Issue: #7 | October 2014

In this issue:
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The Socrates Award Winner Tech Mahindra Rising for
Good
Fiinobservaon of
Internaonal Days
The Journey of
Fiinovaon
th
6 Anniversary Special Edition
Global Alliance For Climate
Smart Agriculture The
Acon Plan
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
Founded
Started with a team of 4 members
1st research consultancy
specialized in CSR
Whistle blower for CSR in India
Asia's rst proposal research lab
Sector specic innovation in the
development sector
Knowledge partners for NGOBOX

Mobile site launched for instant update
Integrated solution enabler in the CSR Domain
Web portal for instant project updates
8th International Conference on CSR
Best Innovation-Product or Service at Social Innovation Award
Fiinovation & Institute of Directors path breaking partnership
Fiinovation & FKCCI at the Face of the Companies Act 2013
Fiinovation at 24th World Congress on Total Quality and Leadership
Fiinovation & IOD conference on Environment Management
Socrates Award for the Best Enterprise Oxford, UK
Fiinovation & IOD London Global Convention, UK
Celebrating 6 years of Excellence
Over the past six years Innovative Financial Advisors Pvt. Ltd. (Fiinovation) has
emerged as multidisciplinary research consultancy that operates in the domain of
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Sustainability. It has grown from the time
when people used to consider CSR & Sustainability to be the auxiliary components of
functionality to the times now when both of these verticals are the stage setter for
Corporations & Society at large. Today, it is considered by its partners as a resource
for all solutions related to CSR and Sustainability.
It works with a motive to promote and create awareness, inspire innovative thinking
and action that leads to sustainable development to business houses and the
communities, which are interlinked. Fiinovation has been conferred with Best
Innovation: Product or Service Award at the Social Innovation Awards 2014 at the
World CSR Day Mumbai, India & The Socrates Award for the Best Enterprise in the
eld of health, education, environment and livelihood with a focus on CSR &
Sustainability at the Leaders Summit in Oxford, U.K. 2014.
On the occasion of 6th Foundation Day, Fiinovation organized its 2nd Annual Blood
Donation camp in association with Lions Blood Bank. The event drew 143
participants from various offices in Okhla and 83 donations were done making it a
successful one.
This journey won't have been possible without the great
substantial support that each member of this organization
has provided both organically & otherwise.
The Socrates Award Winner
03
The Europe Business Assembly has honored Fiinovation with the Best
Enterprise Award in the eld of Health, Education, Environment and
Livelihood with a focus on CSR & Sustainability. The Leaders Summit & the
Socrates Award Ceremony is an ongoing promotion of the world elite, who
through their hard work and exceptional business sense support an
exchange of ideas and experiences amongst the international community in
the areas of economics, politics, education and culture. The selection
process is thorough which honours the most deserving nominees.
The Socrates Award Ceremony was held in the Main Hall of the Oxford Town
Hall, UK on 14th October, 2014.
The grand international event is an annual forum for investors, scientists and
university chancellors from over 30 countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, and the
Americas. This years summit theme was, Innovative Models of Development
which highlighted the latest trends in higher education and the promotion
of modern educational programmes and methodologies.
Mr Soumitro Chakraborty with his interesting professional history which
started from being an aviator to a social entrepreneur has also been
nominated as the Leader of the Week. His diverse work which includes
project management, investment management, nance and commerce,
client advisory services, donor mapping and development has ensured him
of a place as a board member for several organizations. His leadership has
enabled Fiinovation to establish itself for the partners as a resource for all
solutions related to CSR and sustainability.
India is not a poor country. It is poorly managed.
India does not need to look for funding outside for
its internal aairs. Policies can be put in place to
pay for climate resilience.
Karkeya Singh,
Founder, Indian Youth Climate Network
"There is no Plan B, because we do not have a
Planet B"
Ban Kimoon,
SecretaryGeneral, United Naons

Emerging economies are likely to produce more
and more carbon emissions in years to come. So
nobody can stand on the sidelines of this issue, we
have to set aside the old divides
Barack Obama,
President , United States of America
A doctor should feel if he saves a poor man's life he
will serve the naon and in turn the doctors is doing
the act of Desh Bhak, same way a cleaner should
feel proud that he is making his country clean, a
teacher should feel proud he/she is educang the
naon.I am condent that I can movate this
insnct of Desh Bhak in every job
Narendra Modi,
Prime Minister, India
Food For Thought...
What the Inuencers Said
73 Naonal Government s, 11 Regi onal
Governments and more than 1,000 business
houses and investors have showed their support
for pricing of carbon.
Food producon will need to increase by at least
60% over the next 35 years to provide food
security for the 9 billion people expected to be
living on the planet by 2050.
Out of the 1.3 billion people now living without
electricity, approximately 40% of them are
Indians.
Approximately 13 million hectares of forests
connue to be lost each year, contribung up to
20% of annual global greenhouse gas emissions.
Kerosene and diesel lamps generate air polluon,
which kills 4.3 million people each year, almost
twice the gures of malaria, tuberculosis and HIV
AIDS combined.
04
Tech Mahindra Rising for Good
The Indian IT-enabled service provider Tech Mahindra which
is part of the Mahindra Group has been working for the
upliftment of society through its initiatives in Skill
development and Education. They aspire to see youth that is
constructively employed, children who are purposefully
engaged and a society that provides equal opportunities to
people with different abilities.
In 2007, Tech Mahindra Limited set up Tech Mahindra
Foundation (TMF), a Section 25 company of dedicated
professionals to carry out its CSR activities. The Foundation
works with more than 100 partners across ten locations in
India - Bangalore, Bhubaneswar, Chandigarh, Chennai, Delhi
& National Capital Region (NCR), Hyderabad, Kolkata,
Mumbai, Pune, and Vishakhapatnam helping more than
200,00 lives. For the FY 2014-15, Tech Mahindra has
allocated Rs. 50 crores to be spent on CSR initiatives, of
which Rs. 35 crores will be spent through programmes
undertaken by TMF and Rs. 15 crores through Mahindra
Educational Institutions (MEI) that focuses on higher
technical education.
The Foundation runs to agship vocational training
programmes SMART and YUVA. SMART, a model vocational
training program for socio-economically disadvantaged
youth, enabling them to actualize their potential in a career
of their choice. The youth undergo the training programmes
at SMART Centers where they have to follow the mentioned
below curriculum:
Foundational Soft Skills (Any one of these) 30 HRS.
Hospitality
Enabled
Services
Customer
Relationship
& Sales
Foundational Soft Skills (270 HRS.)
YUVA English
(120 HRS.*)
Work
Readiness
(60 HRS.)
Basic IT &
Typing Skills
(90 HRS.)
The distinguishing features of the Tech Mahindra SMART

Programme are:
Complete focus on skills and attitude required for a

successful career in a new economy

Strong set of well-dened processes for each component

of the program
Up to date and thorough Curriculum prepared by experts

Network of centers across all major cities of India

TTech Mahindra understands the efforts that is put in at

individual level whether from a child who has improved her
grades at school or the NGO partner who labours in the
night school with a small class of ve young men or the
women who want to learn or a single mother who sends her
girl to school against all odds or a blind student who wants
to have the title of a doctor before his name.
The road to development is not that easy, however, Tech
Mahindra Foundation has been making a phenomenal
impact on the ground. They want to travel the last mile and
help India overcome its challenges. All they need is
everyone's support.
Manisha worked on a computer for the
rst time when she came to the ANK- Tech
Mahindra SMART centre at Hasanpur,
Delhi. She went on to learn the basic
softwares, and after her training got
selected to work at the Max Healthcare
Hospital in Patparganj, earning a salary
of Rs 7500 per month. Her parents are now
proud of her, realising that even a girl can
shoulder the responsibilities of the family
so well. And Manisha wants to excel in
her career, and is looking forward to a
promotion within the department.
Rahul Choudhury
GLOBAL ALLIANCE FOR CLIMATE SMART
AGRICULTURE THE ACTION PLAN
05
Food security for all is one of most widely discussed issues of the recent times, despite the
world having enough food to feed its people. One person in every eight suffers from chronic
hunger and the world population is expected to reach 9 billion by 2050 furthered by the current
consumptions patterns which ensure the road ahead is challenging. India has been ghting
their case with the WTO regarding subsidies to counter its food security challenge. Despite
signicant increase in productivity through the green revolution, hunger deaths are quite
common in India. India has all the potential of not only being a food secure nation but also a
major exporter of essential grains.
The Indo-Gangetic Plains are the grain bowl of India, occupying 40% of the area and
contributing more than 50% to cereal productions. It also accommodates nearly one billion
people thereby making it one of the most populous areas on earth. It is challenging yet
continues to have potential. This actually means that India need to be at par with global
agricultural practices to be able to restore the food balance. Productivity of Indian agriculture is
low. Estimates of yield of rice as of April 2011 in India was 3.2 tonnes per hectare as against 7.5
tonnes per hectare in the United States, 6.7 tonnes per hectare in China and an average of 4.3
tonnes per hectare for the world. Similar contrast in yields have also been observed in case of
wheat and coarse cereals though yield gaps as regard oilseeds were lesser i.e., 1.0 tonne per
hectare, 2.7 tonnes per hectare and 2.1 tonnes per hectare for India, United States and China
respectively. Even the most productive States in the country fall short of world standards in
terms of yields of major crops. Agriculture in India contributes 17% of the total green house
emissions. The way forward must develop, adopt and implement a climate smart agriculture
action plan.
Indian farmers are more vulnerable to climate change since the country depends on rain-fed
subsistence agriculture. I believe, climate smart agriculture is the need of the hour for
sustainable increase in agricultural productivity; for reducing food losses and waste; for all food
systems to be more resilient and able to adapt to climate change; and for enabling agriculture
to contribute to the reduction and removal of greenhouse gas emissions, where ever feasible.
India needs to manage its resources, reduce emissions and land and forest degradations.
Roadmaps should be laid out for policy reforms, especially rural development schemes which
will be aligned to India's priorities based on social, economic and environmental conditions,
including the diversity in type and scale of agricultural activity, as well as evaluating the
potential synergies and tradeoffs and net benets.
There is a need to use of methods for measuring the impact of its participants' collective
actions, particularly in terms of improved food security, nutrition, and resilience that are
relevant to farmers. The agenda is of incorporating climate smart agriculture within the policy
frameworks, and the focus should shift towards development of enabling environments that
encourage people to adopt climate-smart agriculture approaches.
I understand it is a huge task which cannot be completed with one man's efforts. It requires
engagement from all shareholders especially business houses, foundations, civil society
organizations among others. I strongly believe that these partnerships will assist in
development and dissemination of innovative, evidence-based options for climate-smart
agriculture. There should be voluntary sharing of information and experience, technologies,
knowledge and practices, pursuing actions to transform agriculture and empower farmers,
particularly women and youth, by involving a broad range of stakeholders. India need to ensure
it takes into account the synergies and trade-offs relating to agriculture, climate change and
food security.
(a) Appropriate national or international expertise,
(b) Taking lessons from pilot studies
(c) Resources needed to establish the necessary operating principles, extension
services and farmer support schemes.
Rahul Choudhury
Fiinobservation of International Days
Fiinovation, a research based organization, is an integrated solution enabler in the CSR and sustainability domain. It is focused
towards enhancing quality across organizational value chain through meaningful innovation thereby ensuring sustainability. It is
Asia's rst proposal research laboratory wherein research is focused primarily on four sectors, which include health, education,
livelihood and environment. The practices: CSR-CSO Partnership, CSR Policy Design & Development, Programme Management,
Impact Assessment and Sustainability Reporting help provide simple solutions to their partners.
Fiinovation
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Phone: 011-42332200 | Fax : 011-42332205
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About Fiinovation
World Food Day
16 October
International Day for Eradication
of Poverty
17 October
The International Day of the
Girl Child
11 October
The observance of the international day
of the girl child started after Plan
International's campaign 'Because I am
a girl'. The campaign was designed to
raise awareness on the importance of
nurturing girls well. Global observance
of the day started from 11th October,
2012 and has continued since. The
obser vation of the day supports
opportunities for girls and increases
awareness on gender inequality. This
inequality which is manifested through
access to education, nutrition, legal
rights, medical care, violence and
unfree child marriages. Although, there
has been signicant improvement
towards education for girls, still many,
especially in the developing countries
are deprived of this basic right.
This year, the theme is "Empowering
adolescent girls: Ending the cycle of
violence". Girl's education is a powerful
tool for transforming the society and
improves quality of living on the whole.
Redening gender norms are crucial
towards ending violence against girls
across the world.
Food insecurity has been a threat to
human civilization. Despite signicant
efforts in increasing agricultural
productivity, we have still not become a
food secure world. FAO celebrates
World Food Day each year on 16
October. The theme for this year is
Family Farming: Feeding the world,
caring for the earth . It focuses world
attention on the signicant role of
family farming in eradicating hunger
and poverty, providing food security
and nutrition, improving livelihoods,
managing natural resources, protecting
the envi ronment, and achi evi ng
sustainable development, especially in
rural areas. The UNGA has designated
2014 as the International Year of Family
Farming. This is a strong signal that the
international community recognizes
the signicant contribution of family
farmers to world food security.
The importance of family farming and
the role Corporate Social Responsibility
i n creati ng awareness and ski l l
de v e l opme nt f or s us t a i na bl e
devel opment through i mproved
agri cul tural practi ces shoul d be
focused upon.
The International Day for Eradication of
Poverty is being observed since 17th
October, 1993. The day is designed to
raise awareness on the need to eradicate
global poverty and destitution. However,
the rst event took place in Paris, France
in 1987 when 100,000 gathered on the
Human Rights and Liberties Plaza at the
Trocadro to honour victims of poverty,
hunger, violence and fear.
Eradication of poverty was the rst
objective of the Millennium Development
Goals and it should also be part of the
post 2015 development agenda. This
year the theme is 'leave no one behind:
think, decide and act together against
extreme poverty.' It explains the need to
r e c ogni z e a nd unde r s c or e t he
demanding challenges that hinder the
progress of eradication of extreme
hunger and poverty. It also points to
leaving no one behind, aiming to
eliminate discrimination of anyone on the
basis of poverty, ethnic origin, gender,
age, disability, economic and social
status. There is an urgent need to bring
t oget her ever yone f or a bet t er
understanding of more sustainable
models of development.
04
The Journey is 6 years old,
However we all feel its just getting
started...