22^nd CFBP Jamnalal Bajaj Awards For Fair Business Practices

The 22nd CFBP Jamnalal Bajaj Awards instituted by the Council were presented to the winners by Padmabushan Dr.R.A.Mashelkar, FRS, Former Director General, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research at a glittering function on 19th March 2010 at the Walchand Hirachand Hall of Indian Merchants’ Chamber, Mumbai.

Chief Guest Dr. R. A. Mashelkar addressing the Awards Function

After giving brief background of CFBP and its activities President Mr. Ramesh Dhir stated that CFBP acts as a bridge between the Consumer / Manufacturer / Service Provider. During last 10-15 years the sellers market has shifted to buyers’ market with variety of products available in the market place within competitive price ranges. In present day’s free market scenario consumer awareness about their rights to demand value / service for money has also taken a leap forward. Therefore to stay in business or to earn profit it has become more imperative to satisfy the customer need viz quality, after sales service, variety of products at reasonable competitive price range.

Other salient points highlighted by him are summarized below:-

• Profit is one of the main and important objective of any business.
• We are in business to make profit, how it is distributed amongst the stakeholders is a different issue and individual discretion.
• Corporatisation of business is a recent trend, even in contemporary India merchants and business houses built temples, Dharmashalas, these were looked as acts of charity rather than expression of corporate concern. Little later it graduated to making hospitals Education Institutions and other activities which benefited community at large.
• As more and more business houses from India are becoming Global entities, business houses’ involvement in development initiatives is increasing that can help the country become a global economic power. CSR has also become part of a drive to incorporate ethical values in business development. In certain known instances corporate encompasses setting aside a certain share of profit for community service work alongwith adoption of clear code of business ethics. To quota few instances :-
• House of Birlas & Tatas set up hospitals and educational institutions – like Pilani and at Jamshedpur.
• ACC & Bajaj Electricals instituted large scale tree plantation effort.
• Wipro & NIIT concentrate on Education and Infosys an Infrastructural development for the marginalized.
• Few well known companies have adopted mission statements :-
• House of Tatas broad mission statement says – what comes from people goes back to them many times over.
• Infosys – says strives for fairness, honesty, courtesy to all.
• WIPRO - says build integrity, simplicity and intensity to win.
• Miscrosoft - helps people & businesses throughout the world to realize their full potential.
• Google - is known to organize world’s information system and make it universally accessible to all.

Personal Commitment of individual CEO’s plays a vital role in directing the action of that corporation. Eg. I read a news item few days ago that Glaxo’s CEO Andrew witty visiting India (Mumbai) for the first time insisted to visit Company’s dumping ground for medical waste at Deonar dump yard to see first hand for himself. The Glaxo out post provides medical facilities to rag pickers & their families who work at the dump yard.

Mr. Sudip Dutta, Chairman & Managing Director
Ess Dee Aluminium Limited., Mumbai, receiving
Trophy in the category Manufacturing Enteprises-SME

Earlier scope of CSR with Schools, Hospitals, Dharmshalas and welfare activities were localized to communities where business was operated from. Post liberalisation business horizon has enlarged to better life for all citizens beyond boundaries and material profit.

Ms. V. G. Sheelini, Secretary (CRM), LIC, Mumbai,
receiving Trophy in the category Serivce
Enterprises – Large

I had commenced with word profit and I conclude with emphasis on material profit.

Shri Vineet Bhatnagar, Chairman Awards Committee elaborated on the background of the Annual Awards scheme. Thereafter Justice(Retd). Smt. Sujata Manohar, Chairperson , Panel of Judges briefed about the methodology adopted in selecting the winners.

Mr. Balfour Manuel, Vice President, &
Ms. Arun Nagpal Vice President- Customer Services
Blue Dart Ltd. receiving Trophy in the category
Service Enterprises - Medium

The Chief Guest Dr Mashelkar in his address congratulated the recipients of the Awards and commended their efforts in promoting fair business practices. He cited that he was impressed so much that CFBP was founded by Doyens of industries such as JRD Tata, Ramkrishna Bajaj and others and stated that the Code of Conduct of the Council reflect the modern Code of Conduct which aspiring enterprises follow which will be very unique. It has been increasingly realized that a financial capital is important enterprise but enterprises are judged on the basis of moral capital and that will become value based. The most important fact is growth. India is different that it was 10 years ago.

Mr. Anshu Gupta, Founder-Director, Goonj, New Delhi
receiving trophy in the category Charitable Association

So whenever we go all over the world there is a buzz about India. The buzz about India is because of growth and India is changing dramatically. Now we hear about inclusive growth. It means it should include those people who are excluded from the benefits that we all enjoy i.e. of sanitation, education, access to health, mobility and of an opportunity who actually realized their potential. So inclusive growth is becoming the key word.

Dr. Ramdas Gujarathi, President, Mumbai Grahak
Panchayat, Mumbai, receiving the Certificate of Merit
in the category Charitable Association

He added that what CFBP stands to propose and promote along with this inclusive growth is also the ethical growth. We may say that inclusive growth is also ethical growth. He also stated that Gandhian Engineering which is also ethical engineering leads to ethical growth and that is part of fair business practices. He hoped the Council will continue its excellent work in promoting fair business practices and congratulated once again the Award winners.

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