Wildlife Conservation through Corporate Social Responsibility Initiatives in India

Abstract

In India, the concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) has always been embedded in the tradition of philanthropy and has focused on education, health and religious activities. Through the introduction of Companies Act 2013, these efforts are being institutionalized through a framework for taking up defined activities and spending limit. With 869 protected areas covering 165,088.36 sq. km (5.02% of the total geographic area), India is one of the mega-biodiverse countries in the world, and requires substantial capital and efforts to conserve and manage the wide array of wildlife it holds. This study has employed secondary data analysis to highlight the activities adopted by the corporates towards wildlife conservation. It is observed that only a handful of companies are committed to supporting wildlife under CSR. Given the relatively large ecological footprint of companies, it becomes more binding on them to contribute with a modest investment to overall prospects of biodiversity conservation that can bring substantial economic and reputational benefits to them, and at the same time bring the much needed support and funds for the conservation cause. The Act provides an excellent framework for engaging the corporates in identifying the conservation needs and fulfilling their responsibility towards nature.