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Tag: corporate social responsibility

  • Mukul Madhav Foundation addresses child labour in a short film ‘Baitullah’

    Mukul Madhav Foundation addresses child labour in a short film ‘Baitullah’

    Mumbai: Finolex Industries’ corporate social responsibility arm, the Mukul Madhav Foundation, has released a short movie, Baitullah. addressing child labour. The award winning short film is sure to open your eyes. The picture, picturing a little boy named Baitullah working at a tea stall in the city, poses the question to the viewer.

    Directed, written and produced by Jitendra Rai (M/S Matheno Films), the main protagonist is played by child artist Om Kanojiya, supported by Ishtiyak Khan and Vipin Sharma. The film has been nominated and selected at 85+ international and national film festivals and has already won 26 awards.

    “What does this child need to do to become like you?” is a question that is met with awkward silence in the film but hopes to ignite a conversation amongst viewers and the more fortunate.

    Millions of children across the world, and especially in India, are exploited and denied their childhood every day. They are kept out of classrooms and forced to work as touts or earn a daily wage for their families due to poverty, lack of awareness, or just plain neglect and apathy. Most are hidden away in sweatshops making shoes, jewelry, and firecrackers. But some are in plain sight. ‘Chottu’ at your friendly neighbourhood tea stall or lunch place.

    Speaking on the evolution of the film, the director Jitendra Rai said, “As a filmmaker, I look at the world around me with my eyes wide open. I couldn’t ignore the child labour I saw around me, but I was also left with a sense of helplessness. As a filmmaker, I chose to capture this helplessness, the silent appeal these children have in their eyes when they look at people better-off than them.”

    Rai added, “This helplessness turned into hope, when I saw the work that is being done by organisations like the Mukul Madhav Foundation. I am also grateful for their support of this film.”

    Mukul Madhav Foundation managing trustee Ritu Chhabria said, “This film asks a question that started us on our journey working with marginalised and vulnerable children: how could each child enjoy the things we take for granted in our lives? We set out to put things in place, one small block at a time.”

    Established in 1999, the Mukul Madhav Foundation works with communities across India, uplifting the less fortunate with hope and dignity. Their work with children, especially those vulnerable to exploitation, assault, and trafficking, is slowly tilting the scale at the grassroots. Supporting children with initiatives in education, nutrition, and mental health. Offering a helpline, counsellors, and legal aid for children. Rescuing and rehabilitating exploited children and then reintegrating them back into the mainstream. But even more importantly, strengthening the community. Giving parents and youth access to healthcare, sanitation, skill development, and employment. Giving each of them a sense of dignity. With the belief that in order for children to be safe, their community must first feel financially and emotionally secure.

  • Disney Star onboards George Cherian as corporate communications & CSR head

    Disney Star onboards George Cherian as corporate communications & CSR head

    Mumbai: Disney Star on Monday announced the appointment of George Cherian as head of corporate communications and corporate social responsibility (CSR) for the market. Cherian will report to The Walt Disney Company and Star India country manager and president K Madhavan and will join the India leadership team that drives Disney Star businesses in the country, said the statement.

    In this role, Cherian will be responsible for overseeing all strategic communications and CSR efforts for the Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution (DMED) business in the country which includes television network, streaming platform, and studios. 

    “We are at an exciting juncture of our growth story and strongly believe that communication is one of the key drivers in establishing a brand’s stature,” said K Madhavan. “As the country’s leading media, entertainment and digital network, we have a strong and compelling story to tell. We are delighted to welcome George to the Disney Star team to help us communicate our vision, strategy and commitment to the Indian market, and to the various external stakeholders.” 

    Cherian brings to bear over 25 years of experience as a financial journalist and a communications professional. He previously served at Deutsche Bank Group India as director and head of group communications where he led all brand and communications activities for the bank’s various businesses in the country. Prior to that, he headed communications for Barclays in the Asia Pacific region. As a journalist, Cherian was a part of the founding teams of Bloomberg TV India and ET Now and he also worked with The Economic Times.

    “The combination of an industry that is on the cusp of exponential growth and a brand that is trusted and respected by millions of people the world over, could not have made for a more convincing case for me to join Disney Star. I look forward to the opportunity of building the Disney Star brands in India and working with some of the most talented professionals in this industry,” said George Cherian on his new assignment.

  • Commitment to sustainability adds value to a brand : BBC News study

    Commitment to sustainability adds value to a brand : BBC News study

    Mumbai: Demonstrating a commitment to sustainability adds value to a brand, according to two waves of surveys conducted by BBC Global News to understand how consumers in APAC and across the globe feel about sustainability.

    The survey focused on three industries – automotive, technology, and finance.

    It found that 81 per cent of respondents thought that demonstrating a commitment to sustainability adds value to a brand. 79 per cent surveyed agreed that sustainable practices and commitments are an important consideration when making purchase decisions. 68 per cent were happy to pay for more brands with strong sustainability and eco-friendly practices. 57 per cent said they would stop buying a product they were previously loyal to, if they discovered it was not committed to sustainability.

    For the 27 brands surveyed across the three industries, on average, half of all the consumers said they are not aware of the brand’s sustainability practices. Finance brands ranked the highest with 63 per cent of consumers being unaware of their sustainability practices.

    Consumers believe that it is important for all brands’ sustainability practices to involve research and education, according to the survey. 83 per cent of consumers believe that brands should invest in education about the importance of sustainability and 79 per cent agree that brands should be financing research for sustainable practices.

    The research showed that, for consumers across the region, brand trust is seen as the most important brand association, indexing particularly high in the automotive and technology sectors at 87 and 83 per cent, respectively, with finance scoring at 63 per cent.

    66 per cent of respondents said that interviews with an international news partner are the most influential way for consumers to learn about a brand’s CSR, followed by branded content within a premium environment at 39 per cent.

    “These results demonstrate the importance that consumers place on a brand’s sustainability credentials and show that they are willing to use their wallets to make their feelings known,” said BBC Global News’ senior vice president, commercial development, Alistair McEwan. “For brands to retain loyalty from their customers, they need to be absolutely clear about their commitment to taking action.  Those that fail to do so open themselves to criticism, so it is vital that brands shape their narrative and communicate their message in a transparent and authentic way and working with trusted storytellers like the BBC will enable that.”