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Reaching out:PwC’s Corporate ResponsibilityNewsletter

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Message from the ChairmanAn important pillar for being a responsible business is how we give back to the communities we operate in and how we make a difference in the lives of those who need our support the most. Every year, the PwC India Foundation (PwCIF) directs its efforts towards driving Corporate Responsibility programmes that help us achieve these objectives. It’s heartening to see how year on year we have been able to touch more lives.

FY18 was another exciting year for PwCIF and we have a lot to be proud of as we look back. Our initiatives in the six areas of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WaSH); Urban Children; Environmental Sustainability; Education; Social Entrepreneurship; and Humanitarian Emergencies saw us touch over 28,000 people through 34 projects. We also clocked 6,300+ volunteering hours and committed 8,300+ pro bono hours across our business teams.

Through our community investments, we continued to share our greatest asset – the skills, knowledge and talent of our people – in undertaking pro bono consultancy work, volunteering initiatives, and mentoring support to social entrepreneurs and the less privileged. We responded to natural disasters such as the floods in the North East by mobilising timely support towards relief, recovery and rehabilitation efforts in the affected areas.

Additionally, our regional teams organised programmes that responded to their local needs. One such programme that I had the opportunity to participate in was the world’s largest beach clean-up movement at Versova Beach in Mumbai. This drive saw citizens from all walks of life and all age groups come together to rid the beach of trash and plastic waste. Today, it’s inspiring to know that from being one of the dirtiest beaches in the city, this 2.5-km long sandy stretch has transformed into a clean waterfront. Personally for me, it was humbling to see the tireless dedication of the team that worked for three years to achieve their objective, and at PwC, we are proud to have been able to contribute to this in our own small way.

Such successes reinforce my belief that when there is willpower and a positive vision, change is possible. And all of us can be drivers of this change. For us at PwC, corporate responsibility is not a tick in the box exercise – every day we think about how we can meaningfully bring about change in the communities in which we live and operate.

It’s an ongoing journey and we thank you for your unwavering support, and promise to widen our sphere of impact every year.

Regards, Shyamal Mukherjee Chairman, PricewaterhouseCoopers Private Limited (PwCPL) and PricewaterhouseCoopers India Foundation

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Message from the Vice ChairmanReflecting on the year gone by, I find myself deeply inspired by the commitment and energy that our people and partners brought to the programmes that we implemented across India. Across both urban and rural India, our effort has been to push the boundaries of how we, in the private sector, can be far more engaged with communities and look at solutions which will better the lives of our fellow citizens across the length and breadth of the country.

FY18 saw us plan and implement unique and holistic development projects, especially in the areas of humanitarian response, social entrepreneurship and sanitation. On the surface, the needs of marginalised populations may seem alike. However, one of the greatest learnings from the work that we do is that a homogenous solution cannot address the challenges that locals face, as the context changes every few hundred kilometres that one travels. With this in mind, it is our endeavour to implement projects that are contextual, locally relevant and involve active participation from the local communities.

Not only did we ensure spatial and thematic distribution of our projects, but we also made sure that employees across the PwC India network entities had an opportunity to engage in an array of skilled volunteering initiatives. As a result, skilled volunteering made up nearly 50% of our total volunteering hours in FY18! Apart from creating value for the end beneficiaries, these sessions played a key role in allowing PwCIF volunteers to use their skills and understand the issues communities face at the grass-roots level.

In addition, our pro bono projects provided us a platform to work with mid-level to smaller organisations to refine and strengthen their internal processes, business strategies, expansion plans, etc., in sectors like healthcare, education, waste management and entrepreneurship.

Through their collaborative efforts, our people and NGO partners have shown that positive social change is possible when the right stakeholders are brought together and a unified vision and strategy are developed through an understanding of one another’s strengths. We will continue to engage with individuals and institutions who are committed to creating sustained solutions for our country’s most pressing challenges. I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to our many supporters and reiterate our commitment to improving the lives of communities which are most in need.

Keep giving!

Jaivir Singh Vice Chairman PricewaterhouseCoopers India Foundation

Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir

Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir

Mewat, HaryanaDelhi

Jodhpur, Rajasthan

Pali, Rajasthan

Dehradun, Uttrakhand

Hamirpur, Uttar Pradesh

Khunti, Jharkhand

Imphal, Manipur

Kathmandu, Nepal

Lakhimpur, Assam

A footprint of PwCIF’s initiatives

Ajmer, Rajasthan

Gurugram, NCR

Ahmedabad, Gujarat

Pune, Maharashtra

Mumbai, Maharashtra

Aurangabad, Maharashtra

Thane, Maharashtra

Hyderabad, Telangana

Chennai, Tamil NaduBengaluru, Karnataka

Kolkata, West Bengal

West Midnapore, West Bengal

Katihar, Bihar

Dolakha, NepalAraria, Bihar

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Noida, NCR

Kolhapur, Maharashtra

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Corporate Responsibility scorecard FY 2017–18

launched in Delhi NCR provided consultations to

Healthcare van

individualssolar lights provided in Assam, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh

2,000Health andhygiene kitsdistributed as part of flood response in Assam, Bihar and West Bengal

units of blooddonatedacross eightlocations in India

saplings raisedacross differentlocations in India

896 PwCites contributed

hours towards volunteering

hours of pro-bono

2,500 schoolchildrenwere provided with school kits

WASH initiatives in Jharkhand, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Rajasthan

18socialentrepreneurssupported

benefittedthrough2,000

8,300

6,30015,000

700

9,2001,400

PwC India Foundation:

Achievements in FY18

lives touched through

34projects

28,000

Enabling participation

Key projects

services across 10 locations in India, Nepal and Bangladesh

Educ

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For PwCIF, the focus on the need to educate children (both those from economically weaker sections and socially vulnerable groups and those who are differently abled) has only assumed greater importance. Skilling of individuals, especially women, to enhance their employability also forms part of our work. Across several regions in India where our offices are present, we partner with organisations to impart formal and informal education, vocational training, and special training to children, adolescents and the youth. Our support in the last year has included providing non-formal education to street-dwelling children, awarding scholarships to deserving students, setting up libraries, supporting schooling expenses and experiential learning, providing career guidance, and enabling skill development of youth. In an endeavour to offer inclusive solutions, the Foundation also supports special education for differently abled children.

Inclusive education

Very often, we see children with special needs being excluded from mainstream education. Education is crucial for differently abled children as it prepares them to cope with life’s challenges. In Kolkata, PwCIF partnered with an organisation working with differently abled children from the low-income and marginalised strata of society. As part of this initiative, we supported an education centre for children with special needs aged between 1 to 18 years. The centre runs specialised education sessions tailored to the unique needs of each of the 39 children. We also assisted a centre in Hyderabad in providing speech therapy, auditory training and supportive education to 65 students with hearing impairments studying in classes 1 to 4 and counselling services to their parents.

Our programme in Mumbai provided for the schooling expenses and nutritional needs of 121 visually and cognitively impaired underprivileged children. Through in-kind donations in FY18, the Foundation collected over 2,500 school bags for underprivileged children in Mumbai.

PwCIF team interacting with children with special needs, Kolkata, February 2018

121 visually and cognitively impaired underprivileged children were provided with school and nutrition expenses

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Career counselling

In Bengaluru, we supported 65 students from economically weaker sections through career guidance, academic counselling, scholarships and mentoring to help them identify and realise their potential. Touching lives

Rumiya completed her pre-university education from St. Anne’s College with the help of a Dream School Foundation (DSF) Scholarship and passed with distinction (95%). She has enrolled for CA coaching and passed her CPT exams in the first attempt. Due to poor financial conditions at home, Rumiya needed assistance even while she was in school, and she has been a DSF student since class 8.

Rumiya lives in a rented house with her parents and elder sister. Her father runs a small shop and her mother is a homemaker. Rumiya’s sister is also pursuing graduation. Both girls are bright students and have big dreams.

Rumiya is an extremely sharp, mature and well-groomed girl. She is quick to grasp things and is extremely creative. She has won several prizes for her creativity at both the school and inter-college level. She is very ambitious and aspires to become a CA. Through DSF, PwCIF aims to enable more youth like Rumiya to exercise their right to education.

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Skill development

Vocational training and skill development are crucial in ensuring that young adults have increased employability and, hence, greater employment opportunities.

The Foundation, along with an NGO partner in Ahmedabad, ensured that 110 youths gained skills training in retail management, making them employment ready and enhancing their earning capacities. In NCR, the Foundation supported skill development of 271 individuals in courses such as hand embroidery, biometric data entry, retail skills, tailoring, hospitality and English speaking.

110 youths gained skills training in retail management

271 individuals were supported in courses such as hand embroidery, biometric data entry, retail skills, tailoring, hospitality and English speaking

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Creating and maintaining a sustainable ecosystem is crucial for sound, long-term development of a nation and the planet. This year, the Foundation supported a variety of projects ranging from improving farming practices to engaging employees in volunteering drives, and from installing solar lights to promoting sustainable management of waste.

Waste management

PwCIF engages with different organisations to work towards scientific management of waste in order to address environment-related challenges as well as build capacities and improve the livelihood of waste pickers and sanitation workers. Our programmes in Kolkata and Bengaluru have been displaying positive results and we plan to replicate them across other regions, with Hyderabad being the latest city in which we have launched such an initiative.

PwCIF undertook a solid waste management programme in Salt Lake City, Kolkata, which aimed at creating alternative livelihoods for marginalised and poor women through reuse, recovery and recycling of waste. This project benefited 250 women members of the community. Another such initiative was undertaken in Bengaluru, wherein five women waste pickers were identified and trained to operate dry waste centres and earn an income. PwCIF, in partnership with CHF India Foundation, conducted a baseline survey and identified a slum in Hyderabad and ran extensive awareness sessions on waste management and waste segregation.

250 women members were benefited through a solid waste management programme in Salt Lake City, Kolkata, held by PwCIF

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Organic farming

The organic way of farming has become very popular in the last few years as an alternative to the conventional method of using chemical fertilisers. In Chennai, the Foundation supported agricultural units in the production of organic vegetables at the NGO partner’s campus, which houses a school, hostels, and a residential facility for senior citizens. The output during the year was 10,656 kg. The vegetables are used for consumption within the premises and in FY18, the produce fed up to 600 individuals each day within the campus. The remaining stock was sold by the NGO partner in the market at competitive prices through linkages fostered under the programme. Further, under the programme, drip irrigation was introduced in the agricultural area on the campus. As a result, 2,00,000 litres of water was saved between July 2017 and March 2018.

10,656 kgof organic vegetables was produced with the support of the Foundation

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Public lighting

PwCIF is beginning to increase its footprint in the use of renewable energy and this year, we started to work towards improving public lighting through installation of solar street lights. In Pali, Rajasthan, we installed 121 solar street lights across six villages, benefiting 79 families and over 4,500 individuals. The lights have been transformative for the communities in terms of meeting basic lighting needs and addressing security issues at night.

Engagement of PwCIF volunteers

The PwC network entities in India participated in the Earth Hour initiative where individuals working across firms contributed towards saplings. This contribution was matched by the Foundation and a total of 15,000 saplings were fundraised on the occasion of Earth Hour.

15,000 saplings were fundraised on the occasion of Earth Hour

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Children in India make up approximately 40% of the total population and the challenges they face can be vast, particularly for those that live in slums or on the streets. This year, PwCIF continued to support a range of initiatives on the ground to ensure that these children are not forgotten and that they have access to education, healthcare and safe living conditions.

We engage with a range of organisations to provide mobile healthcare solutions, non-formal education, life skills, mentorship support, as well as special education and rehabilitation support to children with disabilities. Cognisant of the need for mentoring and the role it plays in shaping a life, the Foundation has engaged in a year-long mentorship programme with socially vulnerable girls living in Mumbai and Delhi.

Access to healthcare services

PwCIF implemented a programme to improve children’s access to healthcare services by deploying a medical mobile van in Delhi and NCR. This van has also started catering to the youth and community members. In FY 2017–18, 4,932 children and youth and 4,625 community members were examined and provided with consultation and treatment for general ailments through such mobile health services. The project also sensitised 8,688 children and youth on good health and hygiene habits. Through community outreach activities, sessions on STDs, HIV/AIDS and general health were conducted; group meetings and one-to-one counselling sessions were also held.

Touching lives

On the evening of 28 July 2017, Sameer was playing with a kite near Nizamuddin Railway Station. As soon as he realised that his kite had been cut by his neighbour, he started running to catch it. Sameer accidently tripped and fell on the railway track as he was crossing the bridge. He gripped an electric wire nearby to support himself. Unfortunately, he suffered third-degree burns to almost 50% of his body, including his forehead, back, chest and arms. He was immediately referred to Lok Nayak Hospital, New Delhi. The physicians ensured that he received the best possible burn care, including intravenous fluids and constant haemodynamic monitoring in the ICU. Sameer developed systemic infections, pneumonia, sepsis and multiple wound infections that took more than 15 days to heal. After he was discharged from hospital, Roshanara, Sameer’s mother, brought him to the mobile van run by Bal Umang Drishya Sanstha (BUDS) and supported by PwCIF for further treatment. Dr. Sushil treated him and provided the best anti-burn ointment, dressing and medicines.

Sameer’s condition began to improve after five sessions of thorough burn wound care by BUDS doctors and staff at the mobile health van. He is currently still undergoing follow-up treatment and comes to the mobile health van clinic every Friday.

BUDS counsellors have provided him health education, anticipatory guidance and counselling to prevent such accidents in future.

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Non formal education

PwCIF believes that every child has the right to education. For children in urban cities who live on the street, this can be particularly challenging and many do not receive any form of education. One initiative to tackle this problem is the Bridge School, which PwCIF supported in collaboration with a Mumbai-based NGO partner. The school works with children and their families in the city who live on the streets, flyovers and footpaths, and engages them in non-formal education through games and recreational activities organised in a mobile classroom.

Support to socially vulnerable girls

For many of us, a safe place to sleep at night is something we take for granted. However, for vulnerable young girls and adolescents, the need for shelter and protection is especially crucial. In Pune, we continued to support the operational

A PwCIF volunteer engages with rural children in a session on education, Shelgaon, Maharashtra, December 2017

costs of a home for orphan or destitute girls and women, most of whom have experienced domestic violence or some form of exploitation.

Apart from direct financial support, continuous guidance and mentoring are essential in the process of empowering young girls. PwCIF, along with a partner, started a mentorship programme designed to help 25 girls from an underprivileged background to realise their leadership potential and become change-makers. The programme offers mentoring on soft skills and life skills to empower these girls and make them job-ready for the formal sector so that they can break the cycle of poverty and uplift their families and communities.

Senior women leaders from across PwC network entities in India have come together to mentor these girls in Mumbai and Delhi. We hope that this mentorship programme will provide the necessary guidance and help in protecting these girls.

Social entrepreneurship

Social enterprises promote sustainable development with new and unique ways of doing business, drawing on local skills and supporting job creation while generating tax revenues. PwCIF is supporting Project Kinare, which is managed by Nishant Chowdhary, a social entrepreneur, in North Delhi’s Majnu-ka-tilla area. Through this project, livelihood development of 28 farmers is being supported through the setting up of small rooftop farming gardens.

28 farmers were supported through the setting up of small rooftop farming gardens

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After completing my MPhil, I decided to take up action research and make this method sustainable in my life. While I was studying different communities living in Delhi, I came across a news article about farmers in the city. I decided to meet these farmers and went on a field visit to the Majnu-ka-tilla area. These farmers had no identity proofs, no voting rights, no potable water and no electricity. They lived in makeshift huts and faced the threat of monsoon floods. However, they did not lose hope and continued to work hard, and this is what resilience is. I decided to work with these farmers and understand their way of life more closely.

- Nishant Chowdhary, social entrepreneur

A prototype of a rooftop kitchen garden, Delhi

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Wat

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Aligned with the Government’s Swachh Bharat Swachh Vidyalaya mission, the Foundation collaborated with organisations across locations in Jodhpur (Rajasthan), Kolkata (West Bengal), Bengaluru (Karnataka), Thane (Maharashtra) and Khunti (Jharkhand) to address WaSH-related issues in government and government-aided schools as well as in communities.

We conduct comprehensive WaSH programmes, where the construction of facilities is complemented by soft skills training on sanitation for students and teachers. These training sessions are often undertaken by PwCIF volunteers.

A session on sanitation and hygiene, Banwarla, Rajasthan, February 2018

With a focus on the girl child, special attention is paid to menstrual hygiene in our programmes. Our WaSH programmes are distributed across urban and rural locations. In rural areas, sanitation facilities in schools are often non-existent, or unclean and inadequate. In many instances, girls and boys are expected to share the same toilet blocks and conditions are often so bad that many children choose to defecate in the open rather than use the toilets. In urban areas, while the basic sanitation infrastructure may be in place, lack of adequate water and cleanliness remains an issue.

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Richard Oldfield, PwC’s Global Markets Leader, visits a project school in Khunti, Jharkhand, November 2017

Moreover, when girls reach the age of menstruation, many drop out of school or are absent due to a lack of hygiene products and education.

Empirical evidence suggests that improved sanitation and hygiene facilities at the school level help to reduce dropout rates (with a notable impact on the girl child), decrease the incidence of disease and help inculcate the habit of healthy living in children.

After the success of the WaSH initiative in 11 government schools in Ajmer last year, PwCIF extended support to 8 government schools in the Jodhpur district of Rajasthan.

With the objective of covering 2,300 students, the Foundation partnered with an NGO to provide improved sanitation facilities and clean drinking water to the school communities. The initiative also saw the construction of new toilet blocks and workshops on good hygiene practices for the students, their teachers and parents. A similar initiative was carried out across 10 government schools in the Khunti district of Jharkhand which is predominantly a tribal region, with a total beneficiary target of 2,000 students. In Bengaluru, we partnered with a local NGO on a project titled ‘Girls Glory’ to construct four toilet units with adequate privacy for girls, while in Thane, we supported the construction of sanitation facilities in seven schools.

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Access to water

PwCIF is supporting a tribal village in Jawhar, Palghar, Maharashtra, to construct water-harvesting structures which would conserve rainwater to be used for irrigation purposes. The structures are built in partnership with the village members who have contributed towards this initiative by digging the pits. These structures are referred as jalkundas.

In addition, the Foundation provided each family in the village with five mango saplings to enhance their income. To ensure smooth maintenance of these structures and saplings, the women of the village are trained to form local informal groups to manage water-related governance.

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The Foundation is committed to responding swiftly and decisively in times of natural disasters or calamities. We continue to provide support across the three phases of humanitarian response: relief, recovery and rehabilitation. Drought mitigation projects in Hamirpur (Uttar Pradesh) and Aurangabad (Maharashtra)—two regions where farmers faced considerable distress on ground—were supported. The Foundation has responded to major disasters that have struck the country in the recent past.

Natural calamities

Unfortunately, in the period from July to October 2017, the northeastern part of the country was witness to devastating floods that affected 1.70 crore people and claimed over 500 lives. Post a quick needs assessment with partner NGOs in Bihar, West Bengal and Assam, the Foundation decided to provide health and hygiene kits as an immediate measure of relief to the most affected and vulnerable families. Accordingly, 380 families in West Midnapore (West Bengal), 500 families in Araria and Katihar (Bihar), and 820 families in Lakhimpur (Assam) were provided these kits. The kits contain basic necessities such as toothpaste, toothbrush, soap, comb, sanitary napkins and essential medicines.

In Assam, 142 families were also given solar lanterns that allowed the families to meet their lighting needs in the aftermath of the calamity.

PwCIF volunteers distribute health and hygiene kits in West Midnapore, West Bengal, August 2017

380 families in West Midnapore (West Bengal)

500 families in Araria and Katihar (Bihar)

820 families in Lakhimpur (Assam) were provided health and hygiene kits

142 families were given solar lanterns

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Drought mitigation

India has witnessed droughts since many decades but their severity, frequency and impact have only increased with the passing years. In 2016 alone, about 330 million people across 10 states in the country were affected by drought due to two consecutive years of weak monsoon. Uttar Pradesh in the north and Maharashtra in the west are states which continue to grapple with drought and water shortage year after year. As part of its focus on humanitarian assistance in times of a calamity, the Foundation chose to address the issue of drought and access to water given the prevailing conditions in Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra.

• Hamirpur, Uttar Pradesh: The purpose of the Foundation’s intervention was to reduce hunger and vulnerabilities of the drought-affected poor and marginalised families by improving water management and promoting sustainable agricultural practices in the target villages. Some of the key results are listed below:

• Approximately, 49.50 lakh litres of water was conserved after the construction of eight water bodies under the project.

• Ten seed banks were established in the target villages with an aim to ensure availability of quality seeds for sowing. Also, 5,300 kg of seeds was distributed amongst small and marginal farmers.

• The project ensured food security for 350 families as they earned a total income of 19.17 lakh INR.

• Approximately 13.69 lakh kg additional production of lentil, wheat and gram was reported by farmers who received seed support from the project.

• Aurangabad, Maharashtra: The purpose of the Foundation’s intervention was to enhance the water-harvesting capacity of the existing structure and increase in-situ conservation of rainwater and ground-water recharge in the selected village, namely Shelgaon. Some of the key results are listed below:

• The water capacity in Shelgaon has increased by 26.3 million litres through creation of watershed structures.

• Additional groundwater recharge capacity of 21.3 million litres was created.

• In the kharif season of 2017–18, 133 acres of land received irrigation.

• Increase in community awareness has resulted in the formation of a farmer group that has adopted sericulture. In addition, 32 farmers have planted mulberry cuttings on their farms.

49.50lakh litres of water has been conserved

5,300 kgof seeds was distributed amongst small and marginal farmers

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Init

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School for Social Entrepreneurs (SSE) India

PwCPL continued to contribute to the social entrepreneurship ecosystem by supporting SSE India into its second year. The second cohort of SSE India’s Social Start-up Fellowship saw 17 fellows working across fields as diverse as healthcare, livelihoods, the arts, rural development, gender empowerment, among others, and represented the states of Delhi NCR, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Chattisgarh, Telangana, Bihar, Punjab, and Assam.

Cohort 2017

61 Candidates invited for final interviews

51 Candidates interviewed

118 Male applicants

58 Female applicants

14 years Youngest applicant’s age

64 years Oldest applicant’s ageGraduation ceremony, 5 February 2018, New Delhi

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PwCPL has been an integral part of SSE India’s journey and supported the initiative throughout. While underscoring PwCPL’s commitment to social start-up initiatives and entrepreneurs, the collaboration also serves as a model which actively engages employees across PwC network entities in India in a number of ways to provide volunteering opportunities. The fellowship saw extensive participation from employees across PwC network entities in India as reviewers and panellists for the selection of fellows, as mentors to the fellows, as subject matter experts, and as action learning facilitators during the nine-month period of the fellowship.

Many PwCIF volunteers took part in the 10th edition of the Jagriti Yatra in December 2017. The team of volunteers used their knowledge and expertise to ideate and execute the in-house B-plan competition called Biz Gyan Tree (BGT).

BGT is an opportunity given to all yatris to bring their entrepreneurial spirit to the fore by simulating a business plan. The BGT exercise involves ideation, business model formulation, market validation and making a pitch to potential investors. There were a total of 45 teams this year, comprising 463 yatris. The yatris were first introduced to BGT during the session in Visakhapatnam with a brief explanation on how to work with the business model canvas along with the basics of business. Teams of 11–14 members

were allotted one out of seven sectors—education; healthcare; agriculture; water and sanitation; energy and climate change; manufacturing; and arts, culture and sports. A change was introduced in the BGT exercise this year—instead of ideating from scratch, the teams were provided with the option to work with one of the six enterprises that were launched in Deoria in the past three years. The teams that picked this option were tasked with improvising the existing model of those enterprises.

The exercise was aimed at building the capacity of social entrepreneurs and enhancing PwCPL’s contribution and efforts in building a better nation. The sheer joy of seeing young people from different parts of India come together in an unfamiliar environment and overcome barriers posed by language, geography and culture, etc.,

Jagriti Yatra

PwCPL continued to support the Jagriti Yatra for the fifth year in a row by sponsoring 10 yatris who undertook the 8,000-km journey starting from Mumbai and covering 12 states in 14 days. The yatra also saw PwCIF volunteers who are passionate about making a difference in society and solving important problems engage with the young and old yatris.

A PwCIF volunteer shares her experience of undertaking the yatra:

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to create an enterprise is what draws many of the volunteers to the yatra every year. Each year, the yatra provides such a platform to young minds from across the country (and abroad) to come together and mould their ideas, get mentored by some brilliant minds from across the social entrepreneurship landscape, and finally give shape to these ideas and pitch them to a panel comprising future investors.

As a team member working with the Innovation practice, wherein we regularly interface with start-ups, spending my year-end break by volunteering was a brilliant experience. Not only could I apply my work experience during the yatra, but I can also say that I now utilise a lot of what I learnt from the yatra at my job.

Entrepreneurship involves giving birth to an idea and nurturing it, something that has always fascinated me. Volunteering gives me the opportunity to remain connected with the social aspect of entrepreneurship and everything that comes along with it. I would encourage more people to volunteer for this initiative and help identify talent that will take entrepreneurship in India to new heights.

Jagriti Yatra has provided me with a lifetime of learnings. It feels good when you have a buddy in possibly every state of India and a troop of like-minded folks who are devoted to nation building.

- Antara Choudhary, PwCIF volunteer

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• SWaCH: The business team assisted SWaCH, a collective of waste pickers, in refining its existing processes which involved conducting gap assessment, identifying improvement opportunities, and making recommendations for strengthening the internal processes and remedial plans.

Business strategy

• i-Social: The business team supported the investment readiness of i-Social, an independent social enterprise. The enterprise is focusing on a last mile delivery model for some services through ICT, for which it aims to deploy 10,000 women entrepreneurs. The business team supported the organisation in business model review, pricing analysis of these services, identification of investment routes and preparation of an investment pitch.

Knowledge building

• PwCIF has partnered with a business team and an NGO to carry out a study on the issue of child trafficking in the northeastern states of India. An extensive exercise, this involves collaborations from various teams, including a panel of independent consultants.

The Foundation engages with mid- and small-sized organisations through pro bono projects to refine and strengthen their internal processes, business strategies, expansion plans, etc., in versatile fields such as healthcare, education, waste management and entrepreneurship. A few examples of some pro bono projects undertaken by teams across the PwC network of entities in India and facilitated through the Foundation are:

Education

• The Nand & Jeet Khemka Foundation: The business team undertook an impact assessment study to understand the potential impact created by the SKILLD curriculum programme implemented among class 8–12 students in target schools.

• Students’ Education and Cultural Movement of Ladakh: The business team is helping to set up a first-of-its-kind university in Leh, Ladakh. The Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, with its focus on mountain development, is expected to cater to indigenous students and students from similar terrains from across the globe. The curriculum and pedagogy will have a local, contextual and experiential flavour.

Capacity building of NGOs

• Action for Autism (AFA): The business team assisted the AFA team in formulating a sustainable financial model for Project Ananda, a flagship project of the organisation that aims to provide a secure living space to persons with autism and hold educational classes for children of nearby villages.

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In th

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Name of publication: The Echo of India, Siliguri Date: 14 June 2017

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Name of publication: The Hindustan Times Date: 21 June 2017

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Name of publication: Early Times, Jammu Date: 25 June 2017

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Name of publication: Mint Date: 18 February 2018

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Name of publication: CSR Today Date: November 2017 issue

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Name of publication: Forbes Magazine Issue: January 2018 issue

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Name of publication: Financial Express Date: 9 October 2017

Hid

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Our hidden heroes are the ones who have gone a step beyond volunteering with the PwC India Foundation— they are the ones who have taken up a social cause in their personal capacity. We bring to you four such individuals working across PwC network entities in India who have mastered the art of individual social responsibility.

Dipti Shah, Pune

Dipti volunteered for 35 days with an NGO named Centre for Youth Development and Activities (CYDA) to work under their Entrepreneurship Program to create gainful employment and livelihood opportunities. Under this programme, she worked on community mobilisation of slum communities at Chandan Nagar and Yamuna Nagar in Pune. These community dwellers did not have any idea about starting and doing a business, as well as no financial literacy, such as how bank accounts are opened and operated. As part of a team, she conducted incubation sessions with them to understand their current financial conditions and their business ideas and assisted in making business plans, conducting a market survey and providing financial literacy. She was also involved in CYDA’s WaSH module which works on the Development Goals set by WHO in relation to sanitation and hygiene. As part of this initiative, Dipti visited municipal schools and conducted activities such as teaching students dry composting and teaching girls to remain active during menstruation.

Sanjeev Parkar, Mumbai

Sanjeev has been actively working for the welfare of society in the last 25 years in different areas and capacities. He actively engaged with an NGO that works on an HIV/AIDS rehabilitation programme for about 10 years. This included team-building sessions for the

social workers working on the projects, improving their counselling skills, etc. After the closure of all ladies service bars around Mumbai and Thane, which rendered the women unemployed overnight, Sanjeev worked closely with an NGO for the rehabilitation of these women, and to help them find means of livelihood. Sanjeev also undertook skill development classes on Saturdays for school dropouts in slum areas and taught them basic communication skills so that they could be employed in retail malls, restaurants, etc.

Mohammed Asif Iqbal, Kolkata

Asif has been engaged with several citizen initiatives of varying scales, especially for the disabled. He wrote an introductory note for Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), highlighting international best practices on services for citizens with disabilities in the telecom and broadcasting sector. This led the TRAI team to take cognisance of the issue and set out a plan to make a positive impact for these consumers. From time to time, Asif also assists underprivileged persons by informing them about their citizen rights and assisting them to exercise these rights. For instance, he helped Pradip Ghosh, a resident of Kolkata and the sole breadwinner of his family who earns an income of just 5,000 INR per month, secure admission in a government school for his son. Asif also guided and helped Mobessar, a student from an economically weak background, secure a scholarship at a prestigious B-school in India.

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Rishabh Goel, Gurgaon

Technology and digital media are powerful tools, and Rishabh was inspired to extend their reach to the underprivileged sections of society, which have limited access to educational facilities. Rishabh conducted a workshop at an orphanage near his house run by the Salaam Baalak Trust (SBT), through which he introduced middle and high school students to various e-learning platforms such as Meritnation, Coursera, EdX and Khan Academy so that they could expand their learning beyond the regular school curriculum. He also assisted the management at SBT with initiatives such as digitalisation, donor outreach and fundraising. He visits the orphanage regularly to teach maths and science to high school students.

Volunteer speak

The power of innocence draws me to these girls. Engaging with NGO children helped me understand the difficulties and challenges faced by girls who are trafficked, and I will continue to engage with the community.

Mona Mehta, Mumbai, on her experience interacting with girls rescued from trafficking

I think there is a huge gap in our societies. We had prepared everything keeping in mind the students of our society but when we went there, we found that we had to get right down to the basics to teach them about the Internet. It was an overwhelming experience. There was so much to learn from those kids, the most important lesson being ‘Stop cribbing’. I would like to participate in more initiatives of this nature in future.

Pritika Sharma, Pune, on her experience teaching Internet basics to underprivileged students

We learnt that society is our responsibility and the right guidance can change lives. It’s our responsibility to reach out to our rural communities through knowledge exchange programmes, efforts towards sustainability and financial support, and help them become resilient to changes.

Sushant Pandita, Mumbai, on his experience visiting a drought mitigation site in Aurangabad

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I enjoyed being part of the Teachers’ Day celebration with kids and helping to build their future by sharing our views on how technology and computers can help in digital literacy. We talked to the kids about what an important role technology plays in our daily life, be it reading news online, surfing videos, booking a cab online, paying e-bills or navigating using maps.

Parinita Chatterji, Bengaluru, on her experience conducting digital learning sessions

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NGO speak

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During the project tenure, the PwCIF team always provided valuable support and suggestions for effective implementation of the project. Working with the PwCIF team, which has immense experience in this area, was an enriching experience. The PwCIF grant also adds value to the on-ground efforts, facilitates scale and enhances the sustainability of the project in the drought-prone Bundelkhand region.

Parmarth Samaj Sevi Sansthan, our NGO partner for the drought mitigation project in Hamirpur, Uttar Pradesh

It has been a wonderful experience working with PwCIF. From the very first day, the team showed commendable patience and perseverance in listening to our requirements and providing guidance from time to time. Volunteering with the beneficiaries has added value to the whole programme. It is a learning platform for READ India and a privilege to be associated with PwCIF.

READ India, our NGO partner for an education-based initiative in Gurgaon, NCR

PwCIF has enriched the FINISH team’s approach in realising result-based outcomes on ground. Visits to our various projects from PwCIF volunteers with varied and enriched backgrounds have helped children, teachers and villagers appreciate the importance of sanitation and its linkage to education.

FINISH Society, our NGO partner for the WaSH project in Pali and Jodhpur, Rajasthan

It was generous of PwCIF to support the Aboli home for girls. Maher has been receiving support for this home since 2016 and is extremely grateful to the Foundation as it has not only supported the basic needs of these girls, such as food, clothing and medical care, but also helped these girls realise their dreams of pursuing higher studies and professional courses. Coming from underprivileged backgrounds, it was a distant dream for these girls to even attend school due to their poverty. They lacked confidence as they were from broken families. But, today, PwCIF has made it possible for them to face the world head on, to pursue and secure a job of their dreams, have a brighter future, and live a life of dignity.

Maher, our NGO partner for providing shelter to socially vulnerable girls in Pune, Maharashtra

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Notes

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Notes

About usThe PwC India Foundation was formed in 2008 with the objective of making a difference in the areas of education and environment sustainability. However, our objectives later evolved to encompass issues of urban children; water, sanitation and hygiene (WaSH); social entrepreneurship; and humanitarian needs of people affected by natural calamities. We extend our support by:

• Doing the right thing: Playing our part in implementing responsible issues central to our business—from the quality of our services and the diversity of our people to our engagement with communities and our environmental footprint

• Being a catalyst for change: Using our skills, voice and relationships to work with others and influence activities that make a difference, create change and make a lasting impact on the world around us

For further details, contact:

Jaivir Singh Vice Chairman PricewaterhouseCoopers India Foundation Email: foundation.pwc@in.pwc.com Tel. no.: +91 124 4620114

Acknowledgements

Editorial:

Rishika KashyapDion D’Souza

Design and layout:

Manisha Jain

At PwC, our purpose is to build trust in society and solve important problems. We’re a network of firms in 158 countries with over 250,000 people who are committed to delivering quality in assurance, advisory and tax services. Find out more and tell us what matters to you by visiting us at www.pwc.com

In India, PwC has offices in these cities: Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi NCR, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai and Pune. For more information about PwC India’s service offerings, visit www.pwc.in

PwC refers to the PwC network and/or one or more of its member firms, each of which is a separate legal entity. Please see www.pwc.com/structure for further details.

© 2019 PwC. All rights reserved

About PwC

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This document does not constitute professional advice. The information in this document has been obtained or derived from sources believed by PricewaterhouseCoopers Private Limited (PwCPL) to be reliable but PwCPL does not represent that this information is accurate or complete. Any opinions or estimates contained in this document represent the judgment of PwCPL at this time and are subject to change without notice. Readers of this publication are advised to seek their own professional advice before taking any course of action or decision, for which they are entirely responsible, based on the contents of this publication. PwCPL neither accepts or assumes any responsibility or liability to any reader of this publication in respect of the information contained within it or for any decisions readers may take or decide not to or fail to take.

© 2019 PricewaterhouseCoopers Private Limited. All rights reserved. In this document, “PwC” refers to PricewaterhouseCoopers Private Limited (a limited liability company in India having Corporate Identity Number or CIN : U74140WB1983PTC036093), which is a member firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited (PwCIL), each member firm of which is a separate legal entity.

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