Annapoorna Trust Participates in World CSR Day 2026, Mumbai

Advocating Strategic, System-Driven CSR for Sustainable Impact

The World CSR Day 2026, held on 18th February 2026 at Taj Lands End, Mumbai, brought together global leaders, sustainability experts, corporates, and NGOs to deliberate on the evolving CSR landscape and its role in building a sustainable future.

Organized under the leadership of Dr. R. L. Bhatia, Founder of World CSR Day® and a distinguished thought leader in sustainability, the conference centered around the theme:
“The Changing CSR Landscape: Sustainable for the Future.”

Annapoorna Trust at the Global Forum

Anand K. Kadali, Trustee & CEO of Sri Sathya Sai Annapoorna Trust, represented the organization as a distinguished panelist in Panel Discussion 4, titled:

“Challenges NGOs Face in Securing & Using CSR Funding.”

The panel was chaired by Devesh Varma, Head – Ola Foundation, and included other esteemed leaders

• Saengduean Chailert – Founder, Save Elephant Foundation, Thailand
• Dr. Sarita Subramaniam – Founder, Earth Brigade Foundation
• Sumeet Rawla – Chief Philanthropy Officer, Community Pure Water
• Aniket Salvi – Founder & President, Rajani Foundation India

Key Insights from the Panel Discussion

The session offered a candid and forward-looking discussion on how NGOs and corporates can strengthen collaboration for meaningful and measurable impact.

1. From Charity to Systems Partnership

A key theme emphasized was the evolution NGOs must undertake to remain relevant. The shift is from operating in a “charity mode” to becoming systems partners — aligning with government initiatives, leveraging technology, ensuring data transparency, and building scalable and replicable models.

At Annapoorna Trust, this philosophy is already in practice. Rather than duplicating efforts, the Trust complements and strengthens existing Mid-Day Meal ecosystems, ensuring wider reach and sustainable nutrition delivery.

2. CSR: Transactional or Strategic?

The discussion acknowledged that while some CSR initiatives remain compliance-driven, there is a clear shift toward long-term, outcome-based partnerships.

Strategic CSR today:

• Aligns with core business strengths
• Focuses on governance and accountability
• Prioritizes measurable impact over short-term optics

3. Moving from Vendor–Client to Co-Creator

True transformation happens when NGOs and corporates move beyond transactional relationships and become co-creators of impact.

This requires:

• Shared vision
• Multi-year commitments
• Transparent data sharing
• Joint impact assessments

NGOs bring grassroots understanding and execution expertise, while corporates contribute scale, technology, and governance frameworks.

4. Staying Mission-Aligned

An important point raised was whether NGOs are shaping CSR agendas or merely adapting to them.

Authentic agency lies in clarity of mission. NGOs must not dilute their purpose to chase funding. Instead, they should present proven, mission-aligned models that corporates can meaningfully support.

5. Bridging the Grassroots Gap

Panelists highlighted that CSR teams may not always fully understand field realities.

The solution:

• Leadership immersions
• Field visits
• Reverse learning sessions
• Direct beneficiary storytelling

These initiatives build empathy and lead to smarter, more grounded funding decisions.

6. Responsible Scaling

The conversation also addressed concerns around over-promising scale. Growth must follow systems readiness.

Impact depth matters as much as numbers. Honest dialogue around capacity, quality control, and sustainability ensures long-term credibility.

A Collective Commitment to Sustainable Impact

World CSR Day 2026 served as a powerful reminder that sustainable change requires collaboration rooted in transparency, shared vision, and disciplined execution.

Sri Sathya Sai Annapoorna Trust remains committed to:

• Strengthening public–private partnerships
• Delivering scalable nutrition models
• Driving impact with integrity and systems thinking

The event concluded with renewed energy among stakeholders, reinforcing the belief that CSR is not merely a mandate, but a movement — one that thrives on collaboration, innovation, and shared responsibility.