Latest news with #CSI
Zawya
20 hours ago
- Business
- Zawya
From dependency to empowerment: Why we need to transform CSI in Africa?
Corporate social investment (CSI) is meant to change lives. But what happens when it does the opposite? Tshego Bokaba, CSI Manager at the Momentum Group Foundation Across Africa, well-meaning initiatives – designed in boardrooms, backed by big budgets and rolled out with fanfare – have long been positioned as a force for good. But what if, in trying to help, we're sometimes making things worse? In too many cases, CSI projects miss the mark: fostering dependence instead of empowerment, duplicating efforts already underway, or overlooking the very people they're meant to serve. As Africa reflects on transformation during Africa Month, it's time to ask harder questions about how – and why – corporate giving can backfire. We've seen programmes that distribute food parcels without investing in food security, or those that introduce technology into schools without training teachers or ensuring the infrastructure exists to support it. These are not just inefficiencies – they are missed opportunities, and in some cases, they actively disempower communities. This is not to say that CSI is inherently flawed. But when it's not rooted in context, consultation and co-creation, it can do more harm than good. Consultation is vital One of the most common missteps I've seen is designing projects for communities rather than with them. Too often, corporates decide what a school, clinic, or neighbourhood needs, without ever speaking to the school governing body, community leaders, or the people who live there. Even the best-resourced interventions can fall flat if they're out of step with local realities. In my view, there are five key principles that every CSI practitioner should treat as non-negotiable: research, consultation, co-creation, listening, and partnership. These may sound simple, but they require humility and a willingness to let go of control. Just because we have the resources doesn't mean we have all the answers. The result of bypassing this process is often what I call performative CSI: initiatives that look good in a press release but lack any meaningful or lasting impact. It's when we treat communities like passive recipients instead of equal partners. It's when we focus on meeting KPIs instead of solving real problems. And it's when we forget that behind every number in a dashboard is a person with dreams, struggles and potential. More than just quick fixes CSI in Africa must be about more than optics. We have a responsibility to confront the inequalities that still define too many lives – children who walk long distances to overcrowded schools, families without access to clinics, young people with no clear path to employment. Real impact means going beyond short-term gestures and investing in solutions that last. It means removing the everyday obstacles that chip away at people's dignity, potential and hope. That's why I believe we need to move toward collaborative, sector-wide approaches. The challenges we face – whether it's poverty, unemployment, education or access to healthcare – are too layered and too urgent for any one organisation to tackle alone. Corporates, non-profits and government must work together in coordinated, transparent and scalable ways if we're serious about lasting change. There are strong signs that the sector is beginning to shift. According to the Next Generation trends and insights research report 2025/2026 on the social, solidarity and impact economies of South Africa, future transformation should focus on improving sector effectiveness, strengthening local organisations, reducing duplication, and encouraging more sustainable, locally driven solutions. This includes enabling organisations to generate their own income and diversify funding models, ensuring they're not entirely reliant on donor capital. Leadership development We also need to build the next generation of leaders: individuals and institutions who are equipped to respond to the rapidly evolving social and economic realities of our continent. Africa's problems are unique, and our solutions must be too. This Africa Month, I want to challenge my peers across the CSI and development space to ask harder questions. Not just 'How much did we give?' or 'How many people did we reach?' but rather, 'Who did we speak to?' and 'What changed?' and also 'What do the communities themselves say they need next?' Show up with open ears and open minds, not just open wallets. The stakes are too high for us to get this wrong. If we want to be part of the solution, we must be willing to rethink the way we give – and, more importantly, the way we listen.
Time of India
2 days ago
- General
- Time of India
208 years on, CMS College gets 1st woman principal
Kottayam: For the first time in its 208-year history, CMS College, one of the oldest colleges in South India, has appointed a woman principal. Anju Sosan George, an associate professor in the English department, has been formally appointed as the 29th principal of the college, which is run by the Church of South India (CSI) Madhya Kerala Diocese. Anju had been serving as principal-in-charge since 2024, following the retirement of former principal Varghese Joshua. She joined the college's English department in 2007. She completed her undergraduate studies at Madras Christian College in 2004 and earned her postgraduate degree from Stella Maris College, Chennai, in 2006. In 2008, she received her MPhil from Madurai Kamaraj University, and in 2019, she was awarded a PhD in Disability Studies from the University of Kerala. Speaking to TOI, Anju expressed gratitude to God for her new role, stating that she is eagerly looking forward to the challenges it brings. She said history was being created as society and the system evolved. "Change is happening everywhere. There were many women leaders in various fields. It just happened that I too became a part of it." Anju aims to make undergraduate courses more industry-aligned and employment-friendly. "Each student that goes out of this college should secure jobs and we will be trying to make the student equipped for that." Babu Cherian, a former professor, said that it was significant—and long overdue—that a woman was finally appointed principal after more than two centuries. He noted the CSI Church was the first mainstream church in India to appoint a woman bishop. In 2013, Rev E Pushpa Lalitha became bishop of the CSI's Nandyal diocese in Andhra Pradesh. "The credit goes to both the church and the new principal, who is academically most qualified for the role," he said.
Daily Record
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Free streaming service with over 1000 TV shows branded 'better than Netflix'
Pluto TV is a free ad-supported streaming television service that offers over 150 live channels and 1,000s of TV shows and movies to watch with no subscription required. Streaming giants such as Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video have long ruled the roost, providing a wealth of content for viewers to enjoy. However, maintaining subscriptions to all these platforms can become rather costly. There's a lesser-known service available that offers films and TV shows completely free of charge. While Tubi is one of the most popular free services, boasting an impressive 97 million users, Pluto TV might not yet be on your radar. Operated by Paramount, Pluto TV is a FAST (free ad-supported streaming television) service. It provides over 150 live channels and more than 1,000 TV shows and movies to stream, reports Surrey Live. The latest Hollywood blockbusters or trending shows may not be available, but the entire catalogue of content won't cost you a penny. First launched in 2014, it has grown in popularity over the past 12 years. Initially featuring only 20 short-form channels, it now includes big names like BBC, CNN and NFL. As of April 2023, Pluto TV boasted a staggering 80 million active monthly users worldwide. However, this figure could be significantly higher as no registration is currently required for users. To access the content library, simply visit on your web browser. It's also available for download on Apple TV, the App Store on your phone or an Amazon Fire Stick. Pluto TV offers a vast array of content, catering to diverse tastes with its selection of children's shows, reality series, sports entertainment, and movies across various genres. Amy Kuessner, senior vice president of content partnerships, previously told Forbes: "With the acquisition, the access to the content that we've been able to get from Paramount has just been a pivotal moment for us. "We have hundreds and hundreds of TV series, everything from NCIS to CSI to Love and Hip Hop to Basketball Wives and thousands of top-quality movies like The Godfather and the Indiana Jones franchise." The platform boasts hundreds of TV series, including popular titles like NCIS, CSI, Love and Hip Hop, and Basketball Wives, as well as thousands of high-quality movies such as The Godfather and the Indiana Jones franchise. Viewers can enjoy a range of shows, including Skins, Gracepoint, a Broadchurch spin-off, Hell's Kitchen and the 90s classic Sabrina the Teenage Witch. The free service has received widespread praise, with one user giving it a five-star review on the Amazon Appstore, commenting: "Pluto TV is a game-changer in the world of streaming services. The fact that it's completely free caught my attention, but the exceptional quality kept me hooked." Another reviewer wrote: "I was stunned by the amount of movies there are available and all free! I felt like I had walked into a DVD rental are some fantastic titles available too, some even have the sequel and there are TV box sets for free!" A Reddit user added: "I find it is great, if you want to watch older movies from the 80s and 90s, better than something like Netflix or Hulu." Meanwhile, one fan commented: "I've been watching Pluto since its inception and have always enjoyed it." Although some users have expressed frustration over its limited content, this seems a minor trade-off for a service that is completely free to use.
The Sun
5 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Bursa Malaysia collaborate with BoardRoom to push wider adoption of CSI Solution
PETALING JAYA: Bursa Malaysia Bhd in collaborating with BoardRoom Group, a provider of corporate and advisory services in the Asia-Pacific region, to encourage wider adoption of the Centralised Sustainability Intelligence (CSI) Solution among Malaysian public listed companies (PLC), with the goal of enhancing the quality of sustainability disclosures across the corporate sector. The CSI Solution was developed by Bursa Malaysia in support of Malaysia's transition to a low-carbon economy. It enables companies, listed and non-listed, streamline sustainability reporting. Following its designation in March as the exchange's official sustainability reporting channel, the CSI Solution's disclosure module now supports the International Sustainability Standards Board IFRS S1 General Requirements for Disclosure of Sustainability-related Financial Information and IFRS S2 Climate-related Disclosures under the National Sustainability Reporting Framework. Bursa Malaysia CEO Datuk Fad'l Mohamed said: 'Bursa Malaysia is committed to supporting Malaysian companies in their decarbonisation journey and lowering their climate impact. This commitment is reflected in our decision to make CSI reporting tools, aligned with IFRS S1 and S2, accessible at no charge to all public listed companies.' He added that their collaboration with BoardRoom will extend the CSI Solution's reach. 'Leveraging BoardRoom's established presence and sustainability advisory expertise in the corporate advisory space, we hope to support more companies in navigating evolving disclosure requirements and enhancing the quality of their sustainability reporting with greater confidence,' said Fad'l. BoardRoom Group CEO Angeline Aw said, 'We are proud to partner with Bursa Malaysia, to scale the CSI Solution across the corporate sector. This collaboration builds on our strong and long-standing relationship with the exchange, underpinned by our shared commitment to strengthening corporate governance and regulatory readiness. With our deep experience in serving public listed companies and expertise in Sustainability Reporting and Advisory, BoardRoom is well-positioned to support clients in adopting the CSI Solution and producing impactful sustainability reports.' Since its launch in June 2024, around 180 PLC have onboarded onto the CSI Platform. All companies, not just PLC but also mid-tier companies and small-medium enterprises are encouraged to adopt the CSI Solution to strengthen their sustainability journey. By leveraging its comprehensive suite of services, including an emissions calculator, a supplier management module, and a range of complementary value-added services delivered through a network of ecosystem partners, businesses can enhance their environmental performance and drive long-term value.
Rakyat Post
5 days ago
- Business
- Rakyat Post
Parolees Get A Second Chance At Life As Terengganu Offer Island Jobs
Subscribe to our FREE For some who have been incarcerated for crimes, there is hope to rejoin society as the tourism and hospitality sectors in Terengganu have been encouraged to hire inmates who are out on parole. According to a Malay Mail Mohd Nasir revealed that a total of 720 inmates have participated in the CSI programme in the state, and about 500 individuals from that number have been employed across various sectors. Speaking at the opening the Community, OBB and Employers' awareness programme on Perhentian Island yesterday (25 May), he said 32 inmates have been employed by three separate employers on Redang Island, while another five inmates are working for a single employer on Perhentian Island. Perhentian Island is known for its pristine waters and white beaches. Image: Wikipedia | adiput Additionally, Mohd Nasir said the department is aiming to have at least five employers in the sector to hire parolees this year, highlighting that both employers and inmates can benefit from this programme. 'The inmates involved are those nearing release and have undergone thorough screening. They are also continuously monitored during their employment with the employer,' he said, while assuring that the feedback received from tourism sector employers about the working inmates have been positive. The response from employers highlighted the inmates' good treatment of customers and zero criminal misconduct. There were also a few cases of inmates who were fully released from prison and immediately offered permanent employment by the same employer. The programme also aims to educate the public, especially employers, to give these individuals a second chance to rebuild their lives, regain their self-confidence, and contribute positively to society, Mohd Nasir said. Share your thoughts with us via TRP's . Get more stories like this to your inbox by signing up for our newsletter.
