Covid-19 has exacerbated inequalities, and hard-won progress in social and economic growth has been undone. An estimated two-thirds of those newly forced into poverty live in South Asia, East Asia and the Pacific.

Despite significant hurdles during and after the pandemic, India’s social sector has demonstrated extraordinary resilience and stepped up in a multitude of ways to help those in need. Going forward, however, all parts of society—individuals, companies, government and the social sector—must work together to drive more resources towards building a better future. Governments must find a balance between regulations that support transparency and accountability of social sector organizations on the one hand, and ease of doing good on the other. Companies can help mitigate talent, capacity and funding shortages for nonprofits. Donors can step up by being nimbler in their giving for a more rapid and effective response.

Join us for a discussion on 27 July, 2022 featuring CEO of Godrej & Boyce Ltd Jamshyd Godrej, Founder and Managing Trustee of Swades Foundation Zarina Screwvala, and Managing Director of Bain Capital India Amit Chandra at the Hall of Harmony, Nehru Centre in Worli. The discussion will be moderated by CEO of the Hong Kong-based Centre for Asian Philanthropy and Society (CAPS) Dr. Ruth Shapiro.

Dr. Shapiro will kick off the discussion with a brief presentation of the Doing Good Index 2022—a biennial CAPS study which spans 18 markets in Asia including India. The Index sheds light on the factors which enable or impede private social investment (which includes philanthropy, CSR and impact investing). It also offers insights on how India’s social sector and doing good ecosystem is faring in comparison to the rest of Asia. Significantly, it provides a roadmap for mitigating the trust deficit; leveraging local support; and facilitating cross-sector collaboration.

Following the presentation, the expert panel will discuss the extraordinary ways in which the social sector responded in India during and after Covid-19, and how to support nonprofit organizations going forward. They will also deliberate upon the broader shifts in the funding and regulatory landscape in India in recent times that have both helped and hindered the social sector. Panellists will provide their perspectives as India’s leading philanthropists on the policies and practices that can unleash more capital toward impact.