7. Creation of Shared Values by Indian Enterprises

All over the world economic activities are being increasingly organized by corporate entities, as governments are withdrawing from economic and welfare activities. Enterprises have become dominant players in all countries despite having variations in their institutional governance systems. The economic resources and technology owned and managed by these enterprises are massive. It is therefore expected that these enterprises should be encouraged and motivated to help mitigate the social and environmental problems of poverty, illiteracy, climate change, etc. By combining the creation of economic value and serving social needs, “shared value” is created. In comparison to corporate social responsibility programmes, shared values, as a concept, become an integral part of the successful corporate strategies of a large number of enterprises. This chapter aims to examine the role of Indian enterprises in creating shared values and meeting social responsibility in India. The chapter uses a content analysis technique to collect information from the latest annual reports, sustainability reports and business responsibility reports of selected companies listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange.