Vikas Goswami

I have been selected by Vedanta Resources to strategize at the group level on CSR and create operational excellence for the same. I am responsible for CSR and community relations for all operations at global level - India, Africa, Ireland, Australia and new prospective sites.

Indus Towers Oct 2011-July 2013
The largest telecom infrastructure company in the world
Vice President - CSR

I had a mandate to build CSR strategy, reporting and sustainable development framework for the organization. The focus of CSR strategy is Environment, Energy, and Health and Safety. The was put in place in 3 months of my joining with acceptance from the board. The programs reached the execution stage within 5-6 months. I also established internal process to fulfill legal requirements for such activities and for monitoring and audits as per law. I also designed a sustainable development framework as prescribed by the new companies bill released in late 2012.

Director - Corporate Social Responsibility Lead (Indian Sub-Continent - India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan)

Prior to 2006 civil society did not value MS contribution to development of the region. This changed rapidly since I joined and now MS has strategic alliances with more than 350 NGOs, in the past these alliance were not more than 10 in number. I also developed an NGO engagement strategy for India with key focus on business objectives with clear benefits for Unlimited Potential Group, Microsoft Research, Public Sector and Corporate Affairs. Operationalised the Employee Volunteering and Giving Campaign in 8 months while other regions took 2-4 years to accomplish the same. I introduced new programs - Microsoft Authorised Re-furbisher Programme to the portfolio of CR initiatives of MS in India. Developed deep engagements with business and referred appropriate NGO candidature for Microsoft India Advisory Board.

Achievements
 Received Impact Awards at global level with Microsoft, during the month of April 2007.
 Received Gold Star Stock Award for operationalising Employee volunteering and Giving Campaign Programs in 8 months (while other regions have taken 2-4 years)
 Was promoted in August 2007, August 2009 and 2011
 Established News Letters for the work done to be shared at country and regional level
 Received Citizenship individual and Team award in 2009
 Finalist of the global citizenship award in 2009
 Received LCA 2010 award in January 2008.
 Have built partner ecosystem for technologies developed by Microsoft Research and programs designed by Unlimited Potential Group
 Have become an ‘advior’ of choice to various sections/groups of MS
 Winner of Silver medal at the Pegasus awards for CSR instituted by Readers Digest for our flag ship CSR project MSUP-CTSP program in early 2009

Independent Consultant Dec’04 to Feb’06

 Provided expert consultancy to a range of clients on the development and establishment of CSR/Community development programs, unique to individual business situations.
 Hired and mentored a team of 5/6 consultants.

Key Clients
British Gas (BG) India:
 Provided direction and defined strategies for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, with budgets of almost 100k GBP. With focus on education and vocational training programs
 Performed impact analysis for mapping the results of CSR initiatives to facilitate realignment of strategies, if required.
 Provided advisory support for program selection, partner selection, monitoring of partner and program cycle management for the tsunami rehabilitation program in Indian sub-continent.
 Developed a CSR strategy for Gujarat Gas, a key business subsidiary of British Gas India with a focus on ‘Gas’ oriented business and CSR options

Other Clients
 Royal Dutch Shell India: Evaluated the impact of corporate social responsibility initiatives within the organization and documented the same for external awards. Subsequently Shell won the Golden Peacock Award for CSR
 Charities Aid Foundation India: Conducted a Feasibility Study for establishment of Community Foundation post Tsunami
 NOVIB: The Dutch OXFAM: Researched the development climate in India vis-à-vis corporate social responsibility. The objective of the report was to advice to NOVIB on its future course of action.
 USAID: Futures Group India: Responsible for organization, facilitation and report writing for a partners meeting workshop in India working on issues of health with specific focus on enlisting corporate sector engagement.

Global Alliance for Workers in Communities Aug '03 to Nov '04
Country Director India
Global Alliance (GA) (was an initiative of Nike, GAP, World Bank, International Youth Foundation and University of Pennsylvania): GA worked on the issues of worker development, especially in the garment export sector providing support over and above social audits for supply chain management and audits.

When I joined the organization, the organization had major challenges with the donors, employees, consultants and also with the factory owners. I was able to smooth the relations and established protocols of engagement and communication soon wining trust of all stakeholders. The organization also needed some serious re-structuring to achieve the set mandate, this was accomplished in a participatory manner and this led to great work place camaraderie improving work culture. Closely collaborated with Tufts University, US to perform impact analysis for the Anaemia program that was designed for over 10, 000 workers in India. Managed all operational aspects for the research project in India that included hiring of local consultants and monitoring of their work. Closely collaborated also with CGAP of World Bank to undertake research on banking practices of the poor and how to secure these practices further with regularised banks. The role also required to monitor local consultants and in providing inputs in data analysis.

Achievements: Repairing frayed relationships with stakeholder to an advantage of all stakeholders. Developing an understanding of supply chains and various indicators used to measure impact. Creation of social entrepreneurs, train them, leading to benefits for the entire supply chain. This had a perceivable +ve impact on factory owners and business benefits to Nike and Gap Inc. The program focus was on health of factory workers.

Director-General
This was an associate organization of International Business Leaders Forum (IBLF), UK.

The organization worked as single window for CSR to advise, manage and evaluate CSR related work for companies operational in India. The organization had staffing, managerial, financial and administrative issues when I joined. There was not enough money to cover expenses for even three months, yet with in 12 months of holding office we had surplus to hire consultants, print new brochures and make international presentations. A few presentations that I made were at Royal Chatham House and Remarks on the EU White Paper on CSR etc. I was able to successfully lead and build consensus among multi-cultural and multi-disciplinary teams as well as multiple stakeholders, across projects to achieve project objectives. I managed a total of 10 Million in INR and also a team of more than 20 consultants and 5 regular staff at any given point of time

Achievement: Recognized for driving the turnaround of the foundation and achieved highly visible improvements in the areas of financial stability, organizational repute/image and staff relations and achieved more than 50 % increment within one year of joining the organization.
Established and maintained business, advisory and programmatic engagements with EIAS (European Institute of Asian Studies - Brussels), The EU, TERI-Europe and Social Accountability International.
Increased membership base of the organization by 35 %

Department of International Development (DFID), India Mar '99 to Mar '01
Trainee/Professional Officer (Social Development)
A British Government development agency providing bi-lateral aid to the Indian Government) under Indian Professional Officer Scheme (IPOS)

* Managed multiple projects in diverse areas that included health, drinking water, labour standards, education, cyclone rehabilitation and power sector reforms, among others.
* Designed the impact evaluation process in close collaboration with Pricewater House and Coopers teams from across Europe
* Served as member of the Social Development Advisory Group for state of Orissa.
* Played a pivotal role in negotiating common mandates with various stakeholders across programs and designed programs that conformed to the requirements of the mandates.

Independent Consultant Feb '97 to Jan '99
Key Clients
Feedback Ventures Pvt. Ltd.:
Provided advisory services and designed a Community Development Program (CDP) Coca-Cola India/Bharat Coca-Cola for establishment of industrial units in India. Worked closely with multiple stakeholders to devise an impact evaluation plan and defined project/program objectives with clear 'win' for all stakeholders. Provided recommendations for selection of NGOs for implementation of the program, along with program monitoring and organization monitoring. Recommended the study and analysis of the services available within the government educational institutions in the area to avoid duplication of efforts and resources. The program focus was on primary health and educational level interventions.

Achievements: The Community engagement plan accepted by senior management for implementation with no revisions.

Honda Siel Car Company India Ltd. Designed a community development program based on community level research and provided guidelines for effective management of the program especially in context of program partners. Designed and successfully implemented a multi-stakeholder consultation process.

Achievements: The Community engagement plan - with focus on livelihood, primary health and education - accepted by senior management for implementation with no revisions.

Hydro Aluminium Metal Products. Researched and evaluated the socio-cultural impact of the mining process on the tribals in the Raigada district of Orissa.

Non Government Organization - NGO Clients
ACTIONAID: Managed and organized training on Legal Advocacy issues for deprived groups such as ST, SC, and women and children. Built consensus among participants, and assigned the agreed roles and responsibilities, to ensure deliverables that matched program objectives.

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) .: Designed and developed strategies for business development plan for International Centre for Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR) . Responsible for selection of NGOs for program implementation at grass-root level.

Centre for Population and Development Activities (CEDPA): Developed winning proposals for Gujarat State and Crime Prevention Trust on issues pertaining to management of women's health in the urban slum situation vis-à-vis STDs/RTIs and HIV/AIDS. Developed proposals pertaining to maternal health and family welfare for SIFPSA, a state initiative of Uttar Pradesh government funded by USAID.

Lala Ram Swarup Institute of TB and allied diseases: Designed and executed a people focused research and evaluation program for the slums of Delhi. Evaluated, documented, and analyzed data to provide recommendations for the revised National Tuberculosis Program (RNTP) funded by DFID. Served as an Anthropologist for a multi-disciplinary, multi-organization, multi-cultural and multi-stakeholder dialogue processes.

National Foundation of India (NFI) Terms of Reference: Developed a proposal for development directory of all the Government of India programs and assessed the management implications of executing the same.

Actionaid India: Conducted a research study on the various factors influencing effective and productive GO-NGO relations vis-à-vis the Watershed program of the Government. Evaluated the management issues (from the perspective of all the stakeholders) and analyzed the implications of the same on the success of the program. Delivered presentations to stakeholders. Performed risk analysis and defined an action plan to address loopholes in the areas of process management, finance and human resources, among others.

* 1997: Researched and evaluated socioeconomic implications for management of the Revised National Tuberculosis Program vis-à-vis conditions for compliance and non-compliance to curative regime, with special focus on women and children. Served as member anthropologist within a multi-disciplinary operations research team evaluating impact of the program in India.

ACTIONAID Jul '95 - Feb '97: Program Officer: Responsible for selection of NGO partners and programs along with monitoring the project progress. Worked closely with multiple project stakeholders to define research objective, and ensured compliance with project objectives for successful project delivery. Worked on the Malaria Epidemic Prevention and Cure initiative at the community level in Rajasthan.

Deepalaya Plan Project: Mar '94 - Jun '95: Program Officer: Implemented Total Literacy Campaign and Urban Sanitation program for 42 slum clusters of Delhi (with a total population of more than 17 million) . Credited with building consensus among various stakeholders, leading to project success.

* 1993-94: Conducted research on the maternal health, early child deprivation of the girl child- and effect on pregnancy outcomes in North (rural) India. Devised policies and provided recommendations for various MCH schemes. This project was funded by Wener-Gren Foundation of Anthropological Research, USA.

Research Assistant Jan '93 - Feb '94: Worked on "Maternal Health and Pregnancy Outcomes in North India (rural) " project that was funded by Wener-Gren Foundation of Anthropological research.

ADDITIONAL PROJECTS

* 1992: Conducted research on Ethnographic factors as folklore, and ethno medicine and attitude towards health, illness, cure, and family planning and welfare, vis-à-vis policy implications among various population groups of Lalitpur, Uttar Pradesh. This project was funded by Population Foundation of India.