Following the French Solidarity Oxygen mission carried out by Team France in 2021, 60+ French companies are committed to boost their CSR activities in India.
The Indo-French Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IFCCI) launched its CSR Initiative at the fourth edition of the IFCCI CSR Conclave and Awards in the presence of H.E. Mr. Emmanuel Lenain, Ambassador of France to India and Mr. P.K. Sinha, IAS (Retd.), Former Cabinet Secretary to the Government of India and Member Advisory Board, European Business Technology Centre (EBTC) & CSR heads, policymakers, decision-makers, business leaders, CSR foundations and non-profit organizations. The event was held on 23rd November 2022 at the Hyatt Regency, New Delhi, and witnessed a gathering of over 100+ business leaders from top French and Indian companies.
Initiated by the CSR committee of the Chamber, the Conclave showcased CSR projects of top French companies in India and recognized their efforts by presenting awards for the Best CSR Projects with a focus on five categories based on criteria such as Businessbased social purpose, innovative CSR initiatives reinforcing the company’s business purpose, clear theory of change, impact & measurement, concentrated efforts including employee volunteering. The event also commenced a CXO Panel Discussion on ‘From CSR to ESG – Decoding ESG’ representing their strong commitment to ESG in India.
His Excellency, Mr. Emmanuel Lenain, Ambassador of France to India on this occasion said “I am extremely proud to highlight the commendable efforts of French companies towards further boosting their CSR activities in India, across fields such as education, sustainability, healthcare, skilling and more. As our economies recover from a two-year pandemic, this commitment shows that French companies in India are here for the long run and play an active role in contributing to India’s social and economic development.”
Following the French Solidarity mission, gathering 60+ French companies in 2021, French companies are committed to pledging CSR funds, in SDG areas identified by Niti Aayog in this initiative. In 2021, with the spread of the second wave of COVID-19 in India, France came to aid India at the request of the President of the French Republic & the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The French Team in India (Embassy of France, IFCCI, Business France, and CCEF) worked on a French Solidarity Mission to raise funds from French companies to purchase, install, and maintain
French oxygen plants in Indian hospitals. To date, Rs 55 Crores (approx 6.1 million Euros) worth of donations has been raised, to buy 29 oxygen-generating plants for hospitals across India