Infosys Wins The ‘Corporate Citizen Of The Year Award’ At The Economic Times Award 2015

Infosys, a global leader in consulting, technology, outsourcing and next-generation services, today announced that it has been awarded the ‘Corporate Citizen of the Year Award’ at the Economic Times (ET) Awards 2015. The ET Awards, considered one of India’s top business accolades, was endowed to Infosys for its exemplary Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, especially those focused on science and mathematics, undertaken by the Infosys Foundation, Infosys Foundation USA and Infosys Science Foundation.

Since its inception, Infosys has been committed to giving back to the communities where it has a presence. Mr. N. R. Narayana Murthy and the founders of the company were early to recognize the interdependence of society and business, the social consequence of an individual company’s actions on the ecosystem and promoted a mindset within the company that is supportive of sustainable growth.

The Infosys sustainability strategy forms the basis to run the business responsibly and successfully. The company’s sustainability agenda focuses on social, environment and economic dimensions, while echoing the company’s values, known in short as C-LIFE: Client value, Leadership by example, Integrity and transparency, Fairness, and Excellence.

In India, the company’s CSR activities are primarily carried out by Infosys Foundation to support the underprivileged sections of society. Established in 1996, Infosys Foundation supports programs in the areas of education, rural development, healthcare, art and culture, and destitute care. To encourage research in science and mathematics, Infosys Foundation has created faculty chairs and professorships at leading academic institutions across the country such as the Chennai Mathematical Institute (CMI), All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) and Indian Institute of Science (IISc) to name a few.

Speaking about the recognition, Mrs. Sudha Murty, Chairperson of Infosys Foundation said, “At Infosys Foundation, we have followed the dictum, ‘for the benefit of many, for the happiness of many’. We have endeavored to transform society by improving the quality of life of people through our initiatives in various social sectors. We are firm believers that research in areas such as science and mathematics are fundamental to the nation’s growth and progress, and will in turn drive more equitable growth. Being awarded The Economic Times Corporate Citizen Award 2015 reinforces our beliefs, strengthens our commitment and encourages us to continue our journey towards driving societal change.”

Infosys Foundation USA led by Mrs. Vandana Sikka, the chairperson, is focused on bridging the digital divide in America by supporting high quality computer science education and coding skills with a particular focus on under-represented communities. It aims to give children and young adults the skills they need to become creators, not just consumers, of technology. In pursuit of this mission, in 2015 alone, the Foundation has partnered with many internationally acclaimed non-profits and institutions like Code.org, New York Academy of Sciences, DonorsChoose.org, GirlsWhoCode and the CREATE Lab at Carnegie Mellon University. In addition, Infosys Foundation USA recently committed a million dollars to the Infy Maker Awards to inspire makers across the U.S. to demonstrate creative excellence in making projects with genuine impact.

To elevate the prestige of science and research in India and inspire young Indians to choose a vocation in research, the Infosys Prize instituted by Infosys Science Foundation (ISF) annually honors outstanding achievements of contemporary researchers and scientists. The award intends to celebrate success in research and stand as a marker of excellence in these fields. Covering six categories, namely, Engineering and Computer Sciences, Humanities, Life Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, Physical Sciences and Social Sciences, each laureate is awarded a gold medal, a citation and a purse of INR 65 lakh. A jury, comprising eminent leaders in each of these fields, evaluates the achievements of the nominees against the standards of international research, placing the winners on par with the finest researchers in the world.

Infosys’ commitment to CSR is also manifested in its efforts to support and nurture employees and the work they do for the community. The company supports the volunteering efforts of employees through employee‑led CSR groups and eco-groups across campuses. Infosys drives the ‘I, Citizen of the Earth’ (iCoE) program – an initiative to support the development of social leadership competencies and to promote responsible citizenship among employees.

Speaking about the recognition and the work done by the Foundations, Mr. R Seshasayee, Non-Executive Chairman of the Board, Infosys said, “Businesses need to make investments that go beyond their own business economics, and contribute to causes that have the potential to transform society. It’s indeed a matter of great pride for all of us, that the outstanding work done by our Foundations is getting due recognition. Much before CSR caught the imagination of corporate regulators, Infosys Foundation had already broken new grounds in giving back to the society. With Infosys Science Foundation and Infosys Foundation USA, we are once again walking the pioneer’s path, reaching out to the deserving and strengthening our focus on education – an imperative for success in the knowledge economy. I congratulate the teams from the three Foundations on this important recognition.”