AFC has diversified its activities to work with corporates, both in the public and private sector, to create and implement customized CSR strategies aligned to business objectives. The key objective is to help the corporate clients with effective CSR programs that are strategic and create significant social impact.
AFC intends to partner with Corporate Foundations and Companies to provide inputs on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives that address core business needs, advice on effective ways of engaging with the community, design social initiatives, coordinate implementation of programs as well as measure the impact of the initiatives.
AFC’s strong network of time-tested NGOs and voluntary agencies across India lends immense credibility to our solutions that would be custom-made to needs of corporates engaged in CSR activities. We believe in collaboration, effectiveness, sustainability and scale.
Our expertise in CSR helps companies develop a sustainable CSR program in concurrence with requirements of the Companies Act 2013. To leverage mandatory spending under the Companies Act, AFC helps in strategic integration of CSR with business by providing following services:
Developing CSR Strategy :
- Conceptualizing CSR strategy and defining CSR philosophy and objectives
- Defining vision, mission and funding strategy
- Recommending causes or social initiatives that complement the company mandate
- Conducting a stakeholder needs assessment and recommending initiatives that leverage expertise and expectations of the company’s stakeholders
- Evaluating internal process and making recommendations to align them with CSR objectives of the company
Planning & Implementing CSR Projects :
A trusted partner with direct access to beneficiaries is one of the most important components of a successful CSR program. AFC offers the following services to help streamline the implementation of CSR projects:
- Preparing an implementation roadmap and financial budgeting
- Selecting NGO or implementation partners and training them to execute CSR mandate
- Defining processes and reporting framework to measure outcomes and monitor progress
- Bridging the resourcing and expertise gaps by training and sensitizing both parties before project implementation
- Publish periodic reports for company review
Conducting Baseline Socio-Economic Survey :
AFC’s expertise in conducting Baseline Socio-Economic Survey would assist companies in understanding current socio-economic status of communities residing in the vicinity of its operations. The baseline survey would help in:
- Identifying gaps on various parameters in living standards of the target group vis-a-vis that of the State/National level
- Prioritizing CSR interventions
- Help in selection of most vulnerable groups within communities for targeted interventions
- Provide benchmark for assessment of impact at later stage of CSR implementation
- Provide comprehensive household database
Conducting Needs Assessment Survey
Need Assessment Survey in the target area is a pre-requisite for project based CSR interventions. Based on the assessed needs of the communities, AFC shall prepare a detailed project report with implementation plan.
Techniques employed :
- Secondary research –analysis of census data, internet search, data from secondary sources
- rimary research using structured formats containing quantitative and qualitative data for household and village focused group discussion, participatory rural appraisal(PRA)
- GPS mapping
- Preparing implementation road map and budget
- Defining processes and reporting framework to measure outcomes and monitor progress
Monitoring & Impact Assessment of CSR programs
- Holistic assessments to monitor & evaluate the impact of CSR activity on business objectives (increased visibility, brand recognition etc.), on NGO partners and on community/beneficiaries
- Methodology varies from baseline to end-line surveys, Retrospective Pretest model (where no baseline exists), control group comparisons etc.
- Data collection tools range from semi-structured, personal interviews to focus group discussions to administering questionnaires or a combination
- Actual mix of research methods will depend upon the sector (education, healthcare, livelihoods etc.), nature of programs and also the profile of the beneficiaries.
Our Value Propositions
- Strategic CSR planning
- Sound implementation strategy
- Comprehensive monitoring and evaluation system as per requirement of sustainability reporting