Corporate Social Responsibility at Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited

Corporate Social Responsibility at Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited

Corporate Social Responsibility at

NCAEM-2013 Conference Proceedings

ISBN: 978-93-83758-09-8

Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited

1Gaura, 2Nency Dawar

Asstt. Prof. Deptt. Of Management, Geeta Engg. College.1,2 nencydawar@yahoo.in2

1. INTRODUCTION

   Corporate Social Responsibility: What does it mean:- "More and more companies are accepting corporate citizenship as a new strategic and managerial purpose requiring their attention. Once seen as a purely charitable activity–a source of general goodwill, with no bottom-line consequence–citizenship is moving from the margins of concern to the center at leading companies."

   Today, there are many references to corporate social responsibility (CSR), sometimes referred to as corporate citizenship, in our workplaces, in the media, in the government, in our communities. While there is no agreed-upon definition, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development defines CSR as the business commitment and contribution to the quality of life of employees, their families and the local community and society overall to support sustainable economic development. Simply put, the business case for CSR–establishing a positive company reputation and brand in the public eye through good work that yields a competitive edge while at the same time contributing to others–demands that organizations shift from solely focusing on making a profit to including financial, environmental and social responsibility in their core business strategies. Despite what the phrase corporate social responsibility suggests, the concept is not restricted to corporations but rather is intended for most types of organizations, such as associations, labor unions, organizations that serve the community for scientific, educational, artistic, public health or charitable purposes, and governmental agencies.

   How CSR help the companies:- Globalization, the explosion of information technology, advances in the biological sciences, and the growth of democracy and diversity can be considered among the positive developments in our world today. On the other hand, poverty, environmental crises such as global warming, epidemics such as AIDS, and terrorism are also part of today's world. What do these positive and negative aspects have in common? They reflect the breathtaking increase in global interdependence, to the extent that borders don't count for much anymore and local communities are increasingly affected by things

   that happen a long way from home. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has been proposed as a way to respond to some of these issues, both locally and globally. According to "Integrating Responsibility," most companies that have initiated CSR programs have done so in response to one problem or another; for example, in the thermal power station, it was environmental issues. CSR programs have also surfaced in the sourcing departments of companies facing supply chain issues.

2. OBJECTIVE OF BPCL TOWARDS CSR

   • Building Sustainable Communities – to have a positive impact on the communities in which we operate

   • Health and Safety – to ensure the health and safety of our workforce and communities

   • Environment – to minimize adverse impacts while taking steps to protect and enhance the natural environment

   • Employees train tomorrows leaders in teamwork skills and running socially responsible business

3. METHODOLOGY

   • Integrated with Business Strategy and Context

   • Leverage our Core competency People and Technology

   • Three way Execution model for

     for farming, teaching newer methods oNfCaAgEriMcu-2l0tu1r3eC, onference Proceedings

     Community Projects

   • Develop deserving Communities through

     etc.

     Education:

     ISBN: 978-93-83758-09-8

     Focused & Need based interventions No Giveaways

   • Create Sustainable Models which are Replicable & Scalable

4. SHARING WIDER RESPONSIBILITY AT BPCL

   We believe that its equally important to return back to society which is why, BPCL believes that some of their finest achievements arent those found in their balance sheets but those, in small towns and villages spread across India. Their involvement in sharing this wider responsibility dates way back to 1984, when in pursuance with our philosophy to give back to the society/community our best, they aimed to help the people enrich their lives, be it our employees or their families also extending the scope of definition of families to those that they saw beyond our glass cabins in these rustic surroundings, and thus started our the social work. Today, BPCL terms them as their extended family i.e. the villagers from rural areas.

   Bharat Petroleum has been the pioneer in the oil sector to hire the services of professional social workers. Areas of work in the initial years were primarily to cater to the softer areas of employee related issues, to mention a few are:-

   • Counseling for personal as well as emotional problems affecting work.

   • Assistance to quit substance abuse (like alcohol and other drugs)

   • Marital Conflicts, Divorce Reconciliation, Money Management, etc.

     BPCL initially started working in Mahul, the village located in our neighborhood of its Mumbai refinery since 1986, for the sole reason of their upliftment. The habitants of Mahul, essentially from the fishing community, were rich because they possessed marine wealth but as far as education, health, etc was concerned, they needed help.

     Some of Bharat Petroleum's assistance to these inhabitants so far has been

   • Infrastructural development, like construction of jetty, Balwadi, Homeopathic Dispensary

   • Vocational guidance through aptitude testing, scientific vocational need based study through Jan Shikshan Sansthan (NGO under ministry of HRD)

   • Exhibition for the Fishermen to equip them with latest avenues in fishing through Central Institute Of Fisheries Education(CIFE)

   Farm facts:

   For agricultural upliftment, BPCL arrange training through Pune Agricultural University, distribute seeds and fertilizers every year. There are lectures arranged on technical guidance, use of less water

   For motivating intelligent students coaching is

   provided to students. Balwadis is available for small children as pre-school intervention. Tree plantation programs are held at Adivasi ashram schools.

   Health:

   A dispensary with a doctor is available and regular health camps are conducted. General health camps are organized twice a year. To cater to the needs of all villagers, may it be men, women, senior citizens, children and so on. To ensure proper eyesight, eye camps are conducted periodically. their sight back through this endeavor. There are camps held for pregnant women regarding guidance in pregnancy, stress on nutrition, etc.

   Community centre:

   We have provided a multipurpose Samaj Mandir at Pinglas Karjat for the Villagers to have a meeting point. There is a community centre which encompasses classes for villagers on tailoring, mehendi, beautician course, bamboo article making, multi-skill training, etc. Cane Weaving and Bamboo making classes are conducted regularly. Tailoring is helping the girls in income generation. Later there is also an exhibition held in Mumbai for sale of the bamboo articles made in these villages.

   Infrastrcture development:

   We have constructed shed for schools. For e.g. repairing the fans, replacing broken furniture, etc jetty for fishermen so that they can rest in the night when they are not fishing. We have also constructed a public toilet. We are vigilant in keeping the surroundings clean. Timely garbage disposal is also taken care of. Tree plantation programs are carried out on a regular basis.

   Every village: Sakhi Shejarni:

   A group of women came together in Karjat who felt the need of being together and saving some amount of money. They started meeting regularly and since then they collect savings and deposit in the bank this is a scheme whereby every village will have one woman leader. This leader is trained in such a way that she is able to manage the whole group of other women, take training sessions for them, conducts awareness programs and also provides counseling help. Such women leaders are termed as SAKHI, which means a friend in Marathi.

   Thus the groups serve a double purpose, that of starting a small-scale business and that of learning through various sessions. These meetings help them to improve their quality of life.

5. BPCL: CSR IN BUSINESS PROCESS ENVIRONMENT

   As energy corporate, BPCL feel that we may have a larger say in the course of many events in the coming decades. The consequence of our actions,

   in the short term, may be totally inadequate but in

   'Rural Development Award 1999-20N00C'AtEoMB-2h0a1r3aCt onference Proceedings

   the long term very valid. It is thus that BPCL finds

   it necessary and proceeds with utmost caution, when it comes to issues related with the environment.

   The magnitude of the problem concerning this sensitive eco-balance is so massive that the best way forward for BPCL, as it sees ahead, for the above being achieved is using a two pronged approach of executing environmental protection activities and sharing knowledge, with a view to educate the common man on this front.

   The above four cover the entire canvas of concerns for the subject and BPCLs contribution towards the same has also been oriented around its objective.

   BPCL, on the other hand would give its best in educating mankind, on the necessity of understanding the dynamics of the fragile eco- diversity and hope to seek contributions from each individual in maintaining the balance.

   Community Initiatives: Disability

   What remains unchanged since 1999 is that BPCL continues to fulfill its corporate responsibilities. What has changed, however, is the fact that the

   Petroleum.

   List of 20 villages adopted

   • Bhogalpura (Agra)

   • Srinivasapura & Muneshwara (Bangalore)

   • Neelgarh (Bhopal)

   • Ramathenga (Bhubaneshwar)

   • Brindabanpur & Farakidanga (Calcutta)

   • Jahazpur (Calcutta)

   • Mankara (Calcutta)

   • Kadambankulam (Coimbatore)

   • Basantgarh (Delhi)

   • Jyotinagar (Goa)

   • Nangalgovind (Jaipur)

   • Babukhera (Lucknow)

   • Pedawada/Manjripal (Nagpur)

   • Laakarhawar (Patna)

   • Kasabkhede / Pohey (Pune)

   • Khara Bairaja (Rajkot)

   • Mangadih / Jaradih / Dimra / Obar (Ranchi)

   • Bhaktachiwadi / Mogrej (Karjat)

   • Tembre (Karjat)

   • Mahul (Chembur)

     5.4. Community Initiatives: Tribals.

     ISBN: 978-93-83758-09-8

     percentage of disabled persons employed by BPCL has risen from 1.11% to 1.37% despite the total employee strength reducing from 12411 to 12082. Providing equal opportunity to people with disabilities has always been a part of the corporate philosophy of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL). BPCL's practice of this philosophy is what made it a winner of the 1st NCPEDP-Shell Helen Keller Awards, way back in 1999.

     Other areas of Corporate Social Responsibility that BPCL is active in: it has adopted 37 villages in 13 states, directly impacting 120,000 people; it has initiated the Bharat Petroleum Scholarship' to promote excellence in higher education; it has contributed towards community facilities and infrastructure; and donated generously in times of calamity and disaster.

     1. Community Initiatives: Disaster Relief

        In times of natural calamities you will always find Bharat Petroleum in the forefront, rendering aid and emergency provisions. Bharat Petroleum relief teams have worked tirelessly to provide the Gujarat Earthquake and the Orissa Flood victims with food and essential survival materials.

     2. Community Initiatives: Rural Development Bharat Petroleum continues its endeavours in meeting social obligations to the under privileged sections of the society through development of roads, schools, clinics and vocational training centres in rural areas. Cataract camps for villagers, vocational classes to make the rural women self- reliant, development of rural women and children, providing sanitation and drinking water in the villages, are just a few of the many contributions made by Bharat Petroleum to meet its social responsibilities.

     In recognition of the outstanding work done in the area of Rural Development, FICCI awarded the

     As a part of Society, Bharat Petroleum believes that they owe as a corporate body to give back to society their best. With this social obligation Bharat Petroleum started community work way back in 1987 by adopting Karjat (tribal area in Raigarh District) and Mahul (our neighborhood) for ameliorating lives of the deprived.

     Karjat is located in Raigarh District and comprises of mainly tribal population. Some of the activities undertaken to help the tribal population are-

   • Constructing a community hall/ Samaj Mandir

   • Health assistance, through regular health camps, pediatric camps and cataract Camps

   • Educational assistance through distribution of books, holding competitions

   • Vocational assistance by imparting training in bamboo and tailoring

   • Encouraging environment friendly attitude through distribution of smokeless chulhas, solar cookers as well as educating them through folk music.

6. INTERNAL CSR

   Social Welfare in Bharat Petroleum was initiated as a non-statutory body in the year 1984. Bharat Petroleum has been the pioneer in the oil sector to hire the services of professional social workers. Areas of work in the initial years were primarily to cater to the softer areas of employee related issues, to mention a few are: –

   Counselling

   Initially counseling began in BPCL to overcome the different problems of employees at work. But now, BPCL has come closer to their lives. Thus now counseling does not only aim at solving disputes at work but involves a whole gamut of issues ranging from employees overall development to the development of their families. Thus there is a shift from what used to exist earlier as our orientation is towards prevention. Over the time, recoveries and success stories started flowing in resulting in values of counseling being upheld as an important contribution for employees well

   being. Thus at the refinery counseling is seen as a

   Non-biased attitude:

   NCAEM-2013 Conference Proceedings

   mission which aims at making people live lives

   fruitfully. The help received through counseling is what is valued by most of our employees

   1] Addiction-The Slow Poison

   Alcohol and drug use is extremely common in todays world. In spite of the awareness of the ill effects of these substances, people continue to get addicted to it. The abuse and addictions result in malfunctioning of an individual in major spheres of life. Addictions lead to poor work performances, disrupted relationships and adjustment problems. The rising awareness about employee welfare and raising the quality of work, various companies today make efforts to reduce addictions.

   2] Family Wellbeing

   p>Through all the Employee assistance programs, prominence is given to family as a system. It is a known fact that family is one of the most closely knit system which needs to be enriched to cope with the stresses and strain of life. Thus when an employee comes with a problem, joint counseling sessions are also conducted including his family members to ensure resolving of problems amicably. 3] Grooming Children As Caretakers Of Next Generation

   Children are tomorrows future, and when it comes to our own employees children, we ensure their development through various activities like Career guidance, aptitude tests, etc

   4] Parenting

   During training or workshops, one of the main topics covered is parenting. This is important because in todays competitive world it is very difficult to manage both work and house Thus to ensure care of children, parenting sessions are conducted about emotional problems and problems encountered by children at different stages, puberty issues, etc.

   5] Women Empowerment

   In women lie natures best qualities of motherhood, compassion, humanity and love. Because they have been blessed with the capacity for giving and nurturing life, women also have the capacity for a deep commitment for preserving and nourishing not only their own offspring, but of the entire planet as well. BPCL is also blessed with efficient women staff who are enthusiastic and who come forward to help others. Women power in the true sense is seen when women meet regularly and discuss on varied issues and the stands they take. LIKE WOMAN IS WOMANS BEST FRIEND. It

   is normally said that a woman is a womans worst enemy. But at the refinery, the bond within the women is exceptionally charged with making a difference to their personal as well as work life.

7. WHAT BPCL ACHIEVED? Bringing people together for a common cause:

   We were able to bring people together for a common cause, the cause being wellbeing of all. We were blessed with committed staff who also took the initiative to work for their own good. Employees also sustained their enthusiasm and motivation throughout which added to our strength.

   May it be a worker or an engineer or a driver or anISyBN: 978-93-83758-09-8

   administration staff, we give equal treatment to all.

   Never do employees feel that some are favoured and others are not.

   Trust:

   Employees do have the trust in whatever the department does. The department has helped them help themselves in such a way that it has left a long lasting effect on their minds. This trust made it obvious for them to keep participating actively in all the activities.

   Transparency:

   The department has been totally transparent regarding all its activities. Employees were made equal partners in conducting any activity. Because of this there was no point where employees felt left out.

   Involvement of all:

   We have been successful in involving people of all cadres at the refinery level, right from the managers to the workers, and from the various departments to the different unions. This helped us to get the opinions and contributions of all. At the community level, all the people are involved right from the planning level. People take decisions along with us. Human stories of revival helped:

   We had many success stories of our employees which constantly motivated us to work consistently. The recovered addicts are our strength. They help us to help the others who are in similar problem.

8. CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS Each and every company should undertake the element of corporate social responsibility into consideration. It is for the benefit of the companys long life and consistent growth. As we have seen in this project, BPCL has conducted a number of social responsibility activities; it has gained a good reputation in the globally competitive market. In these days more social responsibility u undertake, more you will get consumers satisfaction and earn our customers loyalty .As the business is operated within the society, it becomes compulsory to conduct CSR activities to win consumers confidence and represent a global brand image. At last to say we should give back to the world, what we take from it.

REFERENCES

[1]. www.bharatpetroleum.in

[2]. Abreu, M. C. S. (2001). Modelo de avaliação da estratégia ambiental: uma ferramenta para tomada de decisão. Doctoral Thesis, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil.

[3]. Aguilera, R. V., Rupp, D. E., Williams, C. A., & Ganapathi, J. (2007). Putting the S back in corporate social responsibility: a multilevel theory of social change in organizations. Academy of Management Review, 32(3), 836-

863.

[4]. Alessio, R. (2003). Responsabilidade social das empresas no Brasil: reprodução de posturas ou novos rumos?. Revista Virtual Textos & Contextos, (2), Ano 2, 1-10.