A 2014, Platt Award winner for CSR, TPDDL knows what it means to enlighten lives of people at the grassroots
It is one thing to do one’s job well, and quite another to live that job in the literal sense. For Tata Power Delhi Distribution, TPDDL (a joint venture (JV) between Tata Power, India’s largest integrated power company and the Government of NCT of Delhi) is not just giving electricity to many homes, but also lighting lives of over 60 lakh people in north and north-west Delhi.
As a responsible corporate citizen, TPDDL has always strived to reach out to the communities through its various CSR and welfare initiatives round the year. What probably makes its CSR activities more noteworthy is the fact that every activity rests on four main pillars — employability, entrepreneurship, education and employment.
The four pillars have obviously made their mark and built a strong platform for work a grassroots level. A recognition of which came this year in the form of the prestigious Platt award for CSR in the Energy Sector. A worldwide recognition, this one is considered like the Oscars for power, oil and gas industries.
Platts receives more than 200 nominations each year. This year, the nominations came from more than 25 countries, including Brazil, India, Puerto Rico, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Russia, Switzerland, Argentina, China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Thailand, United Kingdom and the United States. TPDDL won the award amongst 12 finalist, who were shortlisted for the final rounds.
The award was announced at the 2014 Platts Global Energy Awards function on December 11, 2014, at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City.
TPDDL won the award for corporate social responsibility (CSR) illuminating the ever-important convergence of efficiency and company values.
TPDDL, which distributes electricity in the north and north-west parts of Delhi and serves a populace of 6 million, started its CSR programme at the bottom; little surprise it has moved up in record time. Ask Praveen Sinha, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director, Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited, and he puts it across humbly when he says, “The company was concerned with the quality of lives of consumers living in Delhi’s slum clusters — at the base of the economic pyramid.” The organization formed a Special Consumer Group, which indicated that these communities were missing basic necessities in health, hygiene, education and employability. “In addition, rampant addiction among community males led to a large portion of their meagre disposable income being spent on alcohol or drugs, which in turn impacted the quality of life of women and children,” he added TPDDL, he says, also observed that members of these communities were stealing electricity merely out of need, in absence of commensurate “capacity to pay” electricity programmes, and no punitive actions would be able to dissuade these consumers from continuing electricity theft. The company quickly marshaled its forces to develop revolutionary programmes targeted to each population in need, in order to improve their quality of life. Special efforts were made to change the mindset of community members who considered electricity companies as not too friendly, and those who held a cultural stance opposing education for women and children.
That is how an all rounded approach was adopted. With an annual budget of CSR being approximately Rs 8.36 crore, the attention area is rather large. Which probably also explains how, unlike a lot of companies who focus on one area, TPDDL focuses on many. It also explains the tie-ups with NGOs specialising in various sectors.
Ask Sinha what the selection criteria of partners for CSR projects are, and he lists them out clearly: “Grassroot presence of agency and working expertise and experience of particular field of community developments is what we look at.”
And since TPDDL works towards holistic development of communities, its initiatives include Adult Literacy Centres (ALC) for women, Vocational Training Centers (VTC), Neighborhood Electrician Programme, Tutorials for Children, Medical Aid, Drug-de Addiction Support, Accidental Insurance scheme, safety awareness drives, among others.
TPDDL’s approach has provided resources to 39,000 community members to address basic health issues, — 26,000 to overcome addiction, 12,000 to participate in literacy programs, and 4,000 to obtain vocational training.
Ask Sinha what TPDDL’s focus areas are and he puts it simply, “Education and employability.” It also explains the various programmes undertaken under the following two heads:
Women Literacy Programme: TPDDL provides functional literacy to women beneficiaries through the Women Literacy Program. The six month programme works on the Computer-Based Functional Literacy Software of TCS, which enables them to read and write alphabets and understand numerals through animated videos. Instructors and beneficiaries of adult literacy programme are developed as brand ambassadors, where they are financially engaged in disseminating awareness for various CSR projects and consumer-friendly schemes of the companies. Formation of SHGs is promoted at these centres to organise them into small income-generating groups. Starting from two centers and 30 beneficiaries in 2006, today the programme has grown to 290 centres and has helped more than 22,500 women during this period.
Tutorial Centres: TPDDL provides supplementary education to needy and underprivileged kids through its tutorial centres. The vocational training centres serve a dual purpose — imparting vocational training as well as supplementary education to kids from standard one to nine. The teachers are selected from the community itself and the criteria is that they have an enthusiasm to teach these underprivileged but meritorious and competent kids. The kids are not just facilitated with support in studies but are also groomed well in extracurricular activities such as painting, skits, singing, dancing and so on. Holistic development of children forms the core pillar of the education programme. The programme has resulted in zero dropouts of students. Approximately 1,800 kids have availed education from these centers.
Educational support to students of government schools: TPDDL has supported 1,855 needy SC/ ST students from 46 government schools to continue education through aids and counseling. Students are supported with reference books, school bags, stationeries and so on. Also, customised personality development, interpersonal skills, career counseling and competency testing of these students is held annually.
Not just this, it also gives scholarships for professional courses and have so far supported 523 meritorious and needy SC/ ST students pursuing engineering/ ITI/ diploma and professional courses from engineering colleges, polytechnics and industrial training institutes.
Vocational Training Programme: Skill generation programmes aim to train the youths and school dropouts belonging to the economically weaker sections of the society in various vocations, thus enabling them to either start their own small venture or become employable. Skill enhancement of these beneficiaries not just ensures their gainful engagement and financial value addition but also gives a positive shape to their lives, which otherwise lacked direction. Vocational training centres are located in the heart of the communities making its outreach convenient and easily accessible for the youths especially females.
The training imparted is immensely marketable in nature and enables beneficiaries to make a decent livelihood. Potential partner agency is identified for selection of beneficiaries, need assessment survey among community, running classes, conducting examination, handholding in placements and following up. Courses offered include stitching and tailoring, beautician, retail chain, computer, typing, electrician and mobile repairing. Currently, eight such centres are operational and have benefitted more than 6,400 beneficiaries.
Sinha also explains why TPDDL’s focus on CSR is a priority: “Working towards the betterment of the society in which we operate has always been central to our operating principles and is aptly highlighted in our CSR Policy. In fact, the parent group, that is the house of Tata has been the pioneer in designing, developing and implementing various social interventions and initiatives, not since the time CSR became popular and in vogue, but since when nobody knew or thought of it. TPDDL’s CSR vision corroborates to the claim of a responsible company and aims at imbibing social alignment as a key component of all its business processes and strategy. “Power to the People” has been the motto of the company for inclusive growth.
Some people sure live up to their motto!