Ushering in a bright future
Bharti Foundation has partnered with premier institutes like the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi in 2000 to set up the Bharti School of Telecommunication Technology and Management, IIT Delhi. 200 students are supported every year to pursue courses in the field of telecommunications. The School has been set up with the vision “to develop telecom leaders through excellence in education and research”. The Foundation has also set up the Bharti Centre for Communication, Mumbai in partnership with IIT Mumbai.
The Bharti Scholarship and Mentorship program has also been instituted to support academically brilliant students from financially weak backgrounds. Under this program Bharti Foundation has also partnered with Udayan Care to support the Udayan Shalini Fellowship Program. Currently 232 scholars are being supported under the Bharti Scholarship and Mentorship Program.
The Bharti Centre for Entrepreneurial Initiatives set up in 2000 as a joint initiative with the Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDI) promotes, develops and facilitates entrepreneurship and works towards encouraging entrepreneurship among young individuals. The Bharti Entrepreneur Award honours first generation entrepreneurs and emphasises the importance of structured training in the area of entrepreneurship. Two Bharti fellowships are also awarded by the Centre to motivate students to pursue entrepreneurship training despite financial hindrance.
ACT – A Caring Touch
ACT- A Caring Touch is the Company’s Employee Philanthropy Program which encourages employees as well as their families to donate their time, skills, knowledge, materials and money to either Bharti Foundation or other charities empanelled under the ACT Program. The program provides a common platform to all employees by providing them total freedom and flexibility to contribute towards causes of other NGOs like CRY, Helpage India, SOS Children’s Villages of India, Cancer Aid and Research Foundation, National Association for the Blind, etc. All monetary donations are matched by the Company. Launched in 2006, the ACT program has grown at a remarkable pace. 80% of total contributions made by employees under the ACT program are generated towards the Satya Bharti School Program of Bharti Foundation.
In one such initiative “Freedom 2 Learn” week was organised, which featured an innovative auction in which top management team offered to host employees for breakfast, lunch, dinner, sports activities etc. The auction donation in ACT through these bids was over Rs 2 mn which was equally matched by the Company.
Bharti Foundation takes full responsibility of reporting to its donors about the utilisation of their funds and impact reports of the programs, for which the funds have been received. The Foundation ensures to direct all the funds towards its programs and allows surprise visits by Bharti employees to the project sites.
Instituted in 2009, the ACT Ambassador awards recognised the unconditional efforts and commitment of employees. As an initiative under ACT, Joy of Giving week was celebrated in the Company in which the employees participated in 5 campaigns namely Give Dignity (clothes), Give Sight (eye donation), Give Life (plantation), Give Joy (drawing books & crayons etc) and Give Hope (donation through our ACT program).
Beyond Corporate Life
Employee volunteering is an important component of the ACT –Employee Philanthropy Program. Employees across the organisation are encouraged to visit any charity of their choice and spend a day away from rigorous office schedules and deadlines. The program has been set up to inspire people to volunteer for charitable causes and also help create opportunities among employees to support a cause by donating their time, skills, knowledge and money. The group has also put together a volunteering policy, where employees can avail an additional day’s paid leave to volunteer with a charity.
The employees along with members of senior leadership team keep on visiting the schools and interact with students and their teachers during the day they spend at the school. Some of the employees even participate in community awareness programs.