Sinhasi Consultants Calls for a Structured Mechanism in CSR Contributions Towards Wildlife and Nature Conservation

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives have been instrumental in contributing to the betterment of society. As per the Government data, enterprises have spent around 60 percent of their CSR funds in the areas of education, healthcare and rural development-related activities during the period from 2014-15 to 2020-21. Purposeful CSR spending in India goes to show that a well-oiled machine runs smoothly which is implicated in India's growth trajectory. And we must acknowledge that “Giving Back” & “Paying Forward” is one of the great parts of our Indian social fabric.

Complete your 360-degree life plan circle with the Sinhasi Social Impact Initiative

India has risen to be the 5th largest economy in the world and the massive CSR investments surely has a huge role to play in this. And if India needs to keep up their growth momentum and align themselves to UN’s goals of SDG’s, we will have to direct our energies and sensitize ourselves towards a sector that is often overlooked - Wildlife and Nature.

Environment instability has become a pressing issue today as we are almost on the brink of a catastrophe. Only 7% of CSR is contributed towards environment and preservation of natural resources. Ecosystem imbalance can have a bearing effect on our economies which thrive on the produce and fruit of the environment. It is with this thought that the U.N instated the SDG’s keeping in mind that our ecosystems and economies are interdependent entities.

Giving is the greatest act of grace; this famous adage has been propounded by every sacred scripture and learned over the years. Sinhasi consultants has set an exemplary example to display this art of giving! Sinhasi Consultants, a boutique wealth management firm, has started a ‘tool of change’ through Social Investments for Wildlife, Nature, and Climate Change.

With this initiative, Sinhasi is trying to build a platform of ‘motivators and contributors’ to stand together as one and protect our environment. Sinhasi understands the nuances of wealth creation and now, has broadened its focus to wealth distribution (‘Give Back’ & ‘Pay Forward’) where the returns are not financial but returns in terms of social welfare and contentment.

“My father, Late MA Partha Sarathy, was deeply involved in the field of nature, conservation and environment. Travelled extensively with him, I truly understood the meaning, need and results of ground work especially in wildlife conservation. The major hiatus in wildlife CSR funding is identifying dedicated NGOs and institutions deliberately working towards the nucleus of our core existence - THE NATURE and, we must also plan for ecological security along with financial security for ourselves and our families,” said Mimi Partha Sarathy, Founder & MD, Sinhasi Consultants.

“Sinhasi Social Impact Initiative Conference 1 has started to associate the changemakers and business models that identify themselves with social causes and are driven by the common motive of nature welfare. We hope to establish a clean and easily accessible gateway in the domain of nature, wildlife, and conservation. If you have the will, we have the tool to make it happen,” added Ms. Mimi Partha Sarathy.

Sinhasi Social Impact Initiative has been curated and pivoted to address environmental related issues and create a structured mechanism in wildlife management, nature and environment conservation. Animal welfare did not figure in the Companies Act of 2013, which mandated that firms devote at least 2% of their three-year average profit towards CSR. But in February 2014, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs included animal welfare in its revised policy after receiving feedback from stakeholders such as animal welfare organizations.

Event Details

Date - Wednesday, 2nd Aug 2023

Venue - Satish Dawan Hall, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.

Time – 10.00 am till 5.30 pm (With Lunch and Tea Break)

Meet the Speakers

The event is blessed to be associated with some top international and Indian nationals from the background of nature, conservation and wildlife. The event is designed to throw light on the importance of nature conservation and how collective support can help fight the dreading concern of climate change and conservation.

Morning Session

1. Prof. R. Sukumar - Senior Ecologist - National Science Chairperson at the IISc, Bangalore

2. Mr. Chiranjiv Singh - Chairman - AME Foundation, IAS (Retd) Officer - Govt of Karnataka & former Ambassador of India to UNESCO in Paris

3. Mrs. Suprana Ganguly and Mrs. Sheila Row - Founder Trustees - CUPA - WRRC, Bangalore

4. Mr. Vance G Martin - Internationally renowned Nature Conservationist & Former President of The WILD Foundation, Boulder, Colorado

5. Mr. Paul Spencer Sochacazewski - Former Communications Director WWF International, Author and communications consultant, Geneva, Switzerland

6. Dr. Tarsh Thekaekara - The Shola Trust, Gudulur & Co-founder of The Real Elephant Collective

7. Mr. Avinash Krishnan - Wildlife Biologist, Director - A Rocha India

8. Dr. Nishant Srinivasaiah - Behavioral Ecologist, Frontier Elephant Programme, Senior Researcher - Foundation for Ecological Research Advocacy and Learning (FERAL)

9. Mr. Sanjay Ajanikar - Asian Nature Conservation Foundation

10. Ms Mimi Partha Sarathy - Member B.PAC - B.GREEN, Bangalore Urban Forestry & Environment Programme

Afternoon Session

1. Ms. Hamsini Bijlani - Ecologist and Field Research Biologist, Environs Kimberly, Broome, Western Australia

2. Dr. Sharachchandra Lele - Distinguished Fellow, Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment | ATREE · Centre for Environment and Development

3. Dr. Nitin D Rai - Political Ecologist and Independent Scholar

4. Dr. Siddappa Setty - Ethnobotanist, Professor - Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment - ATREE

5. Dr. Tarun Chabbria - Senior Ecologist, a practising doctor, ethnobotanist & Todas expert

6. Mrs Swarna Ramki - Managing Trustee | Conservation India, Co-Founder |Wildlife for Cancer

Special Guests

1. Prof. Madhav Gadgil - Padma Shri & Padma Bhushan, Renowned Ecologist, Head of 2010 Gadgil Commission - the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel

2. Mr. Romulus Whitaker - Padma Sri, Globally renowned herpetologist, wildlife conservationist, Founder- Madras Crocodile Bank Trust, Founder - Agumbe Rainforest Research Station Karnatak

3. Dr A.J.T John Singh - Padma Shri Awardee, Distinguished Wildlife Biologist, Advisor to the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Honorary Scientific Advisor - WWF-India

4. Mr. Ravi Singh - Secretary General and CEO at WWF-India

5. Mr. CS Murali - Chairman, Entrepreneurship Cell, Society of Innovation and Development, IISc, Bangalore

About Sinhasi

Sinhasi Consultants Pvt. Ltd., set up in June 2005, is a much-valued Virtual Family Office and a SEBI Registered Investment Adviser. We are a boutique wealth management firm, exclusively serving high-net-worth Individuals across India through a choice of personalised holistic wealth management services, or distribution services.

About Mimi Partha Sarathy

Ms. Mimi Partha Sarathy, Founder and Managing Director, has built up an enviable client base of both individuals and corporates in India and overseas. She holds a double Master's in Finance, a Master's in Marketing and Diploma in Accounting from Webster University in Geneva, Switzerland. She draws together a rich experience having worked with reputed private banking firms in Switzerland and India. Before setting up Sinhasi, Mimi had a 6-year stint as Regional Head of - Private Client Group in ILFS Investsmart Ltd. - later known as HSBC Investsmart.