JAGATSINGHPUR Jan 27. Prioritising Corporate Social Responsibility [CSR] initiatives before launching a plant or industrial project is crucial for building community trust, ensuring legal compliance, and mitigating environmental and social risks. Pre-project CSR edges raise a positive brand image, help a social license to operate, win public confidence and attract stakeholders to support the project commencement. Acting on these business principles, JSW Utkal Steel, which will start its project at Paradep offshore, has launched a series of CSR activities, both short and long-terms at the proposed project site over the last five years, has early engaged early to build goodwill and strengthens reputation with local people and stakeholders.The key CSR issues about the three project site villages, Dhinkia, Nuagaon and Gadakujanga, have been reportedly given priority in the fields of environmental management, eco efficiency, stakeholders’ employment, labour standards and working conditions, employee and community relations, health and agriculture, social equality, human rights and gender balance.Apart from the four main types of CSR activities, JSW Utkal has leveraged to create meaningful impact in project site areas such as environmental responsibility, ethical responsibility, philanthropic responsibility and economic responsibility.Employment opportunities have been created for local youths, mainly from project sites. About 300 youths with civil and technical qualifications applied to JSW for seeking job. After the applicants faced a written examination, a few of the successful candidates were called for an interview, and their recruitment process is progressing. JSW authority clarified that the recruitment will be provided in phase wise, according to the qualification and experience of the candidates.Meanwhile, JSW Utkal Steel has supported seeds and fertilisers to more than 1200 farmers for their agricultural purposes. 161 women attached to SHGs have been trained, and they are commencing paddy and straw cultivation schemes in several villages.Three women-managed SHGs are running an eatery and food kiosks and sanitation units, JSW Utkal has given financial backing as well as technical training to them.Supporting the local health service, JSW Utkal has launched a primary health centre at Balitutha. 4200 people are receiving free medical help from the company, a free eye checkup camp has been organized over 9633 people were distributed spectacles, and 1214 patients underwent cataract surgery under the financial support of JSW. A total of 553 solar street lights have been installed in project site villages and Paradeep outskirts, developmental works have undertaken by JSW Utkal including three community centers, one assembly hall, four crematoriums, 20 Anganwadi centers, beautification of Nehru Bungalow, construction of a mini stadium and playground indicates that JSW Utkal has put interest in sport activities and infrastructural development of the proposed project site. A company often has specific areas of focus within their CSR strategies, such as environmental sustainability, employment, education, health and wellness. By identifying these focus areas, the company can tailor their proposals to demonstrate how to attract people. In the JSW Utkal Steel context, the company has assessed both infrastructural improvement and socio-economic welfare of the proposed project site villages before launching the project through their CSR strategies
JSW Utkal Steel prioritises massive CSR activities before launching its project in Paradip
