www.pwc.in

Reaching out: PwC’s Corporate Responsibility Newsletter Message from the Chairman

An 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

2 PwC Message from the Vice Chairman

Reflecting 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

Reaching out 3 A footprint of PwCIF’s initiatives

Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir

Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir Dehradun, Uttrakhand Gurugram, NCR Hamirpur, Mewat, Haryana Lakhimpur, Assam Noida, NCR Dolakha, Nepal Araria, Bihar Jodhpur, Katihar, Bihar Ajmer, Rajasthan Kathmandu, Nepal Pali, Rajasthan Imphal, Manipur

Ahmedabad, Kolkata, West Bengal West Midnapore, West Bengal Aurangabad, Khunti, Thane, Maharashtra Mumbai, Maharashtra Pune, Maharashtra Hyderabad, Telangana

Kolhapur, Maharashtra

Bengaluru, Chennai,

4 PwC Corporate Responsibility scorecard FY 2017–18

Healthcare van launched in Delhi NCR provided consultations to 1,400 2,500 schoolchildren ,200 were provided with school kits solar lights provided individuals in Assam, Maharashtra, benefitted Rajasthan and 2,000 through Uttar Pradesh WASH initiatives in Jharkhand, y projec Karnataka, Maharashtra Ke ts and Rajasthan 2,000 Health and PwC hygiene kits India Foundation: 18 social distributed as part Achievements in FY18 entrepreneurs of flood response supported in Assam, Bihar and West Bengal 28,000 lives touched through

700 34 hours of units of blood pro-bono E projects 8,300 donated na on services across 10 bl ti across eight ing p ticipa locations in India, locations in India ar Nepal and Bangladesh PwCites 15,000 86 contributed saplings raised across different 6,300 hours locations in India towards volunteering

Reaching out 5 6 PwC

Education 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

PwCIF team interacting with children with special needs, Kolkata, Very often, we see children with special needs being February 2018 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 121 in Hyderabad in providing speech therapy, auditory training visually and cognitively and supportive education to 65 students with hearing impaired underprivileged impairments studying in classes 1 to 4 and counselling children were provided with services to their parents. school and nutrition expenses 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.

Reaching out 7 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.

8 PwC 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.

110 271 youths gained skills training in retail individuals were supported in courses such as hand management embroidery, biometric data entry, retail skills, tailoring, hospitality and English speaking

Reaching out 9 10 PwC 10

Environment sustainability 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 250 on waste management and waste segregation. women members were benefited through a solid waste management programme in Salt Lake City, Kolkata, held by PwCIF

Reaching out 11 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 kg of organic vegetables was produced with the support of the Foundation

12 PwC 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

Reaching out 13 14 PwC 14

Issues of urban children 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 Touching lives access to education, healthcare and safe On the evening of 28 July 2017, Sameer was playing living conditions. with a kite near Nizamuddin Railway Station. As We engage with a range of organisations soon as he realised that his kite had been cut by his to provide mobile healthcare solutions, neighbour, he started running to catch it. Sameer non-formal education, life skills, mentorship accidently tripped and fell on the railway track as support, as well as special education and he was crossing the bridge. He gripped an electric rehabilitation support to children with wire nearby to support himself. Unfortunately, he disabilities. Cognisant of the need for suffered third-degree burns to almost 50% of his body, mentoring and the role it plays in shaping including his forehead, back, chest and arms. He was a life, the Foundation has engaged in a immediately referred to Lok Nayak Hospital, New year-long mentorship programme with socially Delhi. The physicians ensured that he received the vulnerable girls living in Mumbai and Delhi. best possible burn care, including intravenous fluids and constant haemodynamic monitoring in the ICU. Access to healthcare services Sameer developed systemic infections, pneumonia, sepsis and multiple wound infections that took more than 15 days to heal. After he was discharged from PwCIF implemented a programme to hospital, Roshanara, Sameer’s mother, brought him improve children’s access to healthcare to the mobile van run by Bal Umang Drishya Sanstha services by deploying a medical mobile van (BUDS) and supported by PwCIF for further treatment. in Delhi and NCR. This van has also started Dr. Sushil treated him and provided the best anti-burn catering to the youth and community members. ointment, dressing and medicines. In FY 2017–18, 4,932 children and youth and 4,625 community members were Sameer’s condition began to improve after five sessions examined and provided with consultation of thorough burn wound care by BUDS doctors and and treatment for general ailments through staff at the mobile health van. He is currently still such mobile health services. The project also undergoing follow-up treatment and comes to the sensitised 8,688 children and youth on mobile health van clinic every Friday. good health and hygiene habits. Through community outreach activities, sessions on BUDS counsellors have provided him health education, STDs, HIV/AIDS and general health were anticipatory guidance and counselling to prevent such conducted; group meetings and one-to-one accidents in future. counselling sessions were also held.

Reaching out 15 Non formal education costs of a home for orphan or destitute girls and women, most of whom have experienced domestic violence or some form of exploitation. PwCIF believes that every child has the right to education. For children in urban cities who live on the street, this can Apart from direct financial support, continuous guidance be particularly challenging and many do not receive any and mentoring are essential in the process of empowering form of education. One initiative to tackle this problem is young girls. PwCIF, along with a partner, started a the Bridge School, which PwCIF supported in collaboration mentorship programme designed to help 25 girls from with a Mumbai-based NGO partner. The school works with an underprivileged background to realise their leadership children and their families in the city who live on the potential and become change-makers. The programme streets, flyovers and footpaths, and engages them in offers mentoring on soft skills and life skills to empower non-formal education through games and recreational these girls and make them job-ready for the formal sector activities organised in a mobile classroom. 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, A PwCIF volunteer engages with rural children in a session on education, Shelgaon, Maharashtra, December 2017 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.

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 28 crucial. In Pune, we continued to support the operational farmers were supported through the setting up of small rooftop farming gardens

16 PwC “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

Reaching out 17 18 PwC 18

Water, sanitation and hygiene (WaSH) Aligned with the Government’s Swachh Bharat Swachh With a focus on the girl child, special attention is paid Vidyalaya mission, the Foundation collaborated with to menstrual hygiene in our programmes. Our WaSH organisations across locations in Jodhpur (Rajasthan), programmes are distributed across urban and rural locations. Kolkata (West Bengal), Bengaluru (Karnataka), Thane In rural areas, sanitation facilities in schools are often non- (Maharashtra) and Khunti (Jharkhand) to address WaSH- existent, or unclean and inadequate. In many instances, related issues in government and government-aided schools girls and boys are expected to share the same toilet blocks as well as in communities. and conditions are often so bad that many children choose to defecate in the open rather than use the toilets. In urban We conduct comprehensive WaSH programmes, where areas, while the basic sanitation infrastructure may be in the construction of facilities is complemented by soft skills place, lack of adequate water and cleanliness remains an training on sanitation for students and teachers. These issue. training sessions are often undertaken by PwCIF volunteers.

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

Reaching out 19 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 With the objective of covering 2,300 students, the drop out of school or are absent due to a lack of hygiene Foundation partnered with an NGO to provide improved products and education. sanitation facilities and clean drinking water to the school communities. The initiative also saw the construction of Empirical evidence suggests that improved sanitation and new toilet blocks and workshops on good hygiene practices hygiene facilities at the school level help to reduce dropout for the students, their teachers and parents. A similar rates (with a notable impact on the girl child), decrease the initiative was carried out across 10 government schools incidence of disease and help inculcate the habit of healthy in the Khunti district of Jharkhand which is predominantly living in children. a tribal region, with a total beneficiary target of 2,000 After the success of the WaSH initiative in 11 government students. In Bengaluru, we partnered with a local NGO on a schools in Ajmer last year, PwCIF extended support to 8 project titled ‘Girls Glory’ to construct four toilet units with government schools in the Jodhpur district of Rajasthan. adequate privacy for girls, while in Thane, we supported the construction of sanitation facilities in seven schools.

20 PwC 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.

Reaching out 21 Humanitarian response

22 PwC 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 PwCIF volunteers distribute health and hygiene kits in West Midnapore, vulnerable families. Accordingly, 380 families in West West Bengal, August 2017 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. 380 families in West Midnapore (West Bengal)

500 families in Araria and Katihar (Bihar) 142 families were given solar lanterns 820 families in Lakhimpur (Assam) were provided health and hygiene kits

Reaching out 23 Drought mitigation • Aurangabad, Maharashtra: The purpose of the Foundation’s intervention was to enhance the water-harvesting capacity of the existing structure and India has witnessed droughts since many decades but their increase in-situ conservation of rainwater and ground- severity, frequency and impact have only increased with the water recharge in the selected village, namely Shelgaon. passing years. In 2016 alone, about 330 million people across Some of the key results are listed below: 10 states in the country were affected by drought due to two consecutive years of weak monsoon. Uttar Pradesh in the • The water capacity in Shelgaon has increased by north and Maharashtra in the west are states which continue 26.3 million litres through creation of watershed to grapple with drought and water shortage year after year. structures. As part of its focus on humanitarian assistance in times of • Additional groundwater recharge capacity of a calamity, the Foundation chose to address the issue of 21.3 million litres was created. drought and access to water given the prevailing conditions in Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra. • In the kharif season of 2017–18, 133 acres of land received irrigation. • Hamirpur, Uttar Pradesh: The purpose of the Foundation’s intervention was to reduce hunger • Increase in community awareness has resulted in and vulnerabilities of the drought-affected poor and the formation of a farmer group that has adopted marginalised families by improving water management sericulture. In addition, 32 farmers have planted and promoting sustainable agricultural practices in the mulberry cuttings on their farms. 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 49.50 for sowing. Also, 5,300 kg of seeds was distributed lakh litres of water has been amongst small and marginal farmers. conserved • 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. 5,300 kg of seeds was distributed amongst small and marginal farmers

24 PwC Reaching out 25 26 PwC 26

Initiatives of PwCPL 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, Cohort 2017 Gujarat, Rajasthan, Chattisgarh, Telangana, Bihar, Punjab, and Assam. 61 Candidates invited for final interviews

51 Candidates interviewed

118 Male applicants

58 Female applicants

14 years Youngest applicant’s age

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

Reaching out 27 PwCPL has been an integral part of SSE India’s journey Jagriti Yatra and supported the initiative throughout. While underscoring PwCPL’s commitment to social start-up PwCPL continued to support the Jagriti Yatra for the initiatives and entrepreneurs, the collaboration also fifth year in a row by sponsoring 10 yatris who undertook serves as a model which actively engages employees the 8,000-km journey starting from Mumbai and covering across PwC network entities in India in a number of ways 12 states in 14 days. The yatra also saw PwCIF volunteers to provide volunteering opportunities. The fellowship who are passionate about making a difference in society saw extensive participation from employees across PwC and solving important problems engage with the young network entities in India as reviewers and panellists for and old yatris. the selection of fellows, as mentors to the fellows, as subject matter experts, and as action learning facilitators A PwCIF volunteer shares her experience of undertaking during the nine-month period of the fellowship. the yatra:

Many PwCIF volunteers took part in the 10th were allotted one out of seven sectors—education; “ edition of the Jagriti Yatra in December 2017. healthcare; agriculture; water and sanitation; The team of volunteers used their knowledge energy and climate change; manufacturing; and and expertise to ideate and execute the arts, culture and sports. A change was introduced in-house B-plan competition called in the BGT exercise this year—instead of ideating Biz Gyan Tree (BGT). from scratch, the teams were provided with the option to work with one of the six enterprises that BGT is an opportunity given to all yatris to were launched in Deoria in the past three years. bring their entrepreneurial spirit to the fore by The teams that picked this option were tasked with simulating a business plan. The BGT exercise improvising the existing model of those enterprises. involves ideation, business model formulation, market validation and making a pitch to potential The exercise was aimed at building the capacity investors. There were a total of 45 teams this of social entrepreneurs and enhancing PwCPL’s year, comprising 463 yatris. The yatris were contribution and efforts in building a better first introduced to BGT during the session in nation. The sheer joy of seeing young people Visakhapatnam with a brief explanation on how from different parts of India come together in an to work with the business model canvas along with unfamiliar environment and overcome barriers the basics of business. Teams of 11–14 members posed by language, geography and culture, etc.,

28 PwC to create an enterprise is what draws many of the Entrepreneurship involves giving birth to an volunteers to the yatra every year. Each year, the idea and nurturing it, something that has yatra provides such a platform to young minds always fascinated me. Volunteering gives me the from across the country (and abroad) to come opportunity to remain connected with the social together and mould their ideas, get mentored aspect of entrepreneurship and everything that by some brilliant minds from across the social comes along with it. I would encourage more entrepreneurship landscape, and finally give shape people to volunteer for this initiative and help to these ideas and pitch them to a panel comprising identify talent that will take entrepreneurship in future investors. India to new heights. As a team member working with the Innovation Jagriti Yatra has provided me with a lifetime of practice, wherein we regularly interface with start- learnings. It feels good when you have a buddy in ups, spending my year-end break by volunteering possibly every state of India and a troop of like- was a brilliant experience. Not only could I apply minded folks who are devoted to nation building. “ my work experience during the yatra, but I can - Antara Choudhary, PwCIF volunteer also say that I now utilise a lot of what I learnt from the yatra at my job.

Reaching out 29 30 PwC 30

Pro bono projects The Foundation engages with mid- and small-sized • SWaCH: The business team assisted SWaCH, a organisations through pro bono projects to refine and collective of waste pickers, in refining its existing strengthen their internal processes, business strategies, processes which involved conducting gap assessment, expansion plans, etc., in versatile fields such as healthcare, identifying improvement opportunities, and making education, waste management and entrepreneurship. A few recommendations for strengthening the internal examples of some pro bono projects undertaken by teams processes and remedial plans. across the PwC network of entities in India and facilitated through the Foundation are: Business strategy

Education • i-Social: The business team supported the investment readiness of i-Social, an independent social enterprise. • The Nand & Jeet Khemka Foundation: The business The enterprise is focusing on a last mile delivery team undertook an impact assessment study to model for some services through ICT, for which understand the potential impact created by the SKILLD it aims to deploy 10,000 women entrepreneurs. curriculum programme implemented among class 8–12 The business team supported the organisation in students in target schools. business model review, pricing analysis of these services, identification of investment routes and • Students’ Education and Cultural Movement of preparation of an investment pitch. 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 Knowledge building development, is expected to cater to indigenous students and students from similar terrains from across the • PwCIF has partnered with a business team globe. The curriculum and pedagogy will have a local, and an NGO to carry out a study on the issue of contextual and experiential flavour. child trafficking in the northeastern states of India. An extensive exercise, this involves collaborations Capacity building of NGOs from various teams, including a panel of independent consultants. • 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.

Reaching out 31 In the media

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

Reaching out 33 Name of publication: The Hindustan Times Date: 21 June 2017

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

Reaching out 35 Name of publication: Mint Date: 18 February 2018

36 PwC Name of publication: CSR Today Date: November 2017 issue

Reaching out 37 Name of publication: Forbes Magazine Issue: January 2018 issue

38 PwC Name of publication: Financial Express Date: 9 October 2017

Reaching out 39 40 PwC 40

Hidden heroes Our hidden heroes are the ones who have gone a step social workers working on the projects, improving their beyond volunteering with the PwC India Foundation— counselling skills, etc. After the closure of all ladies they are the ones who have taken up a social cause in their service bars around Mumbai and Thane, which rendered personal capacity. We bring to you four such individuals the women unemployed overnight, Sanjeev worked closely working across PwC network entities in India who have with an NGO for the rehabilitation of these women, and to mastered the art of individual social responsibility. 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 Dipti Shah, Pune skills so that they could be employed in retail malls, restaurants, etc. Dipti volunteered for 35 days with an NGO named Centre for Youth Development and Activities (CYDA) to Mohammed Asif Iqbal, Kolkata work under their Entrepreneurship Program to create gainful employment and livelihood opportunities. Under this programme, she worked on community mobilisation Asif has been engaged with several citizen initiatives of of slum communities at Chandan Nagar and Yamuna varying scales, especially for the disabled. He wrote an Nagar in Pune. These community dwellers did not have introductory note for Telecom Regulatory Authority of any idea about starting and doing a business, as well as no India (TRAI), highlighting international best practices financial literacy, such as how bank accounts are opened on services for citizens with disabilities in the telecom and operated. As part of a team, she conducted incubation and broadcasting sector. This led the TRAI team to take sessions with them to understand their current financial cognisance of the issue and set out a plan to make a conditions and their business ideas and assisted in making positive impact for these consumers. From time to time, business plans, conducting a market survey and providing Asif also assists underprivileged persons by informing financial literacy. She was also involved in CYDA’s WaSH them about their citizen rights and assisting them to module which works on the Development Goals set by exercise these rights. For instance, he helped WHO in relation to sanitation and hygiene. As part of this Pradip Ghosh, a resident of Kolkata and the sole initiative, Dipti visited municipal schools and conducted breadwinner of his family who earns an income of just activities such as teaching students dry composting and 5,000 INR per month, secure admission in a government teaching girls to remain active during menstruation. 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. 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

Reaching out 41 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.

42 PwC Volunteer speak

“The power of innocence draws me “I think there is a huge gap in “I enjoyed being part of the to these girls. Engaging with NGO our societies. We had prepared Teachers’ Day celebration with children helped me understand the everything keeping in mind the kids and helping to build their difficulties and challenges faced students of our society but when we future by sharing our views on how by girls who are trafficked, and I went there, we found that we had to technology and computers can help will continue to engage with the get right down to the basics to teach in digital literacy. We talked to the

community. them about the Internet. It was an kids about what an important role

overwhelming experience. There technology plays in our daily life, Mona Mehta, Mumbai, on her “ was so much to learn from those be it reading news online, surfing experience interacting with girls kids, the most important lesson videos, booking a cab online, paying rescued from trafficking being ‘Stop cribbing’. I would like to e-bills or navigating using maps.

participate in more initiatives of this

nature in future. Parinita Chatterji, Bengaluru,“ on her experience conducting digital

“We learnt that society is our Pritika Sharma, Pune, on her learning sessions responsibility and the right experience teaching“ Internet guidance can change lives. It’s basics to underprivileged our responsibility to reach out to students 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

Reaching out 43 NGO speak

“During the project tenure, the “It has been a wonderful experience “PwCIF has enriched the FINISH PwCIF team always provided working with PwCIF. From the team’s approach in realising result- valuable support and suggestions very first day, the team showed based outcomes on ground. Visits for effective implementation of commendable patience and to our various projects from PwCIF the project. Working with the perseverance in listening to our volunteers with varied and enriched PwCIF team, which has immense requirements and providing backgrounds have helped children, experience in this area, was an guidance from time to time. teachers and villagers appreciate enriching experience. The PwCIF Volunteering with the beneficiaries the importance of sanitation and its

grant also adds value to the on- has added value to the whole linkage to education.

ground efforts, facilitates scale programme. It is a learning platform and enhances the sustainability of for READ India and a privilege to be FINISH Society, our NGO partner“

the project in the drought-prone associated with PwCIF. for the WaSH project in Pali and

Bundelkhand region. Jodhpur, Rajasthan

READ India, our NGO“ partner for

Parmarth Samaj Sevi Sansthan, an education-based initiative in our NGO partner for “ the drought Gurgaon, NCR mitigation project in Hamirpur, Uttar Pradesh

“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

44 PwC Notes

Reaching out 45 Notes

46 PwC About us

The 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: [email protected] Tel. no.: +91 124 4620114

Acknowledgements

Editorial: Design and layout: Rishika Kashyap Manisha Jain Dion D’Souza About PwC

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

pwc.in

Data Classification: DC0 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. MJ/November2018-15216