Most businesses Focus On Profit; We Prioritise Planet, People & Profit: BN Welfare Foundation’s Manas Raghuvanshi

Manas Raghuvanshi joined BN Welfare Foundation as Director of CSR to drive meaningful, lasting change. He has expanded the foundation’s efforts in education, skill development, health, and sustainability. His key contributions include launching community programs, creating skill-based initiatives for youth, and introducing employee engagement programs. He also partnered with UNICEF for the Impact4Nutrition initiative to improve child health.

In an interview with Responsible Us, he shared how CSR creates long-term value beyond short-term impact.

Excerpts: 

How does BN Foundation ensure that its CSR initiatives create long-term value rather than just short-term impact?
Our mission is to build a nation with a healthy lifestyle, innovation, and sustainable solutions—a philosophy that guides our welfare foundation. CSR and sustainability should be viewed as responsibilities that address social, economic, and environmental issues. It's crucial for organizations to recognize that there is no room for greenwashing today. In our country, there are numerous issues that need to be addressed, and by weaving social good into the fabric of how we operate, we can make a real difference. Sustainability is about safeguarding resources for future generations, so we must focus on actions that preserve resources for the generations to come. It's about creating enduring value, not just short-term wins or quick gains. These principles and priorities are integral to what every corporation should define as success. As we move forward, we should also think about giving back to society. Most business houses focus only on one 'P'—profit. But it should be a triple 'P' model: Planet, People, and Profit. At BN Foundation, we have made this our baseline and motto.

How can organizations ensure that sustainability efforts go beyond ESG scores and truly influence individual behavior and daily habits?
Sustainability isn’t just about saving something for future generations. It’s about our planet, Earth. There is no second home. We must realize that maybe not in 2000 years, but in 500 years, we won’t have an escape from what’s coming. The climate shift is real. We are experiencing it on a human level—not just in our graphs or calculations, but as real, observable changes happening across the globe.

Sustainability is going to be the only solution moving forward—not just at the organizational level, earning ESG points, but it must trickle down to every employee and their families. It’s about reducing carbon emissions at an individual level as well. We all need to develop the habit of consciously reducing waste. Fast fashion, for example, is putting immense pressure on our environment and nature. Sustainability must be understood as the only way to preserve not just human life, but also animals, plants, and the Earth as a whole.

How can companies ensure that ESG (environmental, social, and governance) initiatives create meaningful impact rather than just meeting reporting requirements?
ESG is slowly taking over the concept of CSR. While CSR has been practiced for a while, it is increasingly being converted into an ESG reporting system where ‘E’ stands for Environmental, ‘S’ for Social, and ‘G’ for Governance. These three parameters need to be addressed. In our case, we are still in the progress stage. We are planting trees and addressing issues in the communities around us. Our ESG reporting will begin in the next financial year. We’re starting from scratch, but we’re committed to involving each of our employees in initiatives that contribute equally to society. It's not just about focusing on underprivileged groups of women, but broader, community-wide involvement.

We also focus on addressing the issues faced by blind children, which adds diversity to our efforts. We are also working to support Paralympic athletes. ESG will encompass all of these aspects—it will address diversity, environmental concerns, and other critical issues, all of which will contribute to your ESG rating. I am 100% confident that while currently, only a few companies may be under this mandate, eventually all companies around the world will be required to submit their ESG reports.

The BN Foundation focuses on three major sustainable development goals (SDGs): no poverty, zero hunger, and good health. How do you prioritise these areas, and if you had to focus more on one, how would you approach it?
CSR is not philanthropy; it's about creating lasting change, not just making donations. The SDGs are interconnected—eliminating poverty requires education, and fighting hunger means creating jobs. We assess community needs before choosing focus areas.

In Noida, our machine operator training program faces challenges in mobilizing women due to cultural norms. We work on skill development and employment opportunities to ensure holistic growth. Similarly, our education program aims to mainstream out-of-school children within a year, staying engaged in their progress.

We recently partnered with UNICEF to improve health and nutrition in remote areas like Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha. This includes renovating anganwadi centers and running nutrition programs to help children move above malnutrition levels.

At our Noida sewing center, 100 women are currently enrolled, with plans to expand. Our education initiative supports 120 children—60 in regular schools and 60 struggling to catch up. We help them bridge learning gaps and integrate into mainstream education. These programs are long-term, ensuring sustainable impact.

How do partnerships with government and NGOs enhance the impact of your initiatives, and what challenges do you face in these collaborations?
Yes, collaborations are vital when it comes to bringing about any significant change in society. Especially in the earlier stages of a project, it's challenging to design and implement it on your own. Without government support, reaching communities becomes difficult. I can walk you through some of our initiatives and tell you about the government and NGO partnerships we have in place.

For example, in Gorakhpur, we have a mental health rehabilitation center running with the support of the Gorakhpur district administration and the municipal corporation. The Smile Roti Bank Foundation is our implementing agency. This initiative reaches people working on the streets, including those near railway tracks or street vendors. Whenever they spot someone in need—whether it's a man or woman roaming the streets—we help them. Just recently, there was a doctor who was once a mental health professional but became a patient himself. He was found and brought to our center in Gorakhpur for counseling, and now he is recovering. He is one of the success stories that showcase the impact of our efforts.

How do you overcome cultural and social barriers to women's participation in your training programmes?
We face challenges—particularly in convincing women or their husbands—it’s not easy. For instance, we run a training programme for women to become general duty assistants, compounders, and nurses. One major challenge we faced was with some women, especially those in their 30s, who were reluctant to serve the elderly. They were uncomfortable with tasks such as providing physical care or assisting the elderly, due to cultural perceptions or personal discomfort. This remains one of the key challenges we continue to address. Some women are afraid of blood or scared of using needles. These are challenges we address through counseling and mobilising.

There are also issues with husbands being violent, or drinking problems at home. Despite these challenges, we motivate women to step out of their homes, earn for themselves, and support their children. We don’t offer freebies or incentives. Our approach is purely motivational, helping them see the bigger picture. For example, with the Green Machine Operator programme, we told the women that eventually, there would be a social entrepreneurship initiative where they could set up their own businesses, maybe even sell on platforms like Amazon or Myntra. This motivated the women, many of whom couldn't even write their names, to learn skills like digital marketing. These small achievements are what keep us going, and the response has been very positive so far.

In 2024-2025, we reached about 40 villages, working on health, nutrition, and renovation projects—21 in Agra and 17 in Noida. We plan to expand to Jharkhand and Odisha in the next financial year. We have worked on education and skilling in Gujarat’s Gandhidham, where we have a plant, and in Mathura, in partnership with UPSIDC. In Mathura, we are restoring soil and creating urban jungles using the Miyawaki technique, one of the first such projects in the Agra-Mathura region.

How do you balance funding between long-term initiatives and short-term community outreach programme?
As for budgeting, while CSR is a separate mandate, the funds we allocate are done in two ways. It's not about the formal CSR budget, but there is a required amount to spend—companies are obligated to spend at least 2 per cent of their profits in three years on CSR activities. However, the funds we spend on these welfare projects go beyond just fulfilling this requirement. The exact budget allocation is separate from the CSR mandates, and it’s an ongoing process that ensures we’re meeting the needs of these communities effectively.

One way we allocate funds is towards ongoing projects that will have a long-term impact, such as our 'Pathshala' and the Mission Yoke skill development center. These projects are designed to be ongoing, so a major portion of our funds is directed towards these initiatives. In addition, we are deeply committed to environmental restoration, and a significant portion of our budget also goes into tree planting. In just one year, we’ve planted around 18,000 saplings in Agra, Mathura, Noida, Greater Noida, Mumbai, and other locations.

These long-term programs, like the mental health initiative and skill development programs, take up most of the funding. However, we also organize different drives and outreach programs regularly. Whether it’s a blanket distribution in winter, a blood donation camp, or a food distribution drive on World Food Day, these activities keep us connected to the community. It’s important for us to communicate what we’re doing and ensure that all our long-term projects and initiatives reach the communities effectively.

How do you plan to integrate soil restoration efforts with water conservation strategies, especially in regions facing severe groundwater depletion?
Soil quality and water issues are very common. Farmers often use fertilisers that form a layer on the soil, preventing water absorption and leading to a drop in groundwater levels. If this continues, regions in UP including Noida could face severe water scarcity. While our primary focus is soil restoration, we are also considering water conservation strategies.

We are exploring ways to enhance soil water retention and reduce the harmful effects of fertilisers. By improving the soil’s ability to absorb water naturally, we aim to help maintain groundwater levels. We are also considering water-efficient agricultural techniques to support farmers in better water management. Our soil restoration efforts will align with these conservation measures for a holistic approach.

Although we haven’t started this work in Noida yet, we have begun efforts in Mathura, where the water table is relatively high (around 40–50 feet). However, Noida has seen increasing complaints about falling groundwater levels. At the same time, the health of the Yamuna River is worsening, especially during winter and festival seasons when it gets polluted with foam and waste. It's heartbreaking to witness. While we sympathize with the people affected, we must also recognize the suffering of our rivers and water bodies. In the future, we aim to take stronger action to address these environmental challenges, particularly those affecting our rivers.

How do you ensure that sustainability is integrated across your entire production and packaging process?
We are taking the packaging and recycling of products very seriously. Every step of our production process, from the crushing and packaging of mustard oil to the refining of oils and honey production, is designed with sustainability in mind. Any waste generated is sent to recycling plants. Additionally, we partner with agencies that handle leftover food and packaging during our events.

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