Domain Corporate Social Responsibility

Name of the Case: Cooperation among Partners in the Development Corridor Collective

Introduction
About Tata Steel CSR

Tata Steel has among the oldest, deepest and most meaningful corporate – community interfaces across
India Inc. which is acknowledged as a benchmark in the emerging paradigm of responsible capitalism
where companies are legitimately evaluated on the extent to which social and environmental aspects are
considered in their core business models. We are currently engaged with some of the most pressing
societal challenges across more than 2,800 villages in Odisha and Jharkhand.

TSL has over a century of shared context with communities giving it a microscopic view of their critical
needs and aspirations. This has enabled the design of focused initiatives which have matured over the
years from service provision to empowering communities in forging their future. CSR interventions are
deployed by almost 600 diversely skilled professionals interacting directly with the community daily,
partnered by organizations of national and global repute. A deeply felt concern for communities prompts
TSL to consistently commit resources to bold and innovative projects designed at scale. This approach
is the bedrock of strong and enduring community relationships with mutual trust and respect. It has
significantly contributed to growth in TSL’s business, setting the company apart from other mining and
metals corporations.

A comprehensive range of themes with multiple initiatives aligned to globally accepted guidelines
including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) go well beyond the CSR mandate enshrined in the
Companies Act 2013. They cater to the most vulnerable sections among communities (especially women,
children and tribes), addressing the challenges of today and building lasting solutions for the future.
Focused projects in health, drinking water, sanitation, education, livelihoods and infrastructure meet
community needs. Sports and Youth Empowerment initiatives engage them meaningfully. Tribal Identity,
an emerging signature theme unique among corporates, includes sustained efforts to preserve and
promote aspects of heritage (language, culture, art forms and sports) and ground-breaking efforts like
Samvaad and the Tribal Leadership Programme which provide platforms for expression of and debate on
tribal issues across India.

Tata Steel’s CSR is deployed through various delivery arms which are essentially societies that undertake
planning, implementation and monitoring of the various CSR initiatives.

Repositioning of Tata Steel CSR Strategy

From time to time, Tata Steel revisits its CSR strategy in light of community and stakeholder expectations
on the company and the development work done in the preceding years. The objective is to gain
understanding on how well the CSR initiatives have been able to meet the requirements of communities.
This reflection is also needed to study if the aspirations of the community may have shifted and to analyze
how to address them. In this context, Tata Steel has undertaken an extensive exercise and repositioned
its CSR initiatives into two broad categories. This approach has enabled Tata Steel to revisit its on-going
initiatives from a new perspective, undertake new CSR initiatives supporting existing ones and even
consider completely new thematic areas to roll out programmes for the communities.

• Proximate Community Development – recognizing the special needs of communities residing in proximity
to our mining and manufacturing operations, the company requires to emphasize CSR initiatives that ensure
these communities are supported in improving their lives. These communities have a special relationship
with Tata Steel being inextricably tied to the company’s business and also have a significant say in the
direction on ground of the economic activity. The CSR programmes undertaken in these geographies have
a wide range cutting across multiple dimensions like health, education, livelihoods, water, infrastructure etc.
and aim at a holistic development of the communities in question.

• Signature Programmes – Tata Steel also aims to address a broader segment of the communities in a
region requiring support through CSR initiatives to resolve specific issues which are endemic to the region
and which are significant inhibitors to development. Hence, Tata Steel aims to create change models that
address widespread development gaps in Jharkhand and Odisha in alignment with Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs). These models should provide long lasting solutions that are scalable as well
as replicable at a national level. Tata Steel will look at options that leverage its assets and its capabilities to
the highest benefit of communities.
 There are four Signature Programmes that have been identified for being pursued over the next
5 – 10 years to bring about lasting positive change. The Development Corridor is one of them.

As part of realignment of strategy and to create a distinct brand identity for Tata Steel CSR, the Tata Steel
Foundation has been formed as not-for-profit company to take forward all CSR initiatives in the coming
years. Tata Steel Foundation’s Vision is articulated as follows

“An enlightened, equitable society in which every individual realises her potential with dignity”

About the Development Corridor

Two large steel assets of the Tata Steel and Tata Group exist in Jamshedpur and Kalinganagar
respectively; joined by a 286 km road passing through 15 blocks of 5 districts of the two states, Jharkhand
and Odisha. The road passes through scenic forests and well vegetated landscape home to about 0.37
million people living in villages governed by 66 Gram Panchayats. This project is to create a unique, first
of its kind comprehensive development corridor that demonstrates to the world how industry and
communities can jointly and harmoniously prosper.

The main objective of the Development Corridor is to enable visible development and vibrancy along the
Jamshedpur-Kalinganagar route which displays high social, economic, natural, and cultural growth and
serves as a model for neighboring area. This is aimed to be done through fully functioning local
governance institutions and improve key development indicators, in part, by mobilizing relevant
stakeholders.

The concept of development corridor spearhead development initiatives along the corridor which would
focus on approach which is multisectoral and comprehensive. The project would involve number of
stakeholders (govt and non-government) where development issues will be addressed within the context
of prevailing political, social, legal and cultural norms and values of the community. The effort will also
have focus on empowering panchayats, women to help them take lead role in the societal problem

The Corridor will focus on the areas of

The focus areas of the project are

• Social development, characterized by communities’ enhanced potential to take charge of their own
development agenda
• Natural capital, characterized by increased natural wealth of the region (soil quality, water quality)
• Economic development, characterized by better access to channels and facilities that can propel their
individual and collective economic growth

As the initial exercise of understanding the existing scenario on ground along the Corridor route, detailed
information across various parameters needed to be compiled leading to analysis of issues affecting the
communities. Accordingly, Tata Steel embarked on a digital baseline exercise using the DELTA (Data
Evaluation Learning Technology Analysis) system pioneered by the Tata Trusts and which has mapped
the entire population living in the Corridor route across Jharkhand and Odisha. Some links are given
below to understand the DELTA system and what it has done in the Development Corridor.

https://www.tatatrusts.org/our-work/digital-transformation/data-driven-governance

https://www.tatatrusts.org/our-work/digital-transformation/data-driven-governance/jamshedpur-kalinganagar-corridor

https://deltadriveindia.in/dashboard.php
Background for Case
Tata Steel has created the concept of the Development Corridor to spearhead development initiatives to
bring visible changes that will impact communities living along the route. However, going forward, Tata
Steel shall restrict its to that of a mobilizer and convener with the idea of fostering strong relationships
and equal partnerships between all stakeholders. The stakeholders apart from communities themselves
are varied and include the government system, various businesses operating in the area as well as non-
government organizations / civil society organizations.

To bring the partners together and bind them through a shared vision and agenda, Tata Steel thought of
forming an institution where different stakeholders joined hands to address common societal problem
along the corridor in a sustainable way. This institution is the ‘Corridor Collective’.

The Corridor Collective aims to establish the following.

• Define common goals for all partners

• Openness and transparency in all processes to build trust
• Development of a ‘theory of change’ for how to move from current scenario to a make it more effective and
sustainable
• An equitable process for continuous stakeholder engagement;
• Establish connection to key actors at local, national and global levels both for policy process and funding:
• Constant evaluation of the effectiveness of partnership, its process of decision-making, and the extent to
which it reflects the views of and are trusted by all the stakeholder
Problem Statement/Challenges Faced

• The various stakeholders in the Corridor have different perspectives and understanding of
development aligned with their organizational objectives thus leading to divergent views.
• The Corridor Collective is envisaged as a platform which can bring all stakeholders together to
discuss and work towards development of the community. However, the understanding of each
stakeholder of a rights-based approach may differ.

This is likely to lead to differences in the opinions among the collaborators on coming to a consensus on
addressing community issues.
Critical Case Questions

• The idea is to create a structure which balances the need to be collaborative with our basic rights
based principle of communities deciding, enabling and taking forward their own development
paradigm. This needs an institutional structure which starts as an informal collective but evolves
into a community led formal institution – how can this be done?

Domain Corporate Social Responsibility

Name of the Case: Ponds as a Means of Livelihood for Rural Communities
Introduction
About Tata Steel CSR
Tata Steel has among the oldest, deepest and most meaningful corporate – community interfaces across
India Inc. which is acknowledged as a benchmark in the emerging paradigm of responsible capitalism
where companies are legitimately evaluated on the extent to which social and environmental aspects are
considered in their core business models. We are currently engaged with some of the most pressing
societal challenges across more than 2,800 villages in Odisha and Jharkhand.

TSL has over a century of shared context with communities giving it a microscopic view of their critical
needs and aspirations. This has enabled the design of focused initiatives which have matured over the
years from service provision to empowering communities in forging their future. CSR interventions are
deployed by almost 600 diversely skilled professionals interacting directly with the community daily,
partnered by organizations of national and global repute. A deeply felt concern for communities prompts
TSL to consistently commit resources to bold and innovative projects designed at scale. This approach
is the bedrock of strong and enduring community relationships with mutual trust and respect. It has
significantly contributed to growth in TSL’s business, setting the company apart from other mining and
metals corporations.

A comprehensive range of themes with multiple initiatives aligned to globally accepted guidelines
including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) go well beyond the CSR mandate enshrined in the
Companies Act 2013. They cater to the most vulnerable sections among communities (especially women,
children and tribes), addressing the challenges of today and building lasting solutions for the future.
Focused projects in health, drinking water, sanitation, education, livelihoods and infrastructure meet
community needs. Sports and Youth Empowerment initiatives engage them meaningfully. Tribal Identity,
an emerging signature theme unique among corporates, includes sustained efforts to preserve and
promote aspects of heritage (language, culture, art forms and sports) and ground-breaking efforts like
Samvaad and the Tribal Leadership Programme which provide platforms for expression of and debate on
tribal issues across India.

Tata Steel’s CSR is deployed through various delivery arms which are essentially societies that undertake
planning, implementation and monitoring of the various CSR initiatives.

The Importance of Harnessing Water for Rural Areas

A large section of Jharkhand’s population (76%) continues to reside in rural areas and for most of them
(62%) agriculture is the dominant livelihood. Despite the high dependence, agriculture in the state is
mostly subsistence oriented. A large area continues to remain fallow, which results in low agricultural
intensification (cropping intensity around 1.13 as against a country average of 1.36). The primary reason
behind this is lack of water control. The decadal average (2000-01 till 2010-11) of irrigation coverage for
Jharkhand is around 10% while the same for India hovered around 44%. Agriculture in the state is
dominated by monocrop paddy. Lack of proper agriculture extension services and insufficient experience
in growing a second crop enhances the risk of crop failure- the reason why farmers feel discouraged in
taking a second crop.

Given the importance of agriculture in Jharkhand, breaking the vicious cycle of underperformance is
critical to promote rural prosperity in the state. But to break the vicious cycle and to move to a virtuous
cycle – and hence contribute to the government’s goal of doubling of farm income – securing superior
water control would be the key.

Superior water control can only take place through better utilization of rainfall, which in Jharkhand is much
higher than other agriculturally prosperous states in India.

Creation of Ponds as Individual as well as Village Community Assets

Considering the importance of harvesting water and securing its use for rural populations, in 2010, a CSR
initiative was started to create farm ponds which act as water harvesting structures that conserve water
and put it to productive use. These ponds work to improve agriculture / horticulture and allied activities
like fisheries and duckery by promoting optimal use of water. This in turn results in income enhancement
and stabilization. Other positive externalities created by farm ponds include reduction in the drudgery of
women who had to carry water for domestic use from far, and access to drinking water for livestock.

Over a period of around 7 – 8 years, Tata Steel CSR has helped rural communities across its operating
areas of Jharkhand and Odisha with construction of around 1,000 ponds with close to 900 ponds only in
the Kolhan region of Jharkhand (the three districts of East Singhbhum, West Singhbhum and Seraikela
Kharsawan combined). Most of these ponds are farm ponds but there are some which have been used
primarily for domestic purposes.

Tata Steel has laid special emphasis on working with existing village Samitis to train them to construct
ponds and promote them as rural entrepreneurs over time instead of utilizing large vendor partners.

The initiative on farm ponds has helped villagers meet multiple requirements for water and has enhanced
community spirit by sharing of this scarce resource. There is also effort to aid ground water recharge
through the ponds initiative. A deep social impact has been to reduce the burden of women to walk miles
on end to fetch water for the household which can now be sourced close by from a farm pond.

Now, with availability of water in the farm ponds, farmers can take a second crop- leading to increase in
cropping intensity. Last but not the least, often during summer, these ponds are the only source for
drinking water for livestock.
Background for Case
A recent study of the impact of farm ponds on rural life and livelihoods has been conducted for the Kolhan
region facilitated by Tata Steel. A link to the report is as follows.

http://www.vikasanvesh.in/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Enhancing-water-food-and-income-security-through-Farm-
Ponds.pdf
Problem Statement/Challenges Faced
Community acknowledge the benefits of ponds as one of the key interventions to conserve surface water.
The community is also using the pond water for agriculture and other livelihood activities like fishery and
horticultural crops in and around the ponds. However, in true sense the potential for significant income
enhancement is not well recognized or realized by community.

Size of ponds is the factor of availability of land which is mainly 100ftX100 ft. Farmers usually feel a pond
of larger size would be more useful. But how can we develop an economics of small size ponds (which
will not take much of their available small land holdings) and such smaller size ponds can be amply meet
the requirement of villagers.
Critical Case Questions

How can farm ponds be a cost-effective structure that enhance water control and transform livelihood
and hence economic potential of farming community?