The Inaugural
A 2-Day Workshop on 25-26 August 2023 was organized by Bosconet and SURABI (Don Bosco Chennai) at The Citadel, Chennai. 100+ participants from Don Bosco and its collaborative partners across Tamil Nadu attended the workshop. Fr. Santhanam Ubagaram (National Director, Bosconet) and Fr. L Don Bosco, Provincial/Head- Don Bosco Network, North Tamil Nadu, delivered the dynamics of the CSR Workshop. It was facilitated by Nikhil Pant and the Team from Lakshyaa. Ideas such as credibility, accountability, and an impact-centered approach towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within the context of the workshop were also discussed.

CSR Compliances
The discussion commenced with a historical overview of CSR in India, moving from the liberalization era of the 1980s and 1990s. It then delved into a comprehensive discussion of Section 135 (Schedule 7) of the Companies Bill, 2012, which is divided into 9 clauses. Eventually, the discussion turned to the Act of 2013, followed by the Notification of 2021 with 9 rules.
These played a pivotal role in giving a major push to the Corporate Civil Society Organizations and NGOs to collaborate with the government in nation-building efforts.

CSR compliances and strategies in accessing, managing, reporting and spending/budget preparations, in relation to CSR were also discussed. Finally, the session concluded with a presentation of frequently asked questions (FAQs) regarding CSR.

Corporates and Don Bosco Network- An Interface
A special panel discussion was held featuring notable industries representatives- HCL Foundation(Mr. Marshal); Standard Chartered Bank (Ms Ghazal Raina); Xpo HR(Mr Jawahar Michael); United Way(Mr. Jaraslo) and QUEST Alliance (Mr Jeevan) The discussion was skillfully facilitated by Mr Nikhil Pant and centred around the topics of CSR legal compliance and strategic approaches, representing a significant milestone towards fostering responsible corporate practices and building sustainable partnerships.

The Way Forward
In conclusion, all participants expressed their interest in utilizing the knowledge gained for monitoring and executing projects, providing additional reporting guidelines, and would like to be updated on CSR initiatives. Don Bosco Network is aligning its goals and priorities with the Sustainable Development Goals and CSR Compliances to find the way forward.