IFCCI hosted the 3rd Edition of its CSR Connect Seminar at the Embassy of France in New Delhi, on 19 September 2025.
On 19 September 2025, the Indo-French Chamber of Commerce & Industry (IFCCI) brought the conversation on cross-sectoral partnerships for sustainable development to the forefront at the IFCCI CSR Connect Seminar, hosted at the Embassy of France in New Delhi, themed “Collaborating for Scale: Cross-Sectoral Partnership for Sustainable Development,” the event welcomed over 100 participants from the CSR ecosystem, including members, senior industry leaders, CSR heads, and key stakeholders.
The seminar opened with a presentation by Ms. Payal S. Kanwar, Director General, IFCCI, highlighting IFCCI’s expanding CSR journey that expands over 86 projects across India, ranging from School Adoption Programs and Atal Tinkering Labs to Digital Classrooms and impactful community initiatives in collaboration with French organizations.
H.E. Thierry Mathou, Ambassador of France to India in his welcome address emphasized CSR as a strategic tool to foster Indo-French friendship, sustainability, and cooperation, especially as we look ahead to the Year of Innovation 2026.
”The IFCCI CSR Connect Seminar at the Embassy of France has become a vital platform for strengthening Indo-French cooperation in social impact. Looking ahead, 2026 will mark an important milestone, with the Prime Minister of India and the President of France declaring it the France–India Year of Innovation. This vision reaches beyond technology, embracing social progress as the new mantra of our bilateral relationship. In this context, I strongly encourage French and Indian businesses to view CSR as an opportunity to demonstrate leadership in sustainability and community impact.”
Mr. Deepak Bagla, Mission Director, Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog, in his special address spoke about the unique India-France partnership that transcends industries, strengthening people-to-people connections, business collaborations, and shared solutions for a better future of Viksit Bharat.
“With AIM already impacting over 10,000 schools as part of the world’s largest grassroots innovation program, this partnership with IFCCI will further expand innovation-driven learning to many more students across India,”
Key Milestone:
A Statement of Intent (SoI) was signed between IFCCI and Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog to expand Atal Tinkering Labs across schools in India.
Spotlight on Panels:
Fireside Conversation: “Impact—CSR Models that Scale”
Moderated by Mr. Anurag Pratap, Chairperson, IFCCI CSR Committee & CSR Leader, Capgemini India, with
- Mr. Ashwini Saxena, CEO, GMR Varalakshmi Foundation
- Ms. Sukhman Randhawa, Partnership and Development Finance Lead, UN Resident Coordinator’s Office
Panel Discussion: “From Compliance to Commitment—ESG-Driven CSR for Long-Term Impact”
Moderated by Mr. Ketan Deshpande, Founder & Chairman, FUEL, featuring
- Ms. Anantika Singh, GM – CSR, Pernod Ricard India
- Dr. Kavita Chaudhari, Deputy Director – CSR & ESG, Sanofi India
- Dr. Nidhi Pundhir, SVP & Global Head – CSR, HCLTech
- Ms. Abida Aneez, VP – CSR & Sustainability, Legrand India
While the first panel explored how we are scaling up and aligning private organizations in this emerging field of CSR, and how these efforts are being standardized through the universal SDGs, the second discussion allowed us to delve deeper into the differences between ESG and CSR principles and how both are complementary in ensuring a more balanced societal impact.
NGO Showcases:
Select NGOs presented quick elevator pitches highlighting their work, need and opportunities for collaboration, including:
- Dr. Jeanne Péré, Director, Mummy Jee Educational Charitable Trust
- Mr. Santhosh Srikanth Pattar, Country Director, Adventist Development & Relief Agency (ADRA) India
- Mr. Nitin Sharma, Deputy Director, TARA
In addition, 15 not-for-profit organizations showcased their initiatives at dedicated desks, enabling one-on-one networking and collaboration opportunities:
Action Against Hunger India, Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA), An Association for Development, Harmony and Action Research (AADHAAR), Dassault Foundation, Don Bosco Ashalayam Kolkata, FUEL, Fupro – Healthcare, Khushiyaan Foundation – Environment & Sustainability, Kuddle Life Foundation, LP4Y, Mummy Jee Educational Charitable Trust, Protsahan – Kamalini Vocational Training Centre, Shakti Shalini, Tara, The Ma Foi Foundation.
The afternoon concluded with an engaging networking session and new partnerships brewing over high tea.
Special Thanks to Our Partners:
- Event Partner: La Fondation Dassault Systèmes
- Gifting Partner: SVATANYA
- IFCCI CSR Committee Knowledge Partner: FUEL Business School (FBS)
