Policy on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

Philosophy

The West Bengal Forest Development Corporation Ltd (WBFDCL) is committed to promote Scientific Forestry, Environmental Conservation, Eco-development, Eco - tourism and Community Participation through Joint Forest Management in the State of West Bengal in accordance with the National Forest Policy - 1988, the directives issued by the State Government from time to time and the Memorandum and Articles of Association of this Corporation. WBFDCL is the strong believer of the thought that the performance of the Company should be judged not only from its earning potential but also from its contribution towards building economic, social and environmental capital for the society at large. WBFDCL is among those companies which have voluntarily adopted the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative long back much before it became mandatory due to the implementation of Companies Act 2013. This Corporation has always tried to make a positive impact towards sustainable development of the society, maintaining ecological balance, protecting the environment and to make this world as a better place of living.

CSR Activities

The CSR activities of the Corporation are independent of the normal conduct of the Corporation’s business. The CSR activities of WBFDCL shall strive to achieve the following goals.

1. To eradicate hunger, poverty and malnutrition, promoting health care including preventive Health Care and sanitation and making available safe drinking water;
2. To promote education, including special education and employment enhancing vocational skills especially among children, women, elderly and the differently abled and livelihood enhancement projects;
3. To promote gender equality, 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;
4. To ensure environmental sustainability, ecological balance, protection of flora and founa, animal welfare, agro forestry, conservation of natural resources and maintaining quality of soil, air and water;
5. To provide training to promote rural sports, nationally recognized sports, paralympic sports and Olympic sports;
6. To contribute 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;
7. To contribute or funds provided to technology incubators located within academic institutions which are approved by the Central Government;
8. To undertake rural development projects;

CSR Committee

The CSR Committee of this Corporation consists of the following directors

Implementation

The Corporation will undertake its CSR activities as approved by its CSR Committee through its internal machineries and staff or through Fund /Trust /Agencies/ societies/FPCs or section 8 Companies specifically constituted for undertaking CSR activities with a proven track record of 3 years or more.

Governenece

Every year the CSR Committee will decide about the quantum of expenditure and submit a CSR plan for the approval of the Board of Directors. Two separate Committees each for the Divisions of North Bengal and South Bengal will be formed with the members of the CSR Committee along with the Senior Officers of the Corporation to draw plan and programs to be implemented as the CSR activities. The Board of Directors will consider and approve the CSR Plan and programs without or with the modification that may be considered necessary. The Divisional Managers of this Corporation will monitor the CSR expenses directly undertaken by the Corporation under the overall supervision of FA&CAO, the General Managers and Managing Director of this Corporation. The Management will report about CSR expenses time to time to the CSR Committee and the Board.

CSR Expenditure

CSR expenditure will include all the expenses directly or indirectly incurred by the Corporation in accordance with the approved CSR policy moreover surplus if any arising from the CSR plan shall also be used towards the CSR activities. Accordingly any income arising from the CSR activity will be netted off from the CSR expenditure and such net amount will be reported as CSR expenses. Any surplus arising from the CSR plan will not be treated as the income of the Corporation.