A Project report

On

Corporate Social
Responsibility
At
Bharat Petroleum

1
INDEX
Sr. No. Page No.
Title

I) Acknowledgment 3

II) Epilogue 4

III) Executive Summary 5

Chapters

1) Introduction to the CSR 6

2) Objective of BPCL towards CSR 7

3) Methodology adopted by BPCL for CSR 7

4) Sharing wider responsibilities at BPCL 8

5) BPCL: CSR in Business Process Environment 12

6) Internal CSR activities 16

7) Other CSR activities 18

8) Achievements by BPCL 20

9) Conclusion and Suggestions 21

10) Bibliography 22

Acknowledgement

2
 I would like to express my gratitude to all
those who gave me the possibility to complete
this project. I want to thank for giving me
opportunity to commence this project in the
first instance.

I am deeply indebted to Prof.

whose help, stimulating suggestions
and encouragement helped me in all the time
for the Project.

Last but not the least, I would like to

express my heartfelt gratitude to all those who
have contributed directly or indirectly to make
this project a reality.

3
 Epilogue

As it was the first time I was doing this project, it was a

tough job for me. Yet I learnt a lot of things in corporate
social responsibility

Corporate social responsibility is my first Management

project. Although great efforts were put & extensive study is
done for this project to accomplish what was required, but
there are times when things just don’t go the way one
expects. So, I humbly appeal you good self’s to overlook all
the mistakes wherever you find them. I will try to develop my
grey areas. I will try my level best not to repeat the mistakes
in the future.

Thanking you for your anticipation

4
 Executive Summary

The project enables me to know various aspects of Corporate

Social Responsibilities and its importance and steps taken by
Bharat Petroleum towards social activities.
BPCL is a Model Corporate Entity with Social
Responsibility and also builds a powerful partnership with
society for ‘Sustainable Development’.

As a corporate responsibility, today 37 villages across

India have been adopted by BPCL. This includes making
substantial investments for nearly a decade and a half in
them to make them fully self reliant, providing them fresh
drinking water, sanitation facilities, medical facilities,
enhancing their income standards by imparting vocational
training and agricultural innovations. However, BPCL also
firmly believes that the only vehicle for raising the villagers
from their present state is by educating the young and the
old, a focus on providing grants for opening schools and
opening adult literacy camps as well. A Herculean task
indeed, which BPCL recognized and thus even sought
assistance from NGO's working around these centers in
fulfilling its dream, which to many of BPCL employee's still
remains incomplete, on account of the large magnitude of
work necessary in completion.

5
 1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Corporate Social Responsibility: What

does it mean?
"More and more companies are accepting corporate citizenship as a
new strategic and managerial purpose requiring their attention. Once
seen as a purely charitable activity--a source of general goodwill, with
no bottom-line consequence--citizenship is moving from the margins of
concern to the center at leading companies."

Today, there are many references to corporate social responsibility

(CSR), sometimes referred to as corporate citizenship, in our
workplaces, in the media, in the government, in our communities.
While there is no agreed-upon definition, the World Business Council for
Sustainable Development defines CSR as the business commitment
and contribution to the quality of life of employees, their families and
the local community and society overall to support sustainable
economic development. Simply put, the business case for CSR--
establishing a positive company reputation and brand in the public eye
through good work that yields a competitive edge while at the same
time contributing to others--demands that organizations shift from
solely focusing on making a profit to including financial, environmental
and social responsibility in their core business strategies. Despite what
the phrase corporate social responsibility suggests, the concept is not
restricted to corporations but rather is intended for most types of
organizations, such as associations, labor unions, organizations that
serve the community for scientific, educational, artistic, public health or
charitable purposes, and governmental agencies.

1.2 How CSR help the companies?

6
Globalization, the explosion of information technology, advances in the
biological sciences, and the growth of democracy and diversity can be
considered among the positive developments in our world today. On
the other hand, poverty, environmental crises such as global warming,
epidemics such as AIDS, and terrorism are also part of today's world.
What do these positive and negative aspects have in common? They
reflect the breathtaking increase in global interdependence, to the
extent that borders don't count for much anymore and local
communities are increasingly affected by things that happen a long
way from home. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has been
proposed as a way to respond to some of these issues, both locally and
globally. According to "Integrating Responsibility," most companies that
have initiated CSR programs have done so in response to one problem
or another; for example, in the thermal power station, it was
environmental issues. CSR programs have also surfaced in the sourcing
departments of companies facing supply chain issues.

2. Objective of BPCL towards CSR

• Building Sustainable Communities - to have a positive impact on

the communities in which we operate
• Health and Safety - to ensure the health and safety of our
workforce and communities
• Environment - to minimize adverse impacts while taking steps to
protect and enhance the natural environment
• Employees – train tomorrows leaders in teamwork skills and
running socially responsible business

3. Methodology
• Integrated with Business Strategy and
Context

7
 • Leverage our Core competency – People and Technology
• Three way Execution model for Community Projects
• Develop deserving Communities through ‘Focused’ & ‘Need
based’ interventions – No ‘Giveaways’
• Create ‘Sustainable Models’ which are Replicable & Scalable

4. Sharing wider responsibility at BPCL

“We believe that it’s equally important to return back to society” which
is why, BPCL believes that some of their finest achievements aren’t
those found in their balance sheets but those, in small towns and
villages spread across India. Their involvement in sharing this wider
responsibility dates way back to 1984, when in pursuance with our
philosophy “to give back to the society/community our best”, they
aimed to help the people enrich their lives, be it our employees or their
families also extending the scope of definition of families to those that
they saw beyond our glass cabins in these rustic surroundings, and
thus started our the social work. Today, BPCL terms them as their
extended family i.e. the villagers from rural areas.

Bharat Petroleum has been the pioneer in the oil sector to hire the
services of professional social workers. Areas of work in the initial years
were primarily to cater to the softer areas of employee related issues,
to mention a few are:-

• Counseling for personal as well as emotional problems affecting

work.
• Assistance to quit substance abuse (like alcohol and other drugs)
• Marital Conflicts, Divorce Reconciliation, Money Management,
etc.

With years our focus changed from restorative to preventive as well as

primitive, holistic health. Talks on various issues at plant level like
addiction, HIV/AIDS, parental issues, time and finance management,
and family relationships were initiated, which still continues and gives
considerable positive returns. For the above mentioned activities they

8
have collaborated with various Non Government Organizations, to
deliver best humane services for our employees and their family
members. Eventually, their involvement in the whole process of
employee related issues were taken, there by channelising their energy
positively as well as encouraging prosocial behavior.

India, has a social contrast, while one strata of the society comprising
of approximately 30% live in the cities, a great percentage of nearly
double -700 million Indians reside in villages, which we term as rural
India. Now rural India too has its own disparity, some are what we call
the islands of prosperity and the rest that have the other extremes,
riddled by droughts and some difficult conditions of weather and
climate and sometimes these villages are so remote and far flung from
cities that many a times makes others go past unnoticed

BPCL initially started working in Mahul, the village located in our

neighborhood of its Mumbai refinery since 1986, for the sole reason of
their upliftment. The habitants of Mahul, essentially from the fishing
community, were rich because they possessed marine wealth but as far
as education, health, etc was concerned, they needed help.

Some of Bharat Petroleum's assistance to these inhabitants so far has

been

• Infrastructural development, like construction of jetty, Balwadi,

Homeopathic Dispensary
• Vocational guidance through aptitude testing, scientific
vocational need based study through Jan Shikshan Sansthan
(NGO under ministry of HRD)
• Exhibition for the Fishermen to equip them with latest avenues in
fishing through Central Institute Of Fisheries Education(CIFE)

BPCL volunteered and the initial success brought such gratification that
immediately it adopted another village (this time an interior one) called
Karjat, developments with selfless intentions helped introspect about
the future role BPCL should adopt in its aim to contribute to this effort,
then there after there was no looking back

The rationale behind selecting Karjat for community development

initiatives was that the company wanted to work for vulnerable groups.
The Karjat endeavor began with construction of a community hall,
which was like a meeting place for villagers and way of reaching out to
village women. Later many programs like medical assistance, grain
bank, marketing artifacts, conducting certified vocational training

9
courses, etc were carried out. From last 10 years farmers in 21 villages
of karjat are helped through our interventions. There are eight villages,
which are covered through BPCL’s projects in and around Washala.
Washala is situated in Shahpur taluka in Thane district. It is made up of
tribal population. The various on-going activities are:

Farm facts:
For agricultural upliftment, BPCL arrange training through Pune
Agricultural University, distribute seeds and fertilizers every year.
There are lectures arranged on technical guidance, use of less water for
farming, teaching newer methods of agriculture, etc. They also educate
the farmers about fish farming and provide them all necessary
information. Guidance is also given as regards buying of seeds. The
methods of multiple cropping are taught. Every year farmers are given
free fertilizers. Bamboo cultivation is also promoted. 5000 Bamboo
saplings are planted every year, by giving it to villagers who will take
care of it. Along with it, even mango, chikku and guava saplings are
provided.

Cattle care:
At Karjat, BPCL conduct exhibitions of cattle of various breeds, training
sessions are arranged for improving the health of available cattle, there
is vaccine program conducted on regular basis for all pet animals.
Competitions are also held among cattle and prizes are given to the
best cattle. Once a year there is a camp organized in which doctors
from veterinary inspect all the cattle.

Education:
For motivating intelligent students coaching is provided to students.
Balwadis is available for small children as pre-school intervention. Tree
plantation programs are held at Adivasi ashram schools.

Health:
A dispensary with a doctor is available and regular health camps are
conducted. General health camps are organized twice a year. To cater
to the needs of all villagers, may it be men, women, senior citizens,
children and so on. To ensure proper eyesight, eye camps are
conducted periodically. their sight back through this endeavor. There
are camps held for pregnant women regarding guidance in pregnancy,
stress on nutrition, etc.

Grain Bank:
In the villages of Karjat, Rural Farmers were dependent on money

10
lenders for money as well as seeds and grains and thus in turn fell in
the debt trap. The money lenders would harass them and exploit them.
For e.g. for every one quintal of grain borrowed, the farmer would have
to return it three quintals. To avoid such exploitation, IRCED came out
with the grain bank scheme. The concept of grain bank was to make
grains easily accessible to the farmers and to keep them away from the
clutches of the moneylenders. Grains are made available to the farmers
without any advance and they also do not have to return anything
extra than what they had taken. Through BPCL, there is also a small
room allocated for the purpose of maintaining the grain bank in every
village so that the grains do not get spoilt.

Community centre:
We have provided a multipurpose Samaj Mandir at Pinglas Karjat for
the Villagers to have a meeting point. There is a community centre
which encompasses classes for villagers on tailoring, mehendi,
beautician course, bamboo article making, multi-skill training, etc. Cane
Weaving and Bamboo making classes are conducted regularly.
Tailoring is helping the girls in income generation. Later there is also an
exhibition held in Mumbai for sale of the bamboo articles made in these
villages.

Rain water harvesting:

To make available water in case of scarcity, there was a
need felt to start a project on rain water harvesting. The work has just
begun. As this is a hilly area the problem of ground water and land
water still remains. For provision of water, tube wells and small dams
are made for the villagers.

Infrastructure development:
We have constructed shed for schools. For e.g.
repairing the fans, replacing broken furniture, etc jetty for fishermen so
that they can rest in the night when they are not fishing. We have also
constructed a public toilet. We are vigilant in keeping the surroundings
clean. Timely garbage disposal is also taken care of. Tree plantation
programs are carried out on a regular basis. .

Every village: Sakhi Shejarni:

A group of women came together in Karjat who felt the need of being

11
together and saving some amount of money. They started meeting
regularly and since then they collect savings and deposit in the bank
this is a scheme whereby every village will have one woman leader.
This leader is trained in such a way that she is able to manage the
whole group of other women, take training sessions for them, conducts
awareness programs and also provides counseling help. Such women
leaders are termed as SAKHI, which means a friend in Marathi.
Thus the groups serve a
double purpose, that of starting a small-scale business and that of
learning through various sessions. These meetings help them to
improve their quality of life.

5. BPCL: CSR in Business Process

Environment
As energy corporate, BPCL feel that we may have a larger say in the
course of many events in the coming decades. The consequence of our
actions, in the short term, may be totally inadequate but in the long
term very valid. It is thus that BPCL finds it necessary and proceeds
with utmost caution, when it comes to issues related with the
environment.

12
The magnitude of the problem concerning this sensitive eco-balance is
so massive that the best way forward for BPCL, as it sees ahead, for the
above being achieved is using a two pronged approach of “executing
environmental protection activities and sharing knowledge, with a view
to educate the common man on this front”.

The four reasons, believed to be the cause for treading cautiously in

matters related to the environment are as follows.

1. Moral responsibility towards the environment.

2. Understanding of the need for an ecological balance.
3. The understanding of the inter-linkages of the web of life.
Inadequacy of Human
4. Understanding of Environmental Process.

The above four cover the entire canvas of concerns for the subject and
BPCL’s contribution towards the same has also been oriented around its
objective.

Like mentioned, BPCL’s corporate philosophy towards environment is

also directed towards life and mankind. Thus, it is a tacit responsibility
that it proposes to undertake without any solemn promises made. In
other words, it would try and ensure that at least in its conscious
actions, BPCL would not become party to any decisions which will have
damaging consequences to this earth & the life on it.

BPCL, on the other hand would give its best in educating mankind, on
the necessity of understanding the dynamics of the fragile eco-diversity
and hope to seek contributions from each individual in maintaining the
balance.

5.1. Community Initiatives: Disability

What remains unchanged since 1999 is that BPCL continues to fulfill its
corporate responsibilities. What has changed, however, is the fact that
the percentage of disabled persons employed by BPCL has risen from
1.11% to 1.37% despite the total employee strength reducing from
12411 to 12082.

“Providing equal opportunity to people with disabilities” has always

been a part of the corporate philosophy of Bharat Petroleum
Corporation Limited (BPCL). BPCL's practice of this philosophy is what
made it a winner of the 1st NCPEDP-Shell Helen Keller Awards, way back

13
 in 1999.

“We shall continue to recruit disabled people in the organization as per

the laid down guidelines”, says Mr. S. Mohan, Executive Director, HRD.
And that is exactly what they have been doing. Currently, 166 disabled
persons are employed with BPCL. The recruitment process is duly
monitored to ensure that vacancies for physically handicapped persons
do not remain vacant. Special relaxation is given to these candidates
up to 10 years of the required age profile for the post. And whenever
required, special recruitment drives are undertaken.

It’s not just recruiting candidates with disability – BPCL ensures that
they are assigned suitable work and a good working environment in the
organization. For e.g., visually impaired employees are provided with
customized computers equipped with optical character recognizers,
enabling them to work independently

Disabled employees are also encouraged in activities outside the

organization – a visually impaired employee was sent on Rock Climbing
Mountaineering Course, and successfully scaled a peak of over 13,000
feet in West Sikkim!

BPCL even follows carefully laid down reservation policies for allotment
of dealerships and distributorships to physically disabled candidates.
What's more, special concessions and financial assistance is given to
deserving candidates initiating the business

Other areas of Corporate Social Responsibility that BPCL is active in: it

has adopted 37 villages in 13 states, directly impacting 120,000
people; it has initiated the ‘Bharat Petroleum Scholarship' to promote
excellence in higher education; it has contributed towards community
facilities and infrastructure; and donated generously in times of
calamity and disaster.

5.2. Community Initiatives: Disaster Relief

In times of natural calamities you will always find Bharat Petroleum in

the forefront, rendering aid and emergency provisions. Bharat
Petroleum relief teams have worked tirelessly to provide the Gujarat
Earthquake and the Orissa Flood victims with food and essential
survival materials.

14
5.3. Community Initiatives: Rural Development

Bharat Petroleum continues its endeavours in meeting social

obligations to the under privileged sections of the society through
development of roads, schools, clinics and vocational training centres
in rural areas. Cataract camps for villagers, vocational classes to make
the rural women self-reliant, development of rural women and children,
providing sanitation and drinking water in the villages, are just a few of
the many contributions made by Bharat Petroleum to meet its social
responsibilities.

In recognition of the outstanding work done in the area of Rural

Development, FICCI awarded the 'Rural Development Award 1999-
2000' to Bharat Petroleum.

List of 20 villages adopted

* Bhogalpura (Agra)
* Srinivasapura & Muneshwara (Bangalore)
* Neelgarh (Bhopal)
* Ramathenga (Bhubaneshwar)
* Brindabanpur & Farakidanga (Calcutta)
* Jahazpur (Calcutta)
* Mankara (Calcutta)
* Kadambankulam (Coimbatore)
* Basantgarh (Delhi)
* Jyotinagar (Goa)
* Nangalgovind (Jaipur)
* Babukhera (Lucknow)
* Pedawada/Manjripal (Nagpur)
* Laakarhawar (Patna)
* Kasabkhede / Pohey (Pune)
* Khara Bairaja (Rajkot)
* Mangadih / Jaradih / Dimra / Obar (Ranchi)
* Bhaktachiwadi / Mogrej (Karjat)
* Tembre (Karjat)
* Mahul (Chembur)

We feel happy when we see 'Smiles on the faces of villagers and

children'.

It helps us to get closer to our Corporate Philosophy.

15
5.4. Community Initiatives: Tribals.

As a part of Society, Bharat Petroleum believes that they owe as a

corporate body to give back to society their best. With this social
obligation Bharat Petroleum started community work way back in 1987
by adopting Karjat (tribal area in Raigarh District) and Mahul (our
neighborhood) for ameliorating lives of the deprived.

Karjat is located in Raigarh District and comprises of mainly tribal

population. Some of the activities undertaken to help the tribal
population are-

* Constructing a community hall/ Samaj Mandir

* Health assistance, through regular health camps, pediatric camps
and cataract
Camps
* Educational assistance through distribution of books, holding
competitions
* Vocational assistance by imparting training in bamboo and tailoring
* Encouraging environment friendly attitude through distribution of
smokeless
chulhas, solar cookers as well as educating them through folk
music.

16
6. Internal CSR
Social Welfare in Bharat Petroleum was initiated as a non-statutory
body in the year 1984. Bharat Petroleum has been the pioneer in the oil
sector to hire the services of professional social workers. Areas of work
in the initial years were primarily to cater to the softer areas of
employee related issues, to mention a few are: -

Counselling

Initially counseling began in BPCL to overcome the different problems

of employees at work. But now, BPCL has come closer to their lives.
Thus now counseling does not only aim at solving disputes at work but
involves a whole gamut of issues ranging from employee’s overall
development to the development of their families. Thus there is a shift
from what used to exist earlier as our orientation is towards prevention.
Over the time, recoveries and success stories started flowing in
resulting in values of counseling being upheld as an important
contribution for employee’s well being. Thus at the refinery counseling
is seen as a mission which aims at making people live lives fruitfully.
The help received through counseling is what is valued by most of our
employees

1] Addiction-The Slow Poison

Alcohol and drug use is extremely common in today’s world. In spite of
the awareness of the ill effects of these substances, people continue to
get addicted to it. The abuse and addictions result in malfunctioning of
an individual in major spheres of life. Addictions lead to poor work
performances, disrupted relationships and adjustment problems. The
rising awareness about employee welfare and raising the quality of
work, various companies’ today make efforts to reduce addictions.

We have been one of the first companies to engage in continuous

endeavours to help our addicted employees to overcome their
problems. We have successfully partnered with Kripa Foundations De-
addiction Center for sustainable efforts in this direction. Kripa
foundation is one of the largest Non- Governmental organizations in
India helping people suffering from Chemical Dependency and HIV

17
Infection. Kripa offers a non-discriminating, supportive community
living, helping people to introspect and bring about change in lifestyle.

• Our Success- Strength Of Sobriety

Although difficult to believe, the success ratio is 60%
at the refinery level, whereas the addiction improvement rate
worldwide is 45.50%. Through counseling employees who
recovered from alcohol addiction and the other personal
problems became our biggest strength for extending our chain of
human help. These peer educators are very efficient at work and
they aid our CSR activity by being of help to the other addict
employees and the community too.

• The Pune Centre

A de-addiction center has been set up at Pune for both men and
women addicts for all over Maharashtra. The Kripa Foundation
runs it. We are supporting them and helping them in their efforts

2] Family Wellbeing
Through all the Employee assistance programs, prominence is given to
family as a system. It is a known fact that family is one of the most
closely knit system which needs to be enriched to cope with the
stresses and strain of life. Thus when an employee comes with a
problem, joint counseling sessions are also conducted including his
family members to ensure resolving of problems amicably.

3] Grooming Children As Caretakers Of Next Generation

Children are tomorrow’s future, and when it comes to our own
employee’s children, we ensure their development through various
activities like Career guidance, aptitude tests, etc

4] Parenting
During training or workshops, one of the main topics covered is
parenting. This is important because in today’s competitive world it is
very difficult to manage both work and house Thus to ensure care of
children, parenting sessions are conducted about emotional problems
and problems encountered by children at different stages, puberty
issues, etc.

5] Women Empowerment
In women lie nature’s best qualities of motherhood, compassion,
humanity and love. Because they have been blessed with the capacity
for giving and nurturing life, women also have the capacity for a deep
commitment for preserving and nourishing not only their own offspring,
but of the entire planet as well. BPCL is also blessed with efficient
women staff who are enthusiastic and who come forward to help

18
others. Women power in the true sense is seen when women meet
regularly and discuss on varied issues and the stands they take. LIKE
WOMAN IS WOMAN’S BEST FRIEND. It is normally said that a woman is
a woman’s worst enemy. But at the refinery, the bond within the
women is exceptionally charged with making a difference to their
personal as well as work life.

6] Safety Ambassadors
This is a new activity being started at the refinery. Some of women
employees are made safety ambassadors to ensure safety in the plant.
These women would co-ordinate with the safety observers at the plant
level and ensure that their co-employees take adequate safety
measures. It is process to help the employees help themselves for their
own safety and that of the others

7. Other CSR Activities

1. HIV/ AIDS Care and Prevention

AIDS is a major concern worldwide. It is forth killer of human beings. It

has spread far and wide across nations, caste, creed, sea and racial
boundaries. The UN AIDS estimates 5.3 million sero positive people
housed in India alone in 2004. The growing number of sero positive
people in the productive age group affects the economy in the long
run... BPCL too encountered presence of sero positive employees.
However the comprehensive health policy of the company protects the
employees and their family. Considering the significance of
interventions in this area, the Social Welfare dept. initiated plant talks
on ‘Family Life Education’ and ‘Health and well being’. Various
awareness programs were conducted in the refinery on HIV/AIDS.

Avert Society, a triplicate body of USAID, NACO and Government of

Maharashtra, noticed the efforts of BPCL. The Avert Society invited
BPCL for long-term partnership for an AIDS Intervention Project in the
refinery, and the adjacent community. The project identifies three
major areas of intervention, viz. workplace intervention (including
around 30000 workers), Mahul and 25 villages from Karjat. The
activities under this project include one to one intervention at village
level, counseling at workplace, behaviour change communication,
street plays and folk media to spread awareness about the same.

2. 'Generation Next'

19
BPCL is passionate about the ‘Generation Next’, and thus also supports
various education initiatives at all levels. This involves granting aid to
schools, acknowledging and rewarding meritorious students and an
initiative called BPCL scholars.

BPCL scholars are a group of approximately 100 Indian students, who

yearly, seek full study-assistance from BPCL in doing their post
graduation, both in India and abroad. We support these students, the
future of tomorrow, the fuel of tomorrow’s growth, with all humility and
passion.

As a corporate responsibility, today 37 villages across India have been

adopted. This includes making substantial investments for nearly a
decade and a half in them to make them fully self reliant, providing
them fresh drinking water, sanitation facilities, medical facilities,
enhancing their income standards by imparting vocational training and
agricultural innovations. However, BPCL also firmly believes that the
only vehicle for raising the villagers from their present state is by
educating the young and the old, a focus on providing grants for
opening schools and opening adult literacy camps as well.

 BPCL thus believes in giving the rural people vocational guidance

and give them a platform for market-linkages and become self-
sufficient.
 BPCL self-sufficient projects include the Water project in the rural
area which has been initiated by Oil Development Board (ODB)
with the Ngo Bridge Trust which trains the rural people to build
water projects for which they receive minimum waged.
 BPCL is also planning to do some work for the Trucker’s of BPCL
as they play a major role in laying down the foundation stone to
what BPCL is today.

3. Project Boond

If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water.

-Loran Eisley

BPCL understand the value of water in the lives of people who strive for
it. Whose lives are dependent on its availability alone? These
sentiments gave birth to the project Boond. Because when BPCL being
a company of fuel, how can they miss out on the ‘fuel of life?’

20
Boond is a Rain Water Harvesting Project undertaken by BPCL with
financial support from (Oil Industries Development Board) and
executed in collaboration with NGO, Bridge Public Charitable Trust.

Villages suffering from acute shortage of water were identified for this
activity. Women from these villages had to walk long distances in the
blazing sun on mountainous paths, at times exceeding four kilometers
to fetch water. Runoffs triggered by topographical conditions,
impervious bedrock, poor water holding capacity of the soil, soil erosion
and unrestrained grazing had made the situation critical.

The objective was to turn these villages from Water scarce to water
positive. The work mainly comprised of repairs/Deepening of wells,
building bunds to capture and store rain water, repairs and leak
proofing of existing bunds, building water tanks etc.

All the activities undertaken to draught free the villages were

performed with complete participation from the villagers. This imparted
a sense of belonging and responsibility towards their own village. Not
just that, while working they learnt additional skills like masonry,
welding etc. which they later used as an additional source of income for
themselves. This helped check the rampant levels of migration as well.

Another unique aspect of the whole project was the concept of Shram
Dan. The villagers performed Shram Daan once a week and for the
balance days they were paid minimum wages. Seeing the enthusiasm
of the villagers, BPCL also initiated an Employee Volunteering Initiative
where in approximately 100 BPCL employees gathered collectively for
Shram Daan.

8. What BPCL Achieved?

Bringing people together for a common cause:
We were able to bring people together for a common cause, the cause
being wellbeing of all. We were blessed with committed staff who also
took the initiative to work for their own good. Employees also sustained
their enthusiasm and motivation throughout which added to our
strength.

Non-biased attitude:
May it be a worker or an engineer or a driver or any administration
staff, we give equal treatment to all. Never do employees feel that
some are favoured and others are not.

21
Trust:
Employees do have the trust in whatever the department does. The
department has helped them help themselves in such a way that it has
left a long lasting effect on their minds. This trust made it obvious for
them to keep participating actively in all the activities.

Transparency:
The department has been totally transparent regarding all its activities.
Employees were made equal partners in conducting any activity.
Because of this there was no point where employees felt left out.

Need based activities:

We at BPCL have never arranged activities for the sake of doing it. We
have conducted activities as and when people demanded, may it be
our own employees or people from the communities. Thus we have
indirectly given onus to the people to decide when, why and which
activity they need.

Involvement of all:
We have been successful in involving people of all cadres at the
refinery level, right from the managers to the workers, and from the
various departments to the different unions. This helped us to get the
opinions and contributions of all. At the community level, all the people
are involved right from the planning level. People take decisions along
with us.

Human stories of revival helped:

We had many success stories of our employees which constantly
motivated us to work consistently. The recovered addicts are our
strength. They help us to help the others who are in similar problem.

9. CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS

EACH AND EVERY COMPANY SHOULD UNDERTAKE THE ELEMENT
OF CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY INTO CONSIDERATION.

IT IS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE COMPANY’S LONG LIFE AND

CONSISTENT GROWTH.

22
 AS WE HAVE SEEN IN THIS PROJECT, BPCL HAS CONDUCTED A
NUMBER OF SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY ACTIVITIES; IT HAS
GAINED A GOOD REPUTATION IN THE GLOBALLY COMPETITIVE
MARKET.

IN THESE DAYS MORE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY U UNDERTAKE,

MORE YOU WILL GET CONSUMER’S SATISFACTION AND EARN
OUR CUSTOMER’S LOYALTY

AS THE BUSSINESS IS OPERATED WITHIN THE SOCIETY, IT

BECOMES COMPULSORY TO CONDUCT CSR ACTIVITIES TO WIN
CONSUMERS CONFIDENCE AND REPRESENT A GLOBAL BRAND
IMAGE

ATLAST TO SAY “WE SHOULD GIVE BACK TO THE WORLD, WHAT

WE TAKE FROM IT.”

Bibliography
1. www.wikipedia.org

23
2. www.indianngos.com

3. www.karmayog.org

4. www.bharatpetroleum.in

24