Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is the commitment by business to behave ethically while contributing to economic development, and also striving to improve the quality of life of the community in which it operates and society at large.

Jewelex India Pvt. Ltd.’s CSR philosophy:

The company’s Founders and Directors firmly believe in promoting a just & fair corporate and social environment. Being a socially responsible corporate and also contributing to the underprivileged sections of society, are the cornerstones of the company’s CSR philosophy.

CSR activities to be supported:

The company can undertake or support any of the activities listed in Schedule VII under Sec. 135 of the Companies Act, 2013 and amendments thereof. However, the focus can be mainly for the following causes:-

1. Promoting Education, including special education and employment enhancing vocation skills for gainful employment of youth & livelihood enhancement projects.
2. Promoting Healthcare, including preventive healthcare.
3. Eradicating Hunger, poverty and malnutrition.
4. Environmental sustainability & ecological balance.

Promoting Education, vocation skilling & livelihood enhancement:

The importance of education cannot be underestimated in improving the overall economic and social scenario in any society. Especially in a developing country like India, the importance of providing affordable and quality education & vocational skills cannot be overstated.

The Government does it’s bit for providing education to all, but in the Indian context with large outlay required for Education budget, the private sector can play a major role in improving the education milieu by contributing to improvements in education outcomes.

In recent decades, India has made significant progress on access to schooling and enrollment rates in primary education but high dropout rates and low levels of learning/retention, remain challenges which need to be overcome.

Hence, the company will support NGOs / Schools which strive for improvement in the education standard for the children. Also, supporting organisations which provide employment enhancing vocational skills to the youth, those with disabilities and women.

Masoom : Often youth drop out of School for various reasons, especially to support families financially. To enable such students to enrol themselves to complete schooling without giving up their jobs, an ‘Evening Learning Centre’ concept is very useful. The NGO, Masoom, strives to enrol students for such ELCs and then supports these schools with study material, pedagogical support to the Teachers & School Management Committees. The students who complete their education can cope better with their jobs than those who quit their education. Being a sound initiative, our company will support an ELC in 1 School in Ahmedabad, with a total outlay of Rs. 8 Lakhs for the academic year 2024-25.

Mantra Social Services : They work with the state Governments to make systemic changes in the public schools. They ensure proper utilisation of government education budgets, to bring benefits to a large number of students across various districts, especially aspirational districts. Their intervention percolates to lakhs of students, as their impact is on a large scale which Government run Schools reach out to. To support their initiative, the company can allocate Rs. 25 Lakhs.

Trust for Retailers & Retail Associates of India (TRRAIN) : This NGO is founded by one the important figures in the Retail sector in India. He had a vision to create opportunities for the PwDs (Persons with Disabilities) - mainly deaf & mute and some with orthopedic challenges, in the retail space. Vocational training specific to the retail sector are provided. They have tie ups with a lot of large Retailers. Another focus area, is to empower young women. Some young women who would like to join the workforce after completing their high School are provided with retail sector specific skills, life-skills and basic English communication skills, to become employable at either Retail stores / malls or even other commercial establishments. The total budget for supporting both their programs will be approx. Rs. 25 Lakhs for the year.

Navasrushti International Trust : To empower slum communities in a sprawling urban city like Mumbai is vital, so as to balance the growing income disparities strikingly visible in big cities. The NGO actively works in these low-income communities to enhance the education levels of the children by having Library & reading rooms, scholarships, upgrading the local municipal school infrastructure, arranging mid-day meals for the students, career counselling etc. They also work with the youth to provide Vocational training with a view to gainful employment, such as Digital Marketing courses, Para-medical & home care, Beauty Care, Early Childhood Care & Education etc. These short-term courses can also provide the requisite skills & confidence levels to either gain employment or start their own small-scale ventures. The company to contribute for such Vocational training for the youth with an outlay of Rs. 20 Lakhs.

Vimukt Foundation: This NGO encourages the formation of Self-Help Groups (or Sakhi Mandals) in the rural and tribal areas of Gujarat, with a view to encouraging women to form collectives in which they can learn to become financially independent. Regular savings habit, loans for small businesses or even family contingencies, can make the women more financially independent and enhance their self-worth. To help set up such women empowered groups with the main aim of livelihoods creation, the company will allocate Rs. 25 Lakhs to this NGO for their program administration and interest-free loan disbursals.

Promoting Healthcare :

Healthcare is one of the basic essentials to reduce suffering in human life and thereby improve the quality of living. A caring society focuses on the provision or access to adequate and timely medical care.

In a vast developing country like India, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, majority of whom live in the rural hinterland, access to even basic healthcare is a luxury not easily within reach. Only a bare minimum number doctors are willing to serve in the rural areas - where almost 60% of the population lives. Even in urban areas, quality medical care is becoming unaffordable and out of reach to a vast majority of the population.

The private healthcare sector is responsible for the majority of healthcare in India. Most healthcare expenses are paid out-of-pocket by patients and their families, rather than through insurance. This forces many households to incur ‘Catastrophic Health Expenditure’, which can be defined as health expenditure that threatens a household's overall capacity to maintain a basic standard of living. For example, ailments like Cancer, which require long term treatment, can be especially catastrophic on poor or low income families.

Shri Jalaram Aarogya Seva Trust : This Charitable Trust has been serving the underserved population in the remote Meghraj taluka of the Aravalli district on the border of Gujarat & Rajasthan. A group of dedicated Doctors has been managing to deliver services such as Gynecology, Orthopedics, Infant care, Diagnostics, Dental care and basic Cancer care for over 20 years now. With increased patient needs and a desire to provide the latest infrastructure for these services, a new Hospital Building is envisaged. Construction on the almost 200,000 sq. ft. building has already commenced. The poor people can also avail Government medical schemes for their benefit, as the Hospital is registered under the government program for the vulnerable and deserving sections. The company will provide a contribution of Rs. 76 Lakhs towards this endeavor, in addition to a similar contribution made in the previous year.

Health & Care Foundation : This NGO has been working in the field of disability for many years now. They provide check-ups and corrective surgeries for deformities of limbs such as club foot, scoliosis, cleft lip & cleft palate, diabetic retinopathy, dental care etc. Their catchment area is from the various districts surrounding Ahmedabad and beyond. A team of expert Surgeons and medical personnel provide quality care and rehabilitation for the patients. For young children, such surgeries can be life-transforming with enhanced level of mobility and self-confidence. The company will allocate Rs. 35 Lakhs towards their services.

Sri Sathya Sai Health & Education Trust : This organization has been undertaking free Pediatric cardiac surgeries in the Hospitals managed by them. On a visit to their Hospital in Navi Mumbai, it is heartwarming to see all the staff treat all patients & their parents with lot of empathy and care. It is uniquely different also, with no ‘Billing Counter’ in the Hospital premises – with all services provided entirely free. They deserve support in this initiative, hence, the company will provide Rs. 51 Lakhs towards sponsorship of some free pediatric cardiac surgeries.

Sanjeevani…Life Beyond Cancer : With increasing incidence of Cancer in all sections of society, it is imperative to support organisations working to ameliorate the impact of this deadly disease. They work in various specialized Cancer Hospitals and provide patient support services, cancer awareness & counselling as well as nutritional support for the patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment. The patient assistance program as well as the nutritional support program have a positive bearing on the patient’s physical, mental and emotional status, thereby enhancing the treatment & recovery outcomes. These services can be supported in one Hospital with outlay up to say, Rs. 50 Lakhs per annum.

Divyajyoti Trust : Their existing Tejas Eye Hospital’s infrastructure was proving to be inadequate in view of high patient load from the surrounding rural. They are therefore constructing a new campus near Amalsadi in Mandvi taluka of Gujarat. The company has contributed in the past also towards the expansion project with state-of-the art Surgical, OPD and Training facilities in this rural area. Their Cornea / Eye Bank facilities will enable sight restoration & treatment to the rural poor in this region. Hence, the company will now contribute Rs. 35 Lakhs for the procurement of various equipment and other needs for the Cornea Department.

Eradicating hunger and malnutrition :

The poor have to often confront hunger and malnutrition as their income levels cannot support adequate food intake. This problem is accentuated if they are faced with additional financial burden such as large medical expenditure in the family or such other emergencies.

HKM Charitable Foundation : ‘Akshaya Chaitanya’ is the name of this Foundation’s nutrition / feeding program conducted in various Municipal or Government Hospitals in Mumbai. They provide free nutritious meals to the relatives or caretakers of the patients on a daily basis. This provides much needed sustenance to the caretakers, as they are often in financial distress due to the family member’s illness or come from far away to the city, for the treatment of their loved one. The company will sponsor the feeding program in 2 Municipal Hospitals of Mumbai during the current year and approx. 2,50,000 free meals will be provided. A budget of Rs. 75 Lakhs can be allocated towards this cause.

Ratna Nidhi Charitable Trust : This organization has been managing a School feeding program for many years now. They provide a mid-day meal to students in various Municipal Schools in Mumbai, where children from the low-income families come to study. A wholesome mid-day meal goes a long way in improving the children’s health and concentration in their studies. The company will sponsor around 300 such meals daily in such Schools, with an annual amount of Rs. 15 Lakhs.

Environment sustainability & ecological balance :

The growing footprint of mankind on our planet is having devastating effects on the environment and upsetting the ecological balance which has prevailed for centuries. Unless, urgent remedial measures are implemented, the rate of such devastation will only increase with dramatic consequences for the present and future generations.

Vicharta Samuday Samarthan Manch : This organization (VSSM) has over the last 5 years initiated many Tree plantation sites in the semi-arid region of Banaskantha in Gujarat. In association with the local villagers who provide the land for the plantation sites and the manpower to maintain the saplings, this organization has managed to plant over 5,00,000 saplings at various locations. The company has sponsored the planting of over 50,000 saplings, now growing at 11 sites on 7 locations. This NGO ensures that the sites are well cordoned with proper fencing, drip irrigation system to provide water and a ‘Tree Caretaker’ to oversee the growth of the saplings. Their coordinated efforts ensure a survival rate of over 85% for these saplings and ensure a successful green cover in this otherwise arid landscape. The organization’s contribution has been recognized by the state Government and they have been conferred with the ‘Climate Change’ award also. The company will allocate Rs. 10 Lakhs, towards additional plantation of approx. 4,000 saplings during the current year.

Vimukt Foundation : This organization is a sister organization of ‘Vicharta Samuday Samarthan Manch’, which initiates the tree plantation activity in many arid parts of Gujarat. With their common goal to provide environmental restoration, this organization undertakes water management activities in the water-stressed district of Banaskantha. In tandem with the local villagers, they identify old or new lake sites which need deepening & widening. Then with the cooperation of the locals they supply the machinery & resources required to ensure that the water collects into the lakes during the rainy season. This benefits the locals by enhancing the water table for irrigation, as well as providing much needed water for the population and their livestock. A win-win situation for the villagers and the environment. The company has already sponsored the widening of 25 Lakes benefitting a population of approx. 75,000 people, in the surrounding 24 villages. The company will allocate Rs. 15 Lakhs, towards additional 3 water bodies to be excavated during the current year.

Taking into account the above, a total budget of approx. Rs. 4.5 to 5.0 crores can be allocated for the various CSR activities to be supported by the Company during this F.Y.

Note: The company has been contributing much more than the required funds under the CSR guidelines, over the past few years. It can, therefore carry forward the extra amounts and adjust the over-spend, if required. Hence, the above budget is flexible and can be spent according to the need arising from the causes needing support.

Nilesh Kothari

Chairman, CSR Committee