CSR Policy

SAURASHTRA CEMENT LIMITED

CORPORTATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

POLICY DOCUMENT

A) CONCEPT

This policy document has been framed in accordance with Section 135 and other applicable provisions of the Companies Act, 2013 (the Act). Our emphasis will be on assisting groups belonging to the weaker and downtrodden sections of society by providing avenues for improvement of their economic condition. Non-fund based activities will involve voluntary participation of our employees in community activities which contribute to the communal good, e.g. blood donation camps, health camps, participation in local festivals, literacy, tree planting etc.

 

B) CORPORATE PHILOSOPHY

I. SCL is a corporate citizen, with resources at its command and benefits, which it derives from operating in society. It therefore owes a solemn duty to the less fortunate and under-privileged members of the society.

II. Staff members will be encouraged to make their contribution by understanding the aspirations of the public around them and by endeavoring to evolve measures to remove indisputable social and developmental lacunae. This will lead to their self-development and improvement of the SCL’s image besides development of the Community.

III. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) means and includes various welfare and social activities / projects / programs that may be undertaken by the SCL in accordance with the CSR Policy to raise the quality of life of the downtrodden and under-privileged sections of society.

C)  CSR COMMITTEE:

CSR Committee will be a board level Committee known as Corporate Social Responsibility Committee. The constitution of CSR Committee is in accordance with the applicable provision of the Act and comprise of following members:

 i. Executive Vice Chairman

 ii. Managing Director

 iii. Chief Financial Officer

 iv. Any One Independent Director

The composition of CSR Committee may be changed by the Board of Directors of SCL.

The Committee may invite other employees and may also use honorary services of external experts who have proven credentials in the field of community services. The Committee shall formulate the CSR policy, recommend the amount of expenses to be incurred in each CSR activity / project / programme and monitor CSR Policy on an annual basis.

The CSR Committee will put up an annual report to the Board of SCL outlining the CSR activities and details of monetary contributions. CSR activities will be subject to internal audit as deem fit by the Audit Committee of the Board.

D) MONETARY CONTRIBUTIONS

In every financial year, in which SCL has a net worth of rupees five hundred crore or more, or turnover of rupees one thousand crore or more or a net profit of rupees five crore or more it is required to spend at least two per cent of the average net profits (calculated in terms of the applicable provision of the companies Act 2013) made during the three immediately preceding financial years towards CSR activities in accordance with the Policy. The SCL shall not carry forward the unutilized amount of the permissible limit of any year for its subsequent years.  If SCL fails to spend the amount as specify above in any financial year, the reason for not spending the same has to be given in the Directors report.

E) GUIDELINES FOR MONETARY CONTRIBUTIONS

SCL can grant donations to registered trust / Society or a Company established by the Company or SCL’s holding or subsidiary or associate company under section 8 of the Act or by such institutions as mentioned in the Act for implementing socially oriented projects.

F) ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR INSTITUTIONS

a) Discretion to be exercised judiciously to ensure that assistance is extended for worthy causes to well establish institutions/NGOs with proven track record, for socially oriented projects. Donations are routed through institutions having a long unblemished record of public service.

b) Request for donations from institutions having caste/ religious/ communal bias and /or political overtones are not to be considered.

c) Donations to Government Department or Organizations / Institutions funded exclusively by the Government are normally not given as these institutions are expected to meet their financial requirements through government budgetary grants.

d) Institutions doing outstanding service and have less access to resources should be given preference.

e) Donations should not to be given to individuals.

f)  The preference shall be given to those projects situated near SCL’s Plants.

g) SCL shall document the modalities of utilization of funds spend on such activities.

h) SCL may collaborate with other companies for undertaking CSR activities in such a manner that the CSR Committee of respective companies are in a position to report separately on such activities in the prescribed manner.

i) Contribution of any amount directly or indirectly to any political party u/s 182 of the Act shall not be considered as CSR activity.

G) PURPOSE OF CONTRIBUTION

a) Contribution towards CSR activity may, however, be granted on extremely selective basis and only to highly reputed institutions.

b) Contribution should be given for a specific activity/ purpose rather than a general donation to discourage utilization of such funds at the discretion of the donee institution.

c) Any contribution for meeting recurring expenses should be discouraged.

d) CSR Activity shall cover following areas:

 

(i)  Eradicating hunger, poverty and malnutrition, promoting preventive health care including contribution to the Swach Bharat Kosh set-up by the Central Government for the promotion of sanitation and making available safe drinking water;

(ii) Promotion education, including special education and employment enhancing vocation skills especially among children, women, elderly and the differently abled and livelihood enhancement projects;

(iii) Promoting gender equality and empowering women, setting up homes and hostels for women and orphans; setting up old age homes, day care centres and such other facilities for senior citizens and measures for reducing inequalities faced by socially and economically backward groups;

(iv) Ensuring environmental sustainability; ecological balance, protection of flora and fauna, animal welfare, agroforestry, conservation of natural resources and maintaining quality of soil, air and water including contribution to the Clean Ganga Fund set-up by the Central Government for rejuvenation of river Ganga.

(v) Protection of national heritage, art and culture including restoration of building and sites of historical importance and works of art; setting up public libraries; promotion and development of traditional arts and handicrafts;

vi)  Measures for the benefit of armed forces veterans, war widows and their dependents;

vii) Training to promote rural sports, nationally recognized sports, Paralympic sports and Olympic sports;

viii) Contribution to the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund or any other fund set up by the Central Government for socio-economic development and relief and welfare of the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes, other backward classes, minorities and women;

ix) Contribution or funds provided to technology incubators located within academic institutions which are approved by the Central Government;

x)  Rural development projects.

 

e) Contribution can be considered for motivating and ensuring involvement of masses for social upliftment and beneficial/ developmental activities by utilizing services of eminent figures/prominent personalities for lectures, tours etc.

f) Any requests for high value donations will be considered carefully and on a very selective basis and granted only to highly reputed organizations/ institutions with proven track record.

g) Preference shall be given to the local area and area around the registered office of the SCL, for spending the amount earmarked for CSR activities.

h) The CSR activities undertaken in India only shall amount to CSR expenditure.

i) CSR activities that benefit only the employees of the SCL and their families shall not be considered as CSR activities.

j) Such other activities as are provided under Schedule VII of the Companies Act 2013 and as amended from time to time.

H)         EMPLOYEES VOLUNTARY SERVICES

As part of community services, the SCL may undertake some welfare activities and programmes, which have a high social content through its offices by way of voluntary efforts of the staff members.

These activities will showcase the SCLs concern to the societal needs/ welfare and promote a sense of belongingness among the employees.

Some of such activities/ programmes are:

These activities can be organized at corporate office or branches to make the observance of certain events for the welfare of underprivileged sections of the society.

When these voluntary service activities are held, reasonable expenses may be incurred in carrying out such activities as per the discretionary powers vested at various levels under the Scheme of Delegation of Financial Powers.

I)           ACCOUNTING AND REPORTING

a)   A detailed account of all expenditure including contribution to corpus for projects or programs relating to CSR activities approved by the Board on the recommendation of CSR Committee and as per CSR policy is to be presented to the Committee on a half yearly basis. The management will also present a report on the utilization of donations sanctioned, and the publicity measures undertaken for all CSR related activities during the half year ended September and March every year.

b)   Any Surplus arising out of CSR projects /programs / activities shall not form part of the business profit.

c)   Directors’ report shall include on an annual basis CSR report in the prescribed format.

d)   Contents of CSR policy shall be disclosed in the Board Report and the same shall be displayed on the SCL’s website.