ITC Limited Creating Enduring Institutions REPORT AND ACCOUNTS 2015 CII-ITC Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Development
In addition, at the request of the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEFCC), the Centre has drafted a single window clearance form for environment, forests and wildlife clearances with inputs from members of the CII National Committee on Environment as well as top government officials. The Centre also has been engaged with the Cabinet Secretariat’s Project Management Group to suggest ways to increase transparency and accountability in the project appraisal process.
The 9th Annual Sustainability Solutions Summit continued its legacy of bringing together thought-and-action leaders from across the globe to discuss and propagate innovative and actionable The CII–ITC Centre of Excellence for Sustainable solutions towards building a more sustainable future. Development, established by ITC in 2006 in The Centre recognises and rewards the most collaboration with the Confederation of Indian Industry significant contributions to sustainable development by corporates in the country through the CII-ITC (CII), continues its endeavours to promote sustainable Sustainability Awards. In 2014, the Awards were business practices among Indian enterprises. The presented to 27 companies. Centre is steered by its Advisory Council, led by Mr Y C Deveshwar, Chairman, ITC Limited, and The Centre has been building capacities of companies comprises members from industry, government, civil on the new CSR legislation as per the Companies Act 2013. In 2014, the Centre conducted seven open society and institutions, which provides strategic workshops in Delhi, Mumbai, Lucknow, direction to the organisation. Bhubaneshwar, Chennai, Vishakapatnam and Goa. During the year the Centre, in partnership with the The Centre is also offering services to companies in International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC), has baseline studies, measurement of human development indictors, and social return on investments. set up a country-level network, the IR Lab India, to promote Integrated Reporting (IR). The objective of the IR Lab is to build capacities of companies in India on integrated reporting and to represent concerns of Indian business to the IIRC.
The Centre also hosted the India Business & Biodiversity Initiative (IBBI) with the support of German International Cooperation (GIZ). Launched on the occasion of International Day for Biological Diversity on May 22, 2014, the IBBI serves as a national platform of business and its stakeholders for dialogue, sharing and learning, ultimately leading to mainstreaming sustainable management of biological diversity in businesses. The Centre and GIZ have partnered also with CREM, the Netherlands, to build capacity of member companies in biodiversity management.
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ITC Sangeet Research Academy
The ITC Sangeet Research Academy (ITC-SRA) is an While relentlessly focusing on Hindustani Classical Music, embodiment of sustained corporate commitment to a the Academy has also expanded the range of its offerings to priceless national heritage. It is a unique institution – the include Carnatic concerts as well. The Academy is currently only gurukul of its kind - that has been at the forefront of engaged in carrying the message of Hindustani Classical promoting the ancient tradition of Hindustani Classical Music across the country from the metros to rural India. The Music. Blending modern-day research methods with the Academy also constantly endeavours to work with other purity of the age old Guru-Shishya tradition, ITC-SRA is music organisations and institutions of repute. recognised as the finest repository of Hindustani Classical The Academy continued with its traditional programmes as Music in terms of musical talent, music education and well as broke new ground with fresh initiatives such as the archives. Producing musicians of stature, it has been Malhar festival in August and the Arpan soiree in September, a catalyst in ensuring the popularity of Hindustani culminating in the ITC Sangeet Sammelan in December last Classical Music. year. In addition, collaboration with the India Habitat Centre Its list of illustrious Gurus includes Vidushi Girija Devi, at Delhi on the Morning Ragas series launched in October Ustad Abdul Rashid Khan, Pandit Buddhadev Das Gupta, last year was extremely well received with Vidushi Girija Devi Pandit Ulhas Kashalkar, Pandit Ajoy Chakrabarty, Pandit performing at the inaugural event. Arun Bhaduri, Ustad Mashkoor Ali Khan, Pandit Partha The Academy’s thrust on a collaborative effort to revisit Chatterjee, Vidushi Subhra Guha and Pandit Uday Kolkata’s magnificent heritage continued with programmes Bhawalkar. Musician Tutors Omkar Dadarkar, Abir co-sponsored by the All Bengal Music Conference, the Hossain, Brajeswar Mukherjee, Aniruddha Bhattacharya, Bhowanipore Sangeet Sammelani, the Dover Lane Music Arshad Ali Khan, Kumar Mardur and Waseem Ahmed Conference and other organisations. Efforts to showcase Khan are rising stars in the firmament of Hindustani the Academy’s talent across the country continued with Classical Music. With 53 gifted Scholars carefully selected several performances in Mumbai, Bengaluru, Lucknow from all over the country and a dedicated team of Gurus and Varanasi. and Musician Tutors, ITC-SRA continues to passionately These performances served the purpose of showcasing the pursue its mission of preserving, propagating and exceptional talent of our Scholars, Gurus and the Academy’s promoting Hindustani classical music. commitment to the cause of Indian Classical music.
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