CSR Today Cover Story: Impact Investing: UTC's approach to Social Responsibility in India

United Technologies and Palash Roy Chowdhury, Country Manager – India Pratt & Whitney are featured in cover story of the August issue of CSR Today magazine.
Sep 4, 2014 4:00 PM ET
Students from the UTC-funded "Pehal" initiative with Palash Roy Chowdhury Country Manager – India Pratt & Whitney, on the cover of CSR Today magazine.

Impact Investing

By: CSR Today

At UTC, we make modern life possible,” says the global website of United Technologies Corporation (UTC). With topnotch brands such as Otis, Pratt & Whitney, Sikorsky, and Carrier under its fold, the $62 billion multinational conglomerate sure has a profound impact on billions of lives. This impact, however, does not come at the cost of the environment or ethical practices.

When it comes to corporate responsibility, UTC claims to be 100 percent committed. “We support charitable and social causes in the communities where we do business.  Everywhere we do business, we apply the highest standards of corporate responsibility and measure success with the same set of ethical, environmental and safety metrics,” the company claims.

To substantiate this claim, CSR Today caught up with Palash Roy Chowdhury, Country Manager – India, Pratt & Whitney (a unit of United Technologies Corporation) and Chair of UTC’s CSR activities in India. In an hour-long candid discussion, Chowdhury shares UTC India’s current CSR action, the way forward, and his own vision for the subject.

Q1: What is UTC’s philosophy behind its CSR initiatives?

Globally, CSR is an integral part of the company and is at the center of our overall business strategy. For us, CSR is more than charity and donation. Areas of environmental health and safety are of immense importance to us, reducing our carbon footprint and water consumption are equally important. Our CSR also focuses on corporate ethics -- how we do business around the world. Ensuring employee engagement and talent development also form a part of our CSR. From India’s perspective, we undertake community development services in four areas, namely - education, sustainability, disaster management and community development. It is a comprehensive program and has been a central element of our business strategy for many years. 

Click here to continue reading this article in the August issue of CSR Today.