Briefing reporters on Friday, IBM Manager (Corporate Citizenship & Community Affairs) Julie Coyne, said this is the best way of understanding things we need to solve this century, announcing the completion of their Corporate Service Core (CSC) programme in India.
About 40 IBM employees from 19 countries were brought to India to work with communities in Mumbai and Ahmedabad. Assigned to local NGOs and government agencies who partner with IBM, they contributed to capacity building of organisation or assist them in projects.
The programme focused around environmental, educational and social issues.
“We wanted our employees to be truly global with full understanding of communities and societies outside their countries. The experience they have should enable them to think widely while working on solutions,” she added.
Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mitra/IVolunteer, Pratham were among organisations they worked in Mumbai, and Seva, Tribal Development Department of Gujarat, Ashoka, Indicorps and WWB in Ahmedabad. They worked with TISS and Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council to design a plan for collecting, processing and marketing ‘Sea-buckthorn’ to create sustainable livelihoods for Ladakh people. IBM IndiaManaging Director Shanker Annaswamy said 100 employees from India have been to five developing countries to contribute in socio-economic activities. IBM, he said, spends about $150 million per annum on social project. “We believe the next big thing is not businesses or technology, but society itself,” he said. Started in 2008, the programme had about 750 people in its first phase.