This refers to the article “Necessary virtues” (Swot, March 14). Beyond the comfort that corporate social responsibility (CSR) is gaining recognition as a necessary feature of “being rich”, it is soothing to find that entrepreneurs like P N C Menon are leading by example by stating that at least half of his wealth belongs to the society, and individuals who own such wealth have a “trusteeship right” to canalise resources. Such gestures, hopefully, will open a debate that will ultimately redefine CSR.
Spending on social causes, by and large, has remained at the bottom end of priorities of the government and corporations so far. Those rich individuals who have finally started recognising CSR as part of their way of life have done so either too late, or because of “certain compelling circumstances in life” that they had not bargained for. Without struggling to put together a legal definition for CSR, those who are lucky to govern and manage resources that ultimately belong to society should take on themselves the responsibility to alleviate poverty, provide shelter and potable water, promote literacy and ensure reasonably affordable health care. Menon had hogged the limelight in Guruvayur for donating huge quantities of gold to Lord Vishnu, and one expected further follow up of developments in the township in terms of provision of minimum facilities like potable water and a reasonably acceptable waste management system. But I was surprised to discover on a recent visit to Guruvayur that the local middle-class population depended on free food served in temples, and used the money saved to buy bottled drinking water at Rs 15 per litre.
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Spending on social causes, by and large, has remained at the bottom end of priorities of the government and corporations so far. Those rich individuals who have finally started recognising CSR as part of their way of life have done so either too late, or because of “certain compelling circumstances in life” that they had not bargained for. Without struggling to put together a legal definition for CSR, those who are lucky to govern and manage resources that ultimately belong to society should take on themselves the responsibility to alleviate poverty, provide shelter and potable water, promote literacy and ensure reasonably affordable health care. Menon had hogged the limelight in Guruvayur for donating huge quantities of gold to Lord Vishnu, and one expected further follow up of developments in the township in terms of provision of minimum facilities like potable water and a reasonably acceptable waste management system. But I was surprised to discover on a recent visit to Guruvayur that the local middle-class population depended on free food served in temples, and used the money saved to buy bottled drinking water at Rs 15 per litre.
M G Warrier Thiruvananthapuram
Letters can be mailed, faxed or e-mailed to:
The Editor, Business Standard
Nehru House, 4 Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg
New Delhi 110 002
Fax: (011) 23720201
E-mail: letters@bsmail.in
All letters must have a postal address and telephone number