GRAAM (Grassroots Research And Advocacy Movement), in collaboration with RV University, hosted a compelling CSR Networking Evening and Fireside Chat on Friday, June 27th at the Satyajit Ray Hall, RV University Campus, Bengaluru. 

The Theme for the CSR Fireside chat was on “Can Impact Assessment be a Compass for CSR Innovation and Impact?”, the event saw enthusiastic participation from over 125+ CSR professionals, development practitioners, and CSR-MEAL alumni, sparking rich discussions on reshaping CSR strategies through deeper evaluation practices.

The event, held from 4:30 PM to 7:00 PM, created a space for informal yet focused dialogue, offering participants an opportunity to engage with thought leaders over high tea and panel discussions.

Panelists Included:

• Dr. Sreenath N S, CEO, Biovet Pvt. Ltd.
• Dr. Anupama Shetty, Mission Director, Biocon Foundation
• Mr. Vinay Chandrashekar, Head of Research & Advocacy, The Akshaya Patra Foundation
• Prof. Dr. Dwarika Prasad Uniyal, I/C Vice Chancellor, RV University
• Dr. Basavaraju R. Shreshta, Executive Director, Grassroots Research And Advocacy Movement (GRAAM)
• Moderated by Prof. Uniyal, the panel invited candid reflections on the intersection of CSR innovation, evaluation systems, and accountability frameworks.

The evening began with an interactive session led by Mr. Bhagavan Bidarakote from GRAAM, who engaged directly with CSR representatives and NGO partners involved in implementing CSR projects.

Participants openly shared their experiences and challenges in designing and executing Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) and impact assessment frameworks. A strong demand emerged for capacity-building programs tailored to both CSR teams and implementing NGOs to strengthen their evaluation systems.

Several alumni of the GRAAM-RV University CSR MEAL (Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning) course shared how the program has significantly enhanced their ability to embed robust M&E processes in their development work.

Highlights from the Fireside Chat: What the Experts Said

Dr. Anupama Shetty, Mission Director, Biocon Foundation, emphasized that impact assessment must be built into program planning from the outset. She shared a personal experience how a good evaluation of lake rejuvenation enabled to do a course correction and enabled the organisation not only saving financial resources, but brought a greater social and ecological impact.   

Dr. Sreenath N S, CEO, Biovet Pvt. Ltd., underlined the importance of real-time monitoring and evaluation, sharing a cautionary anecdote where an ambulance funded under CSR was misused by a political figure. He also reflected on their funding of Shankara Hospital and the learnings that emerged through evaluation that contributed to the program improvement.

Mr. Vinay Chandrashekar, Head – Research & Advocacy, The Akshaya Patra Foundation, spoke about the standardization and innovation brought into CSR operations through 197 SOPs that ensure rigor in the world’s largest school feeding program. He noted a positive shift in CSR from being purely funders to becoming implementation collaborators.

Dr. Basavaraju R. Shreshta, Executive Director, GRAAM, focused on innovations in impact assessment processes, especially participatory approaches that help surface community insights and capture deeper, grounded realities of change. He said ‘evaluation not only surfaces flaws and limitations of the program, but enables us to understand the causality of the problem, which helps organizations to take initiatives to address the root causes’. He also said CSR should prioritise investing in innovation, as social dynamics are constantly changing, causal factors are varying while problems remain the same. 

Reflections:

The event served as a valuable space for learning, peer exchange, and grounding CSR efforts in meaningful metrics. As one participant shared:

“Empowerment equals accountability. When communities co-create and co-monitor projects, true transformation begins.”

Participants appreciated that the event stayed true to its intent – not just as a panel discussion, but as a genuine networking space. Many shared that they felt heard, involved, and engaged, with opportunities to voice their perspectives and actively contribute to the dialogue. The format allowed meaningful peer exchange, fostering new connections and ideas that extended beyond the formal agenda.

The Fireside Chat showcased how India’s CSR community is ready to move from compliance to compassionate, informed action that reflects the complexity and richness of grassroots realities.

Event Snapshot:

Theme: Can Impact Assessment Be a Compass for CSR Innovation and lasting change?

Date & Time: Friday, 27th June 2025 | 4:30 PM – 7:00 PM

Venue: Satyajit Ray Hall, RV University Campus, Mysore Road, Bengaluru

Participants: 150 attendees from CSR, NGOs, and evaluation sectors

Hosted By: GRAAM, RV University, NAVGRAAM, and MINERVA