Corporate Social
Responsibility or CSR had always been voluntary, till it was mandated by the
Government under the Companies (Corporate Social Responsibility) Rules, 2014.
It is now mandatory for all companies above a given defined size to give away
2% of their net profits of the last three years to charity.
According to the Vedas, we are
living in Kalyuga. There is therefore a general perception that this being the
age of Kalyug, it’s not possible to bring about any change for betterment of
the society. But it is not so.
Just as Satya yuga had both
Gods (suras) and demons (asuras), Treta yuga had both Ram and Ravana and Dwapar
Yuga had Krishna and also Kansa, similarly, there are bound to be Satya yugis
amongst the Kalyugis, though in minor numbers.
Who is a Satya yugi?
Srimad Bhagwad Gita describes
four pillars of Dharma: Truthfulness (satya), hard work (Tapa), purity of mind
(pavitrata) and compassion (Daya) and charity (daan).
When all these four
characteristics are present in a person, with satya at the forefront, he is
a Satyugi.
If truthfulness is absent, but
the other three characteristics are present, the person is
a Tretayugi and when truthfulness and purity of mind are absent, he
is a Dwaparyugi and when only Daya and Daan are present, he is
a Kalyugi.
Doctors are true to their
chosen vocation. They treat their patients with honesty (satya), selfless hard
work (tapa), purity of mind (pavitrata), compassion (daya) and charity (daan),
all the characteristics that make a person satya yugi. Doctors, and not
hospitals, charge no fee during emergency and also subsidize their fee. This
makes them Satyugis.
All of us can become satya
yugis.
CSR is one way of becoming a Satya Yugi. But, it should not be just limited to corporates. Each one of us too, as individuals, can carry out some acts of CSR or charity.
The principles of charity
remain the same: Truthfulness, detachment, Positive. This is the meaning of satya,
tap and pavitrata.
Everybody who is involved in
charity or CSR should follow these principles of charity.
A simple mantra to do this is,
ask somebody “May I help you?”
This is also the gist of my
speech yesterday at the CSR Times Awards 2018, where I was the Guest of Honor.
Dr KK Aggarwal
Padma Shri Awardee
Vice President CMAAO
Group Editor-in-Chief IJCP Publications
President Heart Care Foundation of India
Immediate Past National President IMA
No comments:
Post a Comment