The judicial push for environmental CSR
India's Supreme Court has emphasized the importance of environmental spending as a constitutional mandate, highlighting the need for corporations to prioritize ecological restoration. Despite some notable exceptions, CSR funding in India has historically favored social sectors over environmental projects, creating a significant 'restoration gap' that needs to be addressed.
India's Supreme Court has made environmental spending a constitutional mandate. The Court's decision was prompted by the neglect of habitats of the Great Indian Bustard by energy firms. CSR funding in India has been skewed towards social sectors, with education, healthcare, and rural development receiving the majority of funds. The environment has received only 7-9% of CSR funds over the past seven years. Some companies, such as Mahindra and ITC, have made significant contributions to environmental restoration. However, most companies prioritize 'quick wins' such as awareness drives over long-term restoration projects. The Indian government aims to restore 26 million hectares of degraded land by 2030, but private companies have contributed only 2% to the 9.8 million hectares restored so far.
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