STUDIES

PiC and Praxis organised a series of regional and national consultations on the draft National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights since 2018. Through these consultations, we reached out to about 200 organisations, many of them grassroots organisations, including human rights defenders in Jaipur, Guwahati, Bhubaneswar, Bangalore and Delhi. The discussions with them fed into the development of a paper named – Voices from the Margins: Community Consultation Report on National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights. Please read the report here.

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As a continuation of the consultations, in Dindigul, Tamil Nadu, a team of grassroots researchers called the Vaanavil Research Collective organised a quick study on National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights with a focus on Gender and Business. 

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In a positive development, Ministry of Corporate Affairs has come out with the Zero Draft of the National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights in the second week of March.

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Facilitating Vaccination Linkages for Denotified Tribes in Rajasthan

Partners in Change in partnership with the National Alliance Group for Nomadic, Semi Nomadic and Denotfied Tribes have been working closely with several denotified tribes in Rajasthan on issues ranging from entitlement access to education to livelihoods. These groups in the current context of health and the pandemic have faced severe exclusions from entitlements as well as have several misconceptions about vaccines and therefore tremendous vaccine hesitancy. Read the Report of Activities between June and September 2021.

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Businesses ‘Reinvent’ Servitude: Understanding The Status Of Female Migrant Labour From Odisha In The Tamil Nadu Garment Industry

Partnering with READ, Erode, which works for better standards for workers in garment and textile industries, Partners in Change carried out a study to understand the challenges faced by women migrant workers from Odisha. The study shed light on the difficult conditions in which these women work in mills in Tamil Nadu, the gross violation of basic human rights and demands better working conditions, wages and social security, among other things. Read the report here.

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Bitter Pill: How Inclined Are Companies to Deliver National Health Policy Outcomes?

‘Situation Analyses: Backdrop to the National Health Policy-2017’ which accompanies the National Health Policy 2017 diagnoses the reasons of poor health performance as (a) inequity in health access, (b) increased out of pocket expenses on health by households, (c) presence of unethical pricing by private health care providers and poor regulatory system; and (d) much reduced public health care expenditure compared to many other countries. The policy, which emerges from this background document, aims to achieve universal access to healthcare by ensuring improved access and affordability to healthcare services while emphasising the need for strategic partnerships with the non-governmental sector and the private sector. The private sector has been roped in to fill “critical” gaps in the pharmaceutical space and is pitted as a better vehicle to achieve the stated aims within the timeline. This report critically examines the scope of private companies in delivering the National Health Policy outcomes. Read report here.

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Study on Corporate Foundations: An Emerging Development Paradigm?

This is an attempt at understanding the role and emergence of corporate foundations (CFs) as an alternate development paradigm, their role vis-à-vis the entities that support them, and the challenges and opportunities they face, specifically in reference to the changes brought about by the Companies Act 2013. With a large amount of funds set to be dedicated to CSR activities, as a result of the provisions relating to CSR under the Companies Act 2013, foundations have the potential of becoming the preferred mode for companies to invest in developmental activities. Read the Report here.

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Making Growth Inclusive – Praxis and Corporate Responsibility Watch 

This study, utilising the India Responsible Business Index (IRBI), analyses different dimensions of business policies as disclosed on their websites. Drawing on those elements of the 2011 National Voluntary Guidelines that relate to social inclusion, it takes into account non-discrimination in the workplace, employee well-being, inclusiveness in the supply chain, development initiatives under ‘CSR’ allocations and the positioning of the community as a business stakeholder.

 

The study is an ongoing programme, with the analyses for two years, taking the form of the Making Growth Inclusive reports 2015, 2017 and 2018.

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Beyond 2%: Reclaiming Corporate Social Responsibility for Community Empowerment

Recognising that there is more to CSR than philanthropy, this study unpacks different ways in which business are accountable to workers and to communities. Whether in the workforce, within supply chains, or in the local area, people’s lives intersect with and are impacted by businesses in multiple ways. Working within the framework of the National Voluntary Guidelines on the Social, Environmental and Economic responsibilities of businesses, the study identifies issues important for any business to consider. Download report

 

Human Rights and Business: A Primer for Business in India

The Primer is an introductory document for managers and leaders to familiarize themselves with the issues and basics of the Business and Human Rights Agenda. The Primer responds to requests from business as well as development practitioners and is designed for any business and/or industry at any stage in its business cycle, operating anywhere in the world. The Primer was financially aided by Global Compact Network India and developed by PiC. Download Report

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India TIII 2021

The Index measures how the governments are leading the way in protecting the public policies, keeping in line with the FCTC. Download Report.

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Bitter Beans – The Coffee Crisis and its Impact in India

This is a study undertaken in the coffee growing regions of India in the light of the alarming increase in number of farmer suicides following a crisis in the coffee sector. It was done as a collaborative effort between PiC and Dutch KoffieCoalitie, Netherlands. Download report

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Chai Time: Sustainable Livelihood for Small Tea Growers through CSR

This study tries to understand the drastic expansion, livelihood potential and competitiveness of small tea growers as a new model of tea production in India. It also attempts to understand how elements of improved social, economic and environmental aspects in small holding could lead to additional competitiveness for tea small holdings. Download report

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Frame of Reference for Responsible Business in South Asia

Under this frame of reference, SAFoRB presents the broad outline, based upon relevant international agreed standards, agreements, operating principles and processes, for accountability to stakeholders which can be expected from businesses. Download Report

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Knitted Together – Multi-stakeholder Perspectives on Economic, Social and Environmental Issues in the Tirupur Garment Cluster

This study is a part of the multi-stakeholder initiative of PiC and Solidaridad. The study was intended to produce the required resource material that would help in strategizing the interventions geared to achieve fair trade principles with Multi-stakeholder participation and it also brings out the relevant compliance standards in the garment sector of Tirupur. Download report

 

Public Disclosure of Information – A First Step Towards Responsible Banking in India

This report summarises a 2016 feasibility study into fair finance in India. It captures some of the key outcomes of interactions with financial sector actors as well as research into, and assessments of, publicly available bank policies.

Frameworks used to understand bank policies include the Fair Finance Guide, an internationally applied methodology which brings together a diverse range of international standards on responsible financing. Download report