A Letter on Purpose, Partnership, and Progress - Our CSR Journey

When people ask me what defines our approach to Corporate Social Responsibility, my answer is simple: we believe responsibility cannot be confined to a single cause. India is vast, layered, and complex, and so are its needs. If you have been following our journey, you would know that we have never believed in narrowing our lens too much. Instead, we strive to contribute meaningfully across various areas outlined in the CSR schedule—wherever our support can create a real, lasting impact.

Empowering Women Through Sustainable Livelihoods

One such long-standing partnership is with the Ma Foundation. Through this collaboration, we have set up centres in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu that support women in building independent sources of income. Equally important, these centres provide subsidised, nutritious meals to those in need within select regions. It is a model that brings together dignity, self-reliance, and community care—and one we are proud to continue supporting.

Investing in Grassroots Sports for Girls

We also launched Mission Jumpstart in association with the Khiladi Foundation, focusing on supporting girls from underprivileged backgrounds in track and field events. Over time, we have witnessed not just improvement, but excellence—several of these young athletes have gone on to compete at the national level within their age groups. These moments reaffirm why long-term investment in grassroots sports truly matters.

Supporting Children in Their Formative Years

Our continued partnership with Lokuttara Leadership Academy in Kerala focuses on strengthening the essential infrastructure required for a nurturing boarding school environment—spaces where children can live, learn, and grow with dignity during their formative years.

Alongside this, our work with the Salaam Baalak Trust in Delhi has focused on a fundamental need: ensuring mid-day meals for street-connected children. When nutrition is taken care of, children are better able to focus on education, play, and the many other aspects of childhood that allow them to grow into confident individuals.

New Initiatives Focused on Care and Inclusion

This year, we also took up several new initiatives. As part of our engagement with the Battle for Blindness Foundation, our support has been directed towards ensuring sustained, day-to-day care and development for visually impaired girls—recognising that inclusion is not achieved through one-time interventions, but through consistent access to resources.

We also partnered with the Mannat Foundation, working with a welfare home in Delhi to improve access to education and enhance the overall quality of life for the children in their care.

Responding in Times of Crisis

Additionally, through our disaster relief response during the floods that impacted Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, and Jammu & Kashmir, we stepped in to provide support during a time of urgent need—when immediate action can make a meaningful difference.

Strengthening the Future of Agriculture

This year also marked the launch and culmination of PRAGATI – the Pragati Accelerator, in collaboration with IIT Ropar. Through this programme, we supported early-stage startups working to make India’s agricultural sector more climate-resilient—an area that is critical for the country’s future.

Looking Back, Looking Ahead

Looking back, we feel proud—not because of scale, but because of intent. We were able to contribute in small yet meaningful ways throughout the year, staying true to our belief that responsibility must be both consistent and compassionate.

Looking ahead, our path is clear. First, we will deepen our ongoing partnerships—because impact cannot be rushed. Second, we will remain attentive to emerging needs where our involvement can add meaningful value.

Focus Areas for the Coming Year

In the year ahead, we are exploring several new frontiers:

• Financial literacy, especially for women in rural India, because true empowerment begins with economic awareness.

• Cultural and heritage conservation, through the preservation of vulnerable archaeological sites and the strengthening of museums that safeguard our shared memory.

• Biodiversity conservation, recognising that protecting endangered species and fragile ecosystems is vital to our planet’s future.
  

A Commitment to Collective Action

We will continue to share our journey with you and hope to bring about a lasting impact on the ground. If you see a possibility for collaboration, please reach out—we firmly believe in the power of collective action.

— Tejasvini Puri

Chairperson – CSR Committee, Puri Oil Mills Limited