Certificate Programme in Innovative Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability | Admissions, TISS

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Tata Institute of Social Sciences

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Programme Details

Certificate Programme in Innovative Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability

Location: Mumbai

School: School of Management and Labour Studies

Centre: Centre for Social Entrepreneurship

Intake: 30

Eligibility

Eligibility and Selection Process:

The Programme targets corporate, government, and non-governmental professionals. The minimum educational qualification is Graduation in any discipline. The expected participants are managers, project heads, team leaders, senior officers—executives, professional consultants, coaches, policymakers, and entrepreneurs. Candidates will be selected by assessing their Statement of Purpose (SOP) and educational qualifications.

Description

 

Intake: 30 (The Programme will commence only after the minimum enrolment of 15 participants.)

 

Admission_Announcement_CP-ICSRS_Cohort_2.pdf

Final_Revised_Flyer_CP-ICSRS_Cohort_2_28.02.2024.pdf 

 

Final_Selection_CP-ICSRS_2024-25.pdf

 

IMPORTANT DATES

 

Announcement and Promotion of the Programme


10th February, 2024

Last Date for Online Application

30th May, 2024

Screening of the statement of purpose and Announcement of the Selected Candidates on the TISS Website

14th June, 2024

Last Date for Payment of Fees

12th July, 2024

Commencement of the Programme

13th July, 2024

 

 

Programme Scope and Benefit: Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is emerging as a means to connect businesses to society wherein the Company voluntarily chooses areas of engagement with the local communities and people. It is an essential component of sustainability or responsible business, evidenced by various sustainability frameworks. Governments and corporations are globally called upon to use creativity and innovation to address global development challenges and encourage sustainability strategies in their domains. CSR initiatives present opportunities for companies to identify opportunities for solving critical social issues and meet stakeholder expectations while enhancing their reputation and competitiveness.

 

However, how much of the CSR program benefits the business, how to align the CSR plans to a company's sustainability agenda, or how to report on the CSR plans and programs are a few questions that need appropriate answers.

 

As evident in India, CSR is emerging as a tool for economic and social value creation by integrating CSR with corporate strategy. Increasing pressure from various stakeholder groups also leads the companies to examine the sustainability discourse strategically. Indian companies now foresee CSR beyond employee welfare and charity. A survey by the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) revealed the significant reasons Indian companies engage in CSR. These reasons are corporate citizenship, improving relationships with local communities, the philosophy of the organization's founding fathers, enhancing the Company's brand, survival of a business, and building a global corporate brand. CSR is identified as a way to develop their image as a responsible business, strengthening the Company's strategic position. Hence, companies are slowly shifting their attention from 'making donations' to a 'proactive and responsive approach' around their sustainability agenda. The Indian CSR practice is influenced by legal, political, developmental, and cultural factors with national, regional, and local focuses.

 

The government of India in 2013 made significant amendments to the Companies Act and added Clause 135. As per the Act, the conditions are a turnover equal to or more than INR 1000 Crore, a net worth of INR 500 Crore or more, or a net profit of INR 5 Crore or more. The Schedule VII of the Act lists the CSR activities. The Act also outlines the governance system holding the CSR Committee of the Board consisting of three or more directors, of which at least one director should be an independent director responsible for implementation.

 

CSR in India is primarily carried out as corporate philanthropic activities and standalone projects, limiting its scale and impact. Only a few companies have integrated their CSR activities with corporate strategy. In light of the Company Act 2013, CSR strategy must shift significantly. Adopting an entrepreneurial approach to CSR can help companies solve social problems through innovation by making CSR part of their core business process. Entrepreneurial thinking and decision-making processes create value for owners, all participants, and stakeholders. A shift in redrawing attention from 'shareholder' to 'stakeholder' and clear articulation on identifying the stakeholders and their relationship with the Company envisaged. It is also essential that CSR is viewed as a strategic agenda.

 

Recent developments in CSR and sustainability thinking imply that companies must holistically address sustainability challenges by integrating societal and Company perspectives. Effective CSR implementation requires trained, skilled professionals who can respond to diverse development challenges. With these broad issues, the Centre for Social Entrepreneurship of the School of Management and Labour Studies at Tata Institute of Social Science, Mumbai, is initiating a Certificate Programme in ‘Innovative CSR and Sustainability’. The program will adopt an entrepreneurial approach to design and implement CSR and Sustainable Development initiatives by the companies. The program targets professionals working in corporate, government, and non-governmental organizations. Bringing together interdisciplinary themes in economics, development, social policy, entrepreneurship, and business management, the Certificate Programme provides a multidisciplinary perspective on CSR and emerging models in CSR practices across business enterprises. The program will enable the participants to understand sustainability challenges, drivers, tools, and CSR and sustainable development approaches. Participants will learn the socio-economic barriers and drivers that lead to poverty and hunger, gender inequality, and violation of human rights and environmental issues. They also see how businesses can progressively contribute to dealing with such development challenges through innovation and creativity. Besides, all participants will work on individual and group projects emphasizing the design of sustainable solutions by integrating key learning from the program.

 

Expected Programme Outcomes: After completing the program, the participants shall be able to:

Demonstrate inter-disciplinary perspectives on sustainable development challenges, their drivers, tools, and approaches to initiate and apply innovation and entrepreneurship in corporate social responsibility and sustainable development design.

Acquire the skills for designing innovative economic, social, and environmental Sustainability solutions.

Build their capacity to develop innovative CSR strategies and apply the principles and standards for sustainability assessment and reporting.

 

Mode of Programme Delivery: Offline Mode (The classes will cover both theory and practice)

 

Programme Duration: 6 Months (on Saturdays and Sundays)

 

 

 

Distribution of Credit Hours:

 

Programme Details: The certificate Programme in Innovative Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability comprises Six Courses and Four Fieldwork. The list of the Courses and Fieldwork, structured in this Programme, is mentioned here:

 

Sl. No

Course Code

Title of the Course

Credits

1

CP-ICSRS 01

Corporate Social Responsibility

2

2

CP-ICSRS 02

Sustainable Development

2

3

CP-ICSRS FW-1

Fieldwork-1

2

4

CP-ICSRS 03

Innovative CSR Programme Design-1

2

5

CP-ICSRS 04

Innovative CSR Programme Design-2

2

6

CP-ICSRS FW-2

Fieldwork-2

2

7

CP-ICSRS 05

Social Impact Assessment

2

8

CP-ICSRS 06

Sustainability Reporting

2

9

CP-ICSRS FW-3

Fieldwork-3

2

10

CP-ICSRS FW-4

Fieldwork-4

2

 

 

Total Credits

20

 

 

Programme Pedagogy and Evaluation: The Programme will use interactive pedagogy, including lectures, case discussions, and experiential learning through workshops and field projects. Apart from the regular classes, the participants shall expose themselves to the current Corporate Social Responsibility practices and sustainable development initiatives through field works and group projects. Organizers shall evaluate the participant's performance based on class session attendance, assignments, project work, and presentations.

 

Programme Fee: INR 1,25,000/- (plus 18% GST); a single installment before the Program commencement is expected.

 

Award of Certificate: Upon completing the Programme, the participants will be awarded the Certificate in Innovative CSR and Sustainability by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai.

 

 

Fee Structure:

 

Fee Structure:

 

Certificate Programme in Innovative CSR and Sustainability

Components

Semester: I

FEE

Tuition Fee

80,500

Examination Fees

1,000

CHARGES

Field Work / Internship / Experiential Learning Charges

2,000

IT Charges

2,000

Library Charges

1,500

Other Charges (ID Card, Convocation & Misc.)

2,500

FUNDS

Students' Competency Fund

0

Lab/Studio Fund

0

Development Fund

5,000

Students' Union Fund

0

Alumni Fund

500

Health Care Fund

0

DEPOSITS

Caution Deposit (Refundable at the time of exit through the NDC process)

5,000

 

TISS Admin Charges (20% of the Semester Programme Fee)

25,000

 

Semester-wise Programme Fee*

1,25,000

 

Yearly Fee

1,25,000

Note

*18% GST will be applicable on the Semester Programme Fee

 

 

For queries, please contact:

 

Dr Surendra Kansara

Programme Coordinator

Centre for Social Entrepreneurship

Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai

Email: surendra.kansara@tiss.edu

 

OR

 

Ms. Archana Kumari

Academic Programme Manager

Centre for Social Entrepreneurship

Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai

Email: cse_cpicsrs@tiss.edu