IBM India bags Golden Peacock Award

BANGALORE, INDIA: IBM India has been conferred with The Golden Peacock award 2010 for its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives in India.

IBM India is the first IT Company to have received the prestigious award in the corporate social responsibility space ever since these awards were instituted, said a press release.

IBM India has also been rated as the 'first among equals' for its CSR practices amongst other recipients of the award this year.

Notably, IBM’s BPO arm in India, IBM Daksh was also recognized with a “Special Commendation” for the ‘Golden Peacock Environment Management Award for this year at the 2010 Global Sustainability Summit, said the release.

The Golden Peacock Awards for CSR were instituted in 2002 and are now recognised worldwide as the hallmark of corporate excellence because of their independence, integrity, transparency and thorough and open application process.

IBM was among the 164 companies that applied for this award this year and one of 16 finalists after a lengthy nomination and assessment process.

“The Golden Peacock is a very prestigious and well-known award in the field of CSR in India and we are privileged to receive this award. IBM’s philosophy is not just to get involved in the community but also to stay involved in order to enable meaningful and sustainable change,” said Shanker Annaswamy, managing director, IBM India Pvt. Limited.

He added that they aim at strengthening the symbiotic relationship between enterprises and society, with a focus on areas that are most meaningful to India’s progress towards a Smarter Planet and a better future for all of its citizens.

‘IBM India has a particularly strong younger workforce, operating from 35 centres. They have a strong business presence, and so it seems logical that they draw on this in their CSR and environmental sustainability initiatives,’ said Manoj K Raut, director, Institute of Directors.

IBM has devised a new approach called 'collaborative citizenship' and is working along with its employees and partners to leverage IBM’s unique capabilities and expertise to more effectively address deep-rooted social and economic challenges.

It spends $150 million annually on CSR initiatives worldwide and continues to challenge itself to find better and more impactful ways to contribute to society, the release added.