Mission Meghalaya: Leadership in Action, Beyond the Boardroom

At Tata Communications, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is not just a mandate; it’s woven into our DNA. Guided by our CSR Vision of ‘Creating connected societies to advance the well-being of people and planet’, we continually seek innovative ways to engage with the communities we support and enhance their lives.

Beyond the Boardroom

In a pioneering initiative, titled ‘Beyond the Boardroom’, we engaged 11 senior leaders in a hands-on CSR project in the Garo Hills of Meghalaya. The unique programme aimed to provide our leaders with a comprehensive overview of our CSR efforts, the communities we support, the opportunity to connect directly with local NGOs and partners, and experience the way of life, local cuisine etc.

Over two immersive days, our leaders stepped away from boardroom discussions about business strategy, net promoter scores and balance sheets to participate in meaningful work on ground that improved access to clean energy and health services in Tura district, through solar electrification and the distribution of clean cookstoves.

Leaders on a Mission

Congregating from across cities and leaving behind their designations and roles, the leaders joined other volunteers to truly embody the spirit of service.

Divided into small groups, they participated in two primary activities: Assembling and installing solar panels, followed by connecting these panels to batteries and installing lights in local households.

In Mandal Nokat, West Garo Hills, they distributed efficient, low smoke cookstoves to 26 households, replacing their traditional chulhas (mud stoves). This involved hands-on work like dismantling the chulha and moulding the soft mud into a sturdy base for the clean cookstove that would significantly improve the air quality for families. The team not only installed these stoves but also educated beneficiaries on their operations and benefits.

Lessons from Leaders
It was inspiring to see leaders shed their VP and AVP badges and work alongside the local folk, sweating under the sun, hammering nails into bamboo frames and fitting lights without hesitation.

There were no spreadsheets, no Teams calls, and no elaborate planning — just pure camaraderie, adaptability, and a shared mission of spreading joy.

Leaders went the extra mile, literally, walking to far-flung homes to ensure that every household was reached — a reflection of the same commitment they show in solving customer challenges. The natural bonding that unfolded illustrated that true leadership transcends titles and manifests through action and empathy. It was truly a day beyond the boardroom —one that required a different strategy focussed on spreading happiness.

Satri Ch. Sangma, a beneficiary adds, “We are very grateful to Tata Communications leadership team for giving us light. Our village now feels like a city, actually, even better because other villages often face power cuts, but our solar lights are always on. I am able to work late into the night at home. These solar lights are everything for me, allowing me to work without worry. Thank you so much”.

Making an impact

Through the initiative, leaders were able to gain invaluable insights and perspectives while making a meaningful impact. In all, 13 households were electrified with around 78 lights installed, along with two main streetlights at the village intersections.

Till date, Tata Communications has supported:

• The solar electrification of 607 households (benefitting over 3,000 people) and 13 Primary healthcare centres (serving over 10,000 people) in the Garo Hills region.
• 15,850 households to transition to smart cookstoves, improving nearly 62,000 lives. This has resulted in a 50% reduction in firewood consumption and saved villagers an estimated 10 hours per week in firewood collection.

Over the last few years, Tata Communications has witnessed significant transformations within these communities. The positive response from residents embracing sustainable living practices reaffirms our commitment to CSR initiatives. This is just one of many outreach activities where our CSR team engages meaningfully with local communities. The feedback from our efforts has been overwhelmingly optimistic as we prepare to DRIVE AHEAD with more impactful initiatives.

Stay tuned for more updates on our CSR programmes and do check more details in our Annual Report. Together we can make a difference!