India’s corporate social responsibility journey has evolved far beyond compliance. What began as a statutory requirement under the Companies Act has grown into a powerful force driving change across education, healthcare, livelihoods, environmental conservation, gender inclusion and community development. Increasingly, businesses are partnering with civil society organisations, social enterprises and local communities to create solutions that are measurable, scalable and capable of delivering lasting impact.
Recognising this transformation, The Times of India has opened nominations for the TOI Social Impact Summit and Honours 2026, an initiative that will recognise organisations whose work is improving lives and setting new benchmarks for social impact. The honours will recognise excellence across six categories: “Health & Wellbeing, Education & Learning, Skilling & Economic Empowerment, Technology & AI for Social Good, Gender Equity & Inclusion, and Climate, Water & Environmental Sustainability.”The winners will be felicitated at the TOI Social Impact Summit and Honours, to be held in Mumbai on Sept 3 and 4. Presented by Malabar Gold & Diamonds, with Ernst & Young as the knowledge partner, the summit will convene leaders from business, govt, philanthropy, academia and the social sector to exchange ideas, showcase innovations and discuss the future of responsible business and sustainable development.
Commenting on the summit, MP Ahammad, chairman, Malabar Group, said, “We believe that the true value of social impact lies in how deeply it touches people’s lives. The theme of the TOI Social Impact Summit 2.0, ‘Humanising Impact: Where Intent Meets Action’, reflects the need to move beyond commitments and create outcomes that communities can experience. Our partnership with TOI stems from this shared belief, to bring together leaders, institutions and changemakers who can inspire purposeful action and build a more inclusive future.”
The numbers reflect the scale of India’s CSR ecosystem today. During FY 2024-25, 29,546 companies spent Rs 40,794 crore on 72,233 projects spanning 14 development sectors across every state and Union Territory. Education attracted the highest CSR investment, followed by healthcare, environmental sustainability, livelihood enhancement, rural development and vocational skills.
The evolution is not merely in the amount being spent, but in how it is being invested. According to the India CSR Outlook Report 2025, companies are increasingly moving away from one-off charitable interventions towards programmes that strengthen communities over the long term.
There is growing emphasis on building livelihoods, improving employability, empowering women, promoting entrepreneurship and investing in climate resilience. More organisations are also choosing to work with specialist implementation partners, while longer-duration projects are emerging as the preferred model for creating sustainable outcomes.
The honours seek to recognise organisations that have demonstrated innovation, accountability and measurable outcomes. Beyond celebrating excellence, the honours aim to create a platform where impactful ideas can be shared, replicated and scaled, encouraging collaboration between corporates, non-profits, social enterprises and public institutions.
If you are an organisation creating meaningful impact across health & wellbeing, education & learning, skilling & economic empowerment, technology & AI for social good, gender equity & inclusion, or climate, water & environmental sustainability, we would like your story to reach more people.The last date for submitting nominations is Aug 10, 2026.
