Consumer Mediation Cell

Council For Fair Business Practices (CFBP) was established in 1966 by the then stalwarts of business and industry like Mr. J.R.D. Tata, Mr.Ramkrishna Bajaj, Mr. Naval Tata, Mr. S. P. Godrej, Mr. Ashok Birla, Mr. J. N. Guzder and Mr.Keshub Mahindra and 29 others who recognized the imperative need of business and industry to regulate itself.Its past Presidents have been luminaries including Mr.Arvind Mafatlal, Mr. Naval Tata, Mr. Harish Mahindra and Mr.Shekhar Bajaj (who now serves as the Advisory Board Chairman). As the current President Swapnil Kothari says, “CFBP shall play a seminal role in making India a superpower by raising our voices in our own impactful way. I am privileged to lead this organisation with my third term beginning October 2022 (Mr. Harish Mahindra being the only one earlier to serve three terms (1977-1983), and I shall endeavour to ensure that CFBP shines as a beacon light to illumine Consumer Awareness across our great nation!”)

CFBP recognizes Indian business entrepreneurs who strive to create an environment where business confidence is built through best business practices, promote high ethical standard in prompt, efficient and friendly services providing complete satisfaction to consumers and others stake holders with their outstanding achievements and contributions.

Role of CFBP Members
1. Your responsibility is to create awareness about Fair Business Practices.
2. To motivate Manufactures and Professionals to participate in CFBP Jamnalal Bajaj Awards for Fair Business Practices.
3. To organize various Consumer Education Programmes.
4. To create awareness among people to reach out to the Council for Consumer Grievances.
5. To display the CFBP Certificate prominently in your organization / office.
6. To motivate people to do the testing of their food product at CFBP Ramkrishna Bajaj Testing Centre at S.N.D.T., Juhu.
7. To motivate Schools / College Authorities to organize Consumer Awareness Programmes in the Schools / Colleges.
8. To motivate people to become member and follow the mission of CFBP towards Fair Business Practices.

CFBP Code of Conduct
Every member of the Council accepts the following obligations:-
• Maintain the highest ethical standards in business and professions
• Ensure maximum transparency to the satisfaction of consumers and other stakeholders
• Consider objectively the viewpoint of the consumers
• Satisfy the consumer with prompt, efficient and friendly service at a reasonable price
NOT TO:
• Use media to mislead consumers
• Knowingly support activities which are against the laws of the land
• Misuse an advantageous market position to the detriment of consumers

CFBP Team
CFBP today boasts of some of the industry and professional heavyweights on its Advisory Board, its Executive Committee and its diverse Invitee Group. Some of them are practically the forerunners of the country committed towards nation-building and propel both CFBP and India towards greater heights. Its Administrative Committee consists of President Swapnil Kothari, Vice-President Mr.Vineet Bhatnagar (CEO and MD of Phillip Capital India Pvt. Ltd), Advisory Board Chairman Mr. Shekhar Bajaj, Hon. Secretary Mr. Niranjan Jhunjhunwalla and Hon. Treasurer Mr. Anand Patwardhan. Its Advisory Board comprises of Mr. Shekhar Bajaj (Chairman), Mr. B.N. Srikrishna, Mr. Rajiv K. Podar, Ms. Amla Ruia, Ms. Shaina N.C., Ms. Rajyalakshmi Rao, Ms. Dolly Thakore, Mr. Ajai Kumar, Mr. Vishwanath Sabale, Ms. Swarn Kohli, Ms. Nayantara Jain, Mr. Arvind Savant, Mr. Sujay Jairaj Thacker, Mr. Mickey Mehta, Mr. Jagdeep Kapoor, Ms. Chandni Khosla, Siddharth Raisurana, Mr. Prashant Khemka, Mr. Komal Nahta, Ms. Meher Mirchandani, Mr. Keki M. Mistry.

Mediation Cell
CFBP has a Mediation Cell comprising of Chairperson Anand Patwardhan (who is also the Hon. Treasurer) and Payal Kothari (who is an Advocate & Solicitor and an Executive Committee Member).

Consumer Awareness and Flagship Programmes
CFBP strives to spread its message and create awareness about fair business practices and knowing the consumer rights by organising talks, workshops, seminars, publications, audio-visual presentations, street plays, forming human chains, participation in exhibitions, fests and conferences promoting through digital media and newspapers reaching out to the children, young and senior men and women as they happen to be our respective consumers and “Consumer is the KING”. A number of such programmes are conducted each year. It curates Flagship Programmes like the Jamnalal Bajaj Uchit Vyavahar Puraskar Awards (which has completed 34 Chapters and winners who are selected by an august Jury) given every year to Manufacturers (Big and Small), Trade Associations, Charitable Associations for outstanding records in following Fair Business Practices and seen the likes of Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma, Dr. P.C. Alexander, Mr. Nandan Nilekani, Dr. Abdul Kalam, Mr.Azim Premji, Mr. Deepak Parekh, Mr. K. R. Narayanan, Mr. Aditya Puri, Dr. Manmohan Singh, Mr. Manohar Joshi, Mr. Ajay Piramal, Mr. P. Chidambaram, Mr. J.R.D. Tata, Mr. N.R. Narayana Murthy, Mr. Uday Kotak and Mr. Adi Godrej as Chief Guests.
We also have the Consumer Film Festival (which has completed 4 chapters) inviting applications from across the country on short films, slogan writing and painting on selected topics and then felicitating them with prizes (winners are selected once again by an eminent Jury panel comprising of diverse stalwarts).

Women Empowerment
CFBP firmly believes that it would be an oxymoron if it did not take up the cause of Women Empowerment as Women have been subjected to the most unfair of practices since millennia – be it at home or at the work place. It has curated several programmes to ensure that Women are empowered with every passing day. It has also ensured that it has Women right at the top of its Executive Committees and majority of the Invitees are Women who are established from various walks of life. It encourages Women to visit our Website (www.cfbp.org) or our Mobile App to garner more information and contact us freely without any hesitation.
Propagation of Fair Business Practices
The Council collaborates with other voluntary organizations and participates in the deliberations of various committees of the Government, both at State and Central levels, fostering an atmosphere of trust and understanding between consumers and businesses.

Redressal of Consumer Grievances
CFBP plays a key role to protect and satisfy consumers and redress their grievances. CFBP enhances better communication between the complainant and organization complained against, by arranging joint meetings. Through such meetings, many of the cases are resolved to the satisfaction of both parties.

Titans of Fair Business Practices
CFBP has felicitated nine Titans who have contributed most notably to it by coming out with a Coffee Table Book, “Titans of Fair Business Practices” published by the Times of India Group and penned by its Executive Committee Member Mr. Vikesh Wallia.

Ramkrishna Bajaj CFBP Consumer Education and Testing Centre
The SNDT Women’s University has set up this centre in collaboration with the Council. It carries out chemical and micro-biological analysis of food products like ice creams, bottled water etc. samples can come from local markets, or from consumers; and can be tested for quality and purity. It also offers advisory services to consumer co-operatives and small scale food industries for ensuring better quality standards of their products. Research on key area of consumer concern is also undertaken when required. It has been approved by NABL (National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories).

Consumer Education for Schools
To promote consumer awareness amongst students, the Consumer Education Committee of the Council has started a Students’ Chapter through Government Law College and shall continue to expand in that direction recruiting more such colleges. It had also earlier prepared a value-based course which has been accepted by the Government of Maharashtra for Students of standards IX and X. Short story contest, slogan and script writing, painting contest, young consumer conference, street play competitions on consumer topics-Jago Grahak Jago, Fair business practices, right to voice, right to information, mera haq-my rights are organized to display the scope of young minds through their writing, acting and painting skills.

CFBP Newsletter
A unique Newsletter “CFBP TIMES” is published bi-monthly providing the details of the speeches of the visiting faculty members on consumer topics during the seminars and conferences, information of various activities and the forthcoming programmes creating consumer awareness. Substantial hard copies are mailed and soft copies are e-mailed to our data list of consumers.

Geography
CFBP has started its Kolkata Chapter in late 2021 and has a number of accomplished individuals from there as part of its formidable Team. It is headed by Ms. Kavita Agarwal (Executive Committee Member and Founder, Career After Family Enterprise. CFBP continues to explore other cities and shall continue unabated in its glorious expansion.

Gratitude
It thanks the following organisations for making this half-a-century journey momentous with their generous support:-
1. Citi Bank
2. MSPL Limted
3. TATA TEA
4. Bajaj Electricals Ltd.
5. Titan Company
6. Bajaj Electricals Ltd.
7. IndusInd Bank
8. Godrej Consumer Products Ltd.
9. Titan Company
10. PhillipCapital (India) Pvt. Ltd.
11. Godrej Consumer Products Ltd.
12. Samsika Marketing Consultants Pvt. Ltd.
13. Bajaj Electricals Ltd.
14. Samsika Marketing Consultants Pvt. Ltd.
15. Godrej & Boyce Mfg.Co.Ltd.
16. Bajaj Electricals Ltd.
17. Tata Salt
18. Tata Chemicals Ltd
19. Bajaj Allianz
20. Tata Motors
21. Kotak Mahindra Bank
22. Bank of Baroda
23. Life Insurance Corporation of India
24. Mahindra & Mahindra
25. Aditya Birla group
26. Mentor Capital
27. State Bank of India
28. Sriram Housing Finance
29. Franklin Templeton
30. Himalaya Wellness

Mediation Cell Media

ET Panache
9 December 2020