Valour and Values: Aligning Military Experiences to CSR

The book brings out a new strategic thought on Army Social Responsibility (ASR), which needs to be understood in its entirety and recognized differently. While military social duties carried out under Aid to civil authorities are official, military social activities carried out under the realm of conflict management lend toward the concept of ASR. It is from this standpoint that I find a strong symbiotic relationship between ASR and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). I have juxtaposed the two and suggested that ASR activities can be developed as CSR projects and some CSR initiatives developed as ASR projects. To bring clarity in the concept I have shared some personal military experiences of the Army having initiated ASR projects under Op Sadbhavana and the learnings which accrued were applied when I doffed my uniform. I joined Jindal Stainless Limited with the charter of initiating CSR, new to Indian business houses and different to the familiar concept of Charity, Welfare and Philanthropy.CSR has since grown with policy frameworks, reporting standards and other statutory requirements enacted by law. For ease of understanding some fundamentals have been included in the book along with relevant guidelines and CSR FAQs, which I am convinced will help in Getting CSR Right.

Brig Rajiv Williams, YSM sought premature retirement from the Indian Army in 2005 and soon thereafter joined Jindal Stainless Limited Group (JSL) as Group Head CSR, where he served for 17 years. During his military career of 33 years, he served at different war and peace time locations to include in some of the most difficult areas of Drass, Kargil and the Siachen Glacier. Post retirement he joined the development sector and was instrumental in shaping the CSR journey in India and developed the strategy of sustainable business. Williams was awarded the Yudh Seva Medal and Mention in Dispatches by the Army for operations in the Kargil and Siachen sectors respectively. His civil awards include the Asia Pacific Leadership Award, `Top 100 Most Impactful Global CSR leaders award Top 25 CSR Leaders in India, The Human Rights Most Excellence CSR Award and the Mahatma CSR Award. Rajiv is a prolific writer and speaker and has been invited to speak at the offices of the United Nations in New York and Geneva besides other forums in Africa, Europe, China and South East Asia. He has co-authored books on Siachen Glacier, The Indian Military Academy and The JAK LI Regiment. He has also co-authored the book` CSR in India`, which was released in Bonn, Germany and A Decade of Mandated CSR released in Delhi on 1st April 2024.