choice at reputed colleges.

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 EMPOWERING TRIBAL WOMEN

“Educate a man; you educate a man. You educate a woman; you educate a
generation.”

Image source: https://www.arvind.com/empowering-tribal-women

Empowering a nation by empowering its women:

Arvind wanted to trigger the possibility of empowering a generation by empowering the
women. In the state of Gujarat where 15% population is tribal and has limited access to
resources, educating the tribal women could create a huge impact on the development of the
state and in turn the nation. Arvind fashioned this possibility by opening these women to
opportunities that they didn’t know existed, opportunities for self-reliance, growth, and
knowledge. They wanted to provide them with a platform that lets them explore their potential,
and embrace it. So, they created a pipeline training system, where young tribal girls received
education and skill training, an initiative that would help them get absorbed at Arvind or get
jobs outside.

Image source: https://www.arvind.com/fashioning-possibilities/innovation/empowering-a-nation-by-empowering-its-women

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Through CSR division, Arvind has initiated a unique residential programme to work and skill
young women from the rural areas of Gujarat. These young women, all of them educated up to
class XII, are chosen on the basis of their academic qualifications, dexterity test, aptitude test
and health check-ups. They selected 300 girls to come to Arvind along with their parents and
explore the residential setup and get detailed information about the program. Out of the 300
selected, 120 girls decided to stay back in the first round. These girls were given vocational
training, accommodation, transportation, learning opportunities and paid employment. As they
moved up the ladder within the Arvind textile division, they were linked to Ambedkar
University for pursuing an education that might lead to even better opportunities in the future.

Image source: https://www.arvind.com/empowering-tribal-women

After this successful first run of the project, they now look to recruit 50-60 tribal girls every
two months. By providing these girls with such opportunities, Arvind is trying to break the
circle of dependence, poverty, and helplessness that they get stuck in for their entire lives. In
fact, when they are educated and have skills to support themselves and their families, they
can be better mothers and guardians for future generations.

Projects and Programmes

● Arvind undertakes Women empowerment programs through education, skill

enhancement and training and upgrade potential for wage and self-employment.

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 ● Undertake and expand the ongoing projects and programmes for making people
English Proficient and facilitate employment linkages.

● Supporting Projects and Programmes for Skill enhancement in any area of knowledge
for women, children, senior citizens, masses and differently abled persons.

● Undertake studies to identify potential skill initiatives suitable for a particular

geographical and industrial region.

Arvind envision a country where every citizen is empowered, knowledgeable and capable.

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 HEALTH

In India, healthcare is often beyond the reach of the poor. A fast-growing population, changing
disease profile, multi-layered healthcare system, paucity of medical personnel and awareness
and inaccessibility of quality healthcare services at an affordable cost are some of the
challenges the underprivileged face today.
Considering the lack of facilities for credible, affordable and quality primary healthcare in
Ahmedabad, Arvind Limited has planned to establish Arvind Medical Centres in Association
with Swasth India Foundation. Swasth India Foundation is a social enterprise working to
provide quality healthcare for all and is Mumbai's largest non-governmental provider of
primary healthcare and dental care.

Image Source: https://indiacsr.in/corporate-social-responsibility-csr-utkal-alumina-healthcare-initiatives-benefit-peripheral-communities-in-odisha/

Considering the lack of facilities for credible, affordable and quality primary healthcare in
Ahmedabad, Arvind Limited established Arvind Medical Centres in Association with Swasth
India Foundation. Swasth India Foundation is a social enterprise working to provide quality
health care for all. It is Mumbai’s largest non-governmental provider of primary health care
and dental care. The Swasth Model sets up Health Centres that provide quality healthcare to
people that include -Doctor (consultation), Diagnosis (Pathological Tests), Drug (Strip Packed
Quality Medicines), Dental Care and Day Time Care when required. Two centres have been

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set up in the financial year 2016-17 in Ahmedabad and 1 in Khatraj (Taluka–Kalol,District-
Gandhinagar).
The Swasth Model sets up Health Centres that provide a range of quality services under one
roof. These include services such as doctor consultation, basic diagnostic tests, quality
medicines, dental care and day care when required. Arvind is in the process of setting up three
such health centres on a pilot basis. Once the performance of this pilot scheme is assessed,
another ten health centres will be rolled out.
Each Centre is expected to serve about 10,000 – 12,000 patients every year. The model will
cost a patient about Rs 100 with three days’ medicines, which is about one-third of what they
currently spend. Three such centres are operational and few more are on the way.

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 SLUM REHABILITATION

The story of the Sanjay Nagar slum and its residents showcases Arvind’s long-term
commitment to the betterment of the city of Ahmedabad and its people.

Image source- https://www.arvind.com/slum-rehabilitation

Home. It’s more than just four walls, or a territory to be marked. It is a place that gives a sense
of security, warmth, and comfort. And at Arvind we believe that every person deserves not just
a room, but a home of one’s own. A home that has amenities and infrastructure for a dignified
life. So, they envisioned the possibility of rehabilitating the slum dwellers of Sanjay Nagar to
safer, better built and comfortable houses. And once the vision was in place, they made it
happen, by co-creating these homes along with its residents. Homes where families can share
enriched lives.

Rather than make the slum dwellers feel like beneficiaries, we wanted them to have ownership
in the project and be our partners. So, Arvind’s SHARDA trust unit collaborated with the AMC,
Saath NGO, and the residents to develop a housing network for them. The residents shared
1/3rd of the total cost, which came out to be Rs.2000 per house. while the rest was taken care
of by us and our partners. But even Rs.2000 was a substantial amount for some of these
residents, which is why they were provided with organized financing. After depositing an
amount of Rs.600 in a Seva Bank account, they could acquire a balanced loan. These houses,
in turn, had all the basic infrastructure of a modern-day home-like private toilet and working
water connections.

The rehabilitation not only provided safer, better-built houses to the erstwhile slum dwellers
but also helped improve their quality of life drastically. They were no longer prone to the risk
of disease and social insecurity or discrimination. Instead of the slum areas being isolated and

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getting a step-motherly treatment, SHARDA trust included them into the housing system of
Ahmedabad, leading the residents to feel like equals in a society that they were previously
detached from.

It can be proudly said that The Sanjay Nagar housing project was included in the UNCHS 100
Best Practices Global List. A small step in a long journey towards providing affordable housing
for every citizen. And in 2015, the journey was taken a step ahead, by transforming the slums
into a working-class, school-going community. Arvind Smartspaces has upgraded these
residents by giving them modern world-class towers and living spaces and also the dignity of
life they deserved. But the quest doesn’t stop at the success of Sanjay Nagar and its people.
They strive to keep co-creating better homes, and in turn, better lives and opportunities for the
people of our country.

Image source- https://www.arvind.com/slum-rehabilitation

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In 1996, as a CSR project, we envisioned the possibility of rehabilitating the slum dwellers of
Sanjay Nagar to safer, better built and comfortable houses. And once the vision was in place,
we made it happen, by co-creating these homes in a unique three-way partnership between the
people of Sanjay Nagar, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation and Arvind.

In 2014, the process of transformation of Sanjay Nagar was completed when Arvind Lifespaces
re-developed the area in a commercial manner, giving all residents homes in modern, upscale
towers.

Image source- https://www.arvind.com/slum-rehabilitation

Sanjay Nagar in the year 2014

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 CONCLUSION

The concept of social responsibility is gaining popularity in today’s times. Companies are
becoming increasingly aware of their responsibilities towards the various stakeholders
associated with them. More and more companies are trying to work in a way so as to protect
the interests of the employees, customers, suppliers and other parties and the society at large.
The concept of a business firm working only with the motive of earning profit is gradually
becoming outdated.

Social responsibility in the textile industry

Like the firms in other industries, textiles firms are also realising their responsibility towards
the various parties associated with them and the environment. However, the ways by which
different organisations choose to fulfil their social responsibility might be different.
The Arvind Limited Policy on Corporate Social Responsibility (ALPCSR) is an attempt to
provide a structured guideline for all the Lalbhai group companies to undertake CSR initiatives.
This policy envisages to guide CSR initiatives for all group companies and help them maintain
a common CSR thought thread.
For doing so, the top Management of the group companies are expected to define an annual
budget, select a focus area and work with the Arvind CSR team to undertake CSR initiatives.
The Arvind CSR team and the organisations representing CSR will undertake the initiatives on
behalf of the companies with an aim to maximise effectiveness and efficiency.

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 REFERENCES

https://www.arvind.com/corporate-social-responsibility
https://www.arvind.com/sites/default/files/field_policy_file/CSR%20Policy%202019.pdf
https://www.arvindfashions.com/social-responsibility/

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