Multiple visits are required to meet the department SPOC, explain the program, and have constant follow-up meetings to get approval says Priyadarshini Nigam, CSR Head and Whole-time Director at Newgen 

“The mandatory CSR rule has only amplified my efforts, as we were already engaging with them through Sadbhavna,” said Priyadarshini Nigam, with a warm smile, as she pointed to the group of girls who had come to her in 2006 and are now working alongside her after completing their master’s degrees. Priyadarshini Nigam, CSR Head and Whole-time Director at Newgen introduced the students with a sense of pride, reflecting on their 18-year-long journey.

“What Newgen is doing now is far-reaching, but it is fundamentally inspired by Sadbhavna,” Nigam shared, highlighting the company’s extensive efforts and initiatives. Despite the challenges, she spoke with genuine determination, eager to bring these efforts to fruition. However, her expression shifted to one of concern as she spoke about the obstacles they encountered. “Sometimes, red tape can create significant delays,” she admitted, particularly when recalling the bureaucratic hurdles they face.

In a conversation with BW Sustainability World, Priyadarshini elaborated on one of the worst aspects of their work: “Getting permission from the Department of Education (DoE) every year is a tedious process.” Despite the frustrations, she expressed gratitude for the officers who have supported them through this challenge.

Edited Excerpts’ 

In 2025, Newgen’s CSR initiatives were honoured with the ‘CSR & Sustainability Award’ at the 21st Annual National Business & Community Conclave. What do you believe were the key factors that led to this recognition, and how does Newgen plan to build on this success?
The methodology of all the CSR programs, be it digital literacy, personality development, mid-day meal or remedial education, each and every activity is structured keeping in mind the need of the hour and the beneficiaries. Regular feedback from the stakeholders ensures that the program has a long-term impact on them. We believe direct engagement with the beneficiaries and how we ensure that every penny is used for the benefit of the students and women is what has gained us recognition for the Award.

The execution method is modified based on the needs of the students – their subject curriculum, exam schedule, and other related inputs. All the best practices continue to be sustained in the system for the smooth execution of the program and build on the success the program is achieving.

Newgen claims that its CSR initiatives focus on education, nutrition, and women’s empowerment. How does the company ensure these programs are sustainable and lead to measurable improvements in the communities they target?
The Newgen Digital Discovery Paathshala (NDDP) – program on digital literacy was initiated with the understanding that the students of the specific age group must be instilled with digital literacy. However, within years, it was realized that the target beneficiaries needed a long-term handholding to ensure they had a well-thought-out education and career goal. After class 8, the students become a part of the NDDP alumni group, who are additionally guided through career counseling and personality development, focusing on their holistic growth. Scholarships are also being arranged for deserving students to receive their education post-class 12. At present, 125 girl students are pursuing graduation/related courses and are working hard towards building a career and a self-dependent future.

Throughout our engagement with the students, we aim to inculcate the habit of self-learning using digital media so that they become self-reliant and confident enough to explore the information around any topic by going beyond their school syllabus. Students can evolve and grow when they move out of their comfort zone. Once the students get engaged in the learning process, there is no stopping by, and the project ultimately becomes sustainable.

Working with the mothers of the NDDP students paved the way for the women empowerment aspect of the program through skill training, digital literacy, financial literacy and mental health sessions. The program is aimed at helping mothers find a sustainable source of income for themselves and their families.

To measure the outcome of each intervention, regular documentation of different aspects of tangible and intangible achievements is done by the team.

Newgen collaborates with organisations like The Akshaya Patra Foundation to provide nourishing meals to government school students, aligning with Sustainable Development Goals 2 (Zero Hunger) and 4 (Quality Education). How does Newgen measure the long-term impact of these initiatives on the communities served?
Newgen’s collaboration with The Akshaya Patra Foundation has been significant in helping us reach remote areas of the country over the past many years. The long-term impacts include improvement in attendance of the students, lower dropout rates and imbibing healthy eating habits among the children. The outcomes are managed and provided periodically in the form of audited financial and program impact reports by the Akshaya Patra Foundation. The meals fed and students’ attendance at various locations help track the program’s success.

Newgen’s Digital Discovery Paathshala (NDDP) aims to bridge the digital divide by imparting digital literacy to underprivileged girl students. Can you share specific metrics or outcomes that demonstrate the program’s impact on these students’ academic performance and digital skills?
The growth in the aspects that the Newgen Digital Discovery Paathshala (NDDP) aim to improve has been visible over the years with the students being continuously engaged with the program.

A few metrics that show that the students are moving in the right direction regarding the program’s goal of digital literacy are as follows: – Improved academic performance across various parameters such as attendance, participation in sessions, ease of using digital platforms and tools for research, engagement in extracurricular activities and improvement in academic scores; Growing number of NDDP students opting for higher education and being able to start a career after receiving guidance; Monitoring the engagement of students in the NDDP sessions also reflects the inclination of the students toward the program.

Can you discuss a situation where Newgen’s CSR program faced challenges in implementation? How were these challenges addressed, and what lessons were learned to improve future initiatives?
There have been a few significant roadblocks that were handled as and when required. One of them is getting permission from the Department of Education (DoE) every year, which is tedious. Multiple visits are required to meet the department SPOC, explain the program, and have constant follow-up meetings to get approval. However, to overcome the issue, the team applies for approval in advance, so the program continues without lag.

Another concern is working with the subject matter schoolteachers and the principals and getting the required information in time so that we can align our project activities with the school curriculum. As the school staff are preoccupied with their tasks, they constantly need to be in touch with them to build rapport. This concern has been dealt with by creating a structured communication platform for the team and the school authorities.

How does Newgen involve its employees in CSR activities, and can you provide examples of how employee feedback has influenced the development and execution of CSR programs?
Newgen CSR provides various opportunities through which the employees can interact with the beneficiaries and witness the impact such as – engaging as professional role models in NDDP sessions; judging and encouraging in online competitions like debates, declamation, quiz; attending special workshops Of STEM (lego robotics), digital literacy camps and other special day celebrations like Women’s Day, Independence Day, etc. throughout the year; CSR week, which is the annual volunteering event, provides a range of activities every year dedicated to providing a platform for a whole week where the employees can engage with the program beneficiaries; and regular announcement of CSR programs – initiations, progress, special achievements through internal communication and social media

These engagements have a substantial two-way impact. The students get feedback and guidance toward a productive direction and find these interactions informative and encouraging. Seeing the impact, the CSR digital literacy program ensures that engagement between the employees and the students and women is kept a constant activity throughout the year.

The hands-on involvement also fosters a deep connection with the beneficiaries and encourages employees to take ownership of their contributions, making the act of giving back both personal and meaningful.