Learnings from CSR programmes in skills and livelihoods ... · In 2010, the Godrej Group committed to help create a more employable workforce by training 1 million young people by

Learnings from CSR programmes in skills and livelihoods development October 2019

Knowledge partner

2

ForewordI am delighted to share this report on the impact assessment of the Godrej Industries CSR investments in employability and livelihoods It has been crafted by Samhita Social Ventures our impact assessment partners basis a two and half year study of our employability and livelihoods programmes We hope that these insights will encourage more investments in skill training initiatives in India and help build more impactful programmes that result in long-term tangible outcomes Today India has a population of 333 million young people with 475 million people joining the workforce every year There is however a lack of formal employment opportunities since fewer than 2 million jobs are created annually in the formal market In the last six years roughly 37 million workers shifted from agricultural jobs thereby adding to the workforce pressure At the same time the gender ratio in employment numbers is skewed with 25 million women leaving the workforce So the challenge is not just limited to the lack of jobs in the formal sector but also extends to the rising vulnerability of small farmers lack of employable skills and societal pressure on women to be primary caretakers among others In 2010 the Godrej Group committed to help create a more employable workforce by training 1 million young people by 2020 Since then the Godrej Group has trained over 640000 young people across India in beauty and wellness retail construction and agriculture among others Through our journey we have always tried to look at the bigger picture Will our programmes ensure sustained livelihood What will help facilitate more women joining the workforce What support will enable small farmers to reduce their vulnerabilities and risks

We have spent a lot of time on ground - talking to our trainees our implementation partners and employers - to understand how best to design and implement our programmes This resulted in the formulation of a multi-year impact assessment programme the results of which have shaped our approach For example we added life skills modules to the domain specific training programmes and developed financial literacy and entrepreneurship programmes to enable self-employment and nano entrepreneurship I would like to take this opportunity to thank Samhita Social Ventures for their guidance as well as all our NGO partners whose experience and leadership have shaped our programmes We look forward to your continued partnership as we scale up our efforts in the years ahead

Sumit MitraHead - Group Human Resources and Corporate ServicesGodrej Industries Limited and Associate Companies

3

Table of Contents

1 04Executive summary

3 05Supporting livelihoods

4 06Godrej Good amp Green

5 07Good amp Green programme reach

6 08Report objectives and methodology

Introduction 7 09-11Enhancing human capital

8 12-13Improving agricultural productivity and reducing intermediation

9 14-15Enabling social capital

10 16-18Womenrsquos empowerment

11 19-20The role of employers

Analysis

12 21-22Focusing on the ecosystem

13 23Conclusion

4

Executive SummaryIn 2011 Godrej Group launched Good amp Green as a vision of promoting inclusive growth in India One of the goals is to empower one million unemployed and under-employed individuals through skills that enhance employability and livelihoods potential These programmes adopt a shared value lens working in industries we which we have a business in order to build a more competitive context at large leveraging our industry expertise and networks So far the Godrej Group has trained over 640000 young people and learnt several valuable lessons along the way This report summarizes our key insights from an eight-year journey rich with successes failures experiments and scale up

We commissioned Samhita Social Ventures to conduct a two-year impact evaluation covering our employability and livelihoods programmes spanning Beauty amp Wellness Agriculture and Real Estate The evaluation combined a lean data approach with semi-longitudinal qualitative methods

Sharing our experiences and findings is one way in which we aspire to build a robust national ecosystem support gainful employment for Indiarsquos emerging demographic dividend To this effect six key learnings emerged from our evaluation

1) Enhancing human capital necessitates a combination of technical and life skills that results in increased work force participation and incomes Work rates increased threefold among women trained in beauty and wellness skills after the program with 45 trainees in paid work and a median earning of INR 3000 per month In construction this combination led to a 37 increase in work rates with a marked change in the nature of work from ad-hoc daily labour to a full-time role on construction sites and a monthly median income of INR 10500 which is 30 higher than the national average monthly earnings of a majority of contract workers and casual labour In both the sectors an unintended positive outcome of exposure to skills trainings was 13 ndash 20 of trainees opting to pursue further education

2) An lsquoagri-preneurshiprsquo approach improves agricultural productivity and reduces intermediation Customized and adaptive support for farmers and market linkages was effective in increasing the uptake of organic methods increasing crop productivity and incomes - 94 farmers reported an increase in crop production with higher quantities of higher value crops A similar proportion reported improvements in their farming methods which contributed to cost saving in the range of INR 500 - INR 1000 per acre Farmers estimated that their income per acre per season after the training increased by 25-50

3) Enabling social capital boosts retention in employment Strategies such as group placements provision of information on government entitlements and documents eye camps etc create a sense of belonging among construction sector workers Establishing and facilitating relevant networks and groups (such as SHGs federations) fosters social trust to create access to capital especially in absence of assets and collaterals amongst the farmers Within the beauty programme the trainers played a key role in enhancing the womenrsquos social capital as they became their role models mentors and counsellors connecting them to jobs and helping them tackle conservative mindsets at homes that discouraged them from working

4) Women-centric programme design with a focus on life skills was instrumental in increasing womenrsquos participation in paid work empowering them within the context of their families and communities After the beauty training the proportion of women in paid work in increased from 14 to 45 of which 78 were first time entrants in the workforce Flexibility in hours and the location of work is an important enabler for women entering the workforce - 60 of beauty trainees chose to work from home despite salaries at salons being higher on average A beauty traineersquos salary constituted between 15 to 50 of her household income depending on nature of her work and metro or non-metro locations

5) The role of employers is pivotal and influences sustainability of programme outcomes Employersrsquo perceptions of productivity and skill certification and their willingness to pay a premium for skilled labour were critical to realize higher incomes post training Similarly their sensitivity to challenges and willingness to support new entrants is an important factor in retention in employment further reinforcing the need for incorporating thoughtful placement and post-placement support elements in skilling programs This also highlights the need for collective action amongst all stakeholders in the skilling ecosystem

6) Expanding the focus of interventions from addressing the needs of individuals towards enabling more inclusive practices in ecosystems was more effective The farm-based intervention evolved from individual-focused short-term one-off animal husbandry training to an integrated approach with long-term customized agri-preneurship approach the impact of former was short lived while the latter yielded far higher social returns Findings from the Good Contractor programme suggest that comprehensive entrepreneurship-based models can be effective in increasing work rates and incomes and generating positive externalities for creating and formalising more jobs in the real estate industry

These findings suggest that CSR must broaden its approach to go beyond employability towards building sustainable livelihoods Supporting entrepreneurship and self-employment could be transformational in addressing Indiarsquos lack of sufficient good quality jobs We hope that these learnings will catalyse stronger partnerships and alliances and enable others to contribute to the goal of sustainable livelihoods for millions of young people in India

5

Supporting LivelihoodsA study of demographic dividend in India by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) showed that the window of demographic dividend opportunity in India is available for five decades from 2005-06 to 2055-56 which is longer than that in any other country in the world1

Indiarsquos working-age population of 15-59 years is 625 per cent of the total population It has outgrown the dependent population of children and elderly people2 representing a critical opportunity for economic growth The optimism around demographic dividend however is tempered by both demand and supply side barriers in the labour market There are three main challenges pertaining to the quantity and quality of work in India

1 Lack of employment opportunities Fewer than 2 million jobs are created annually in the formal market whereas 475 million join Indiarsquos workforce each year3

2 Informal jobs Close to 81 per cent of all employed persons in India make a living by working in the informal market The proportion is higher for the younger age group of 15-24 years and for those without education or with education only up to secondary school4

3 Lack of formal skill training Only around a quarter of the workforce aged 18-24 years have attained secondary and higher secondary education5 and only 23 per cent of the Indian workforce has acquired formal training in skills many among these still lack job-related skills6

It is within this context that any effort to enable and empower the youth in India to seek find and sustain gainful employment needs to be rooted and addressed

CSR in skills and livelihood development - opportunities and gaps

The corporate sector in India has typically recognised the need for a skilled workforce and has invested in skill development for their

employees and operations The introduction of Section 135 of the Companies Act 2013 provided companies with an opportunity to expand their efforts beyond their workforce through corporate social responsibility (CSR) which helps equip the young population of India with the skills to find and succeed in work

A previous study of Indiarsquos top 100 companies by Samhita Social Ventures supported by Godrej Industries United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Ambuja Cement Foundation and DHFL7 showed that 90 per cent of the top 100 companies had at least one CSR programme in skills and livelihood development in the 3 years to 2017 The median CSR budget allocated toskills and livelihood development was ₹392 crore accounting for approximately 127 per cent of the total CSR budgets on average Although this indicated strong CSR participation on the issue there were some gaps in how companies were doing so

The report mapped companies against the value chain of skills and livelihood development - an approach that charts the end-to-end journey that any trainee should ideally undertake comprising pre-training training and post-training stages It was found that maximum resources and efforts under CSR were directed towards the actual delivery of training with little attention paid to pre or post-training stages even though these were building blocks that helped in sustaining and retaining trainees in gainful employment

For example at the pre-training stage only 15 of 90 companies reported mapping local needs before starting a programme and still fewer (7 companies) companies reported supporting pre-training counselling of trainees

Similarly during training 50 per cent of the companies did not focus on developing soft and life skills required for gainful employment and only 19 per cent of the companies reported providing placement-related support after training8 A combination of these factors could have led to

Fewer than 2 million jobs are created annually in the formal market whereas 475 million join Indiarsquos workforce each year

the worrying situation of at least 1 of 4 trainees placed dropping out in the first month for most (83 per cent) of the non-governmental organisations (NGOs) surveyed

6

Vision

Support inclusive growth by providing one million unemployed and under-employed individuals with training in skills to enhance their livelihood potential

Godrej Good amp GreenGood amp Green is the CSR and sustainability strategy of the Godrej Industries Limited and Associate Companies (referred to as Godrej) One of its key goals is to support inclusive growth by providing one million unemployed and under-employed individuals with training in skills to enhance their livelihood potential

To fulfil its commitment Good amp Green collaborates with the government NGOs and social enterprises to design and run a number of employability livelihood and entrepreneurship training programmes The focus of these programmes is to improve the earning potential of individuals through skill building and empowerment and to facilitate self-employment or job placement The programmes aim to achieve sustainability and scale and are monitored and tracked through technological infrastructure to measure their progress performance and impact

The training programmes are aligned to sectors in which Godrej has a business footprint enabling it to leverage its industry experience and business insights to create shared value

For instance training for women in the beauty and wellness sector aligns with Godrej Consumer Products Limitedrsquos position as the largest home-grown home and personal care company in India Godrej Agrovet Limitedrsquos focus on animal feed and agribusiness ties in with their endeavour to equip small farmers to improve their productivity and profitability Lastly Godrej Properties Limitedrsquos expertise in real estate development has been instrumental in crafting its programme around construction training Across all these streams the business units have actively participated in designing the overall strategy target groups and markets providing market insights and technical inputs into the training curriculum

Godrej Consumer Products Limited - Beauty training

Godrej Agrovet Limited - Agriculture training

Godrej Properties Limited - Construction training

Beauty training | FY 2013 The programme trained women aged

18-35 years in basic skills required the for beauty industry with a strong focus on life skills through unique interactive modules and

creative use of arts

Animal husbandry training | FY 2014 The programme focussed on training farmers

to improve practices around animal rearing to supplement income

On-site training | FY 2015 Improving the technical

and safety skills of construction workers through

on-the-job training and providing access to health and social security benefits

Off-site training | FY 2016 Training youth in construction

and automotive skills to increase their employment participation

rate and provide a stable income source

Good contractor | FY 2017 Providing technical and financial assistance to sub-contractors

to address issues of lack of working capital and business expansion

Integrated Rural Livelihoods | FY 2017 The animal husbandry programme evolved

to provided a package of on farm and off farm practices along with backward

and forward market linkages

Beauty-preneur | FY 2017 The beauty training programme was

expanded to provide support to new or existing women entrepreneurs in the beauty

industry in a structured way thereby accelerating their business

7

500000 + young people as of June 2019 have been trained in more than 20 states across India

Good amp Greenprogramme reach

8

Reportobjectives and methodologyWhy this report

In 2016 Godrej commissioned Samhita Social Ventures to conduct a study to examine the outcomes of its training programmes in beauty and wellness construction agriculture and animal husbandry sectors

The objectives of the study were to assess the social outcomes for trainees identify enablers and barriers to impact and course correct and strengthen the training programmes to ensure maximum impact

The evaluation provided valuable insights into the effects of livelihoods initiatives exogenous factors that either contribute to positive outcomes or limit the impact of such programs and certain industry trends It reiterated the observations made by Godrej NGO partners and the beneficiaries that training programmes need to be more than just skill enhancement and include livelihoods and entrepreneurship approach

Continuing its commitment to generate value for the entire skilling ecosystem through knowledge sharing Godrej desired to share its learnings and insights with other actors in the ecosystem as a lsquopublic goodrsquo that can inform and inspire more efficient and effective interventions

Methodology

The report has emerged from a 2-year assessment of the programmes from September 2016 to September 2018 using a mixed methods approach to engage with trainees across the country The study design was the first in the CSR ecosystem wherein it used two parallel methods to ensure not only large coverage but also in-depth insights while optimising costs and resources

1 Quantitative research The study adopted a lean data approach that leverages technology to collect relevant and focused information that can be applied for decision-making A rural business process outsourcing (BPO) agency was identified and trained to conduct short telephone surveys with the trainees across the three programmes 4-6 months after they finished training

The survey captured 5-8 key performance indicators that were mutually decided by Godrej and Samhita including retention in the industry income changes and others compiled through five rounds of calling

Although this methodology was intended to be longitudinal in nature in which the same cohort of approximately 30000 trainees was followed up every few months its design was changed to

This report is a curated summary of themes relevant to the skilling ecosystem Each section presents findings on a particular outcome or strategy and highlights examples and case studies in the hope that it can inform others working towards building more productive fulfilling and sustainable Indian livelihoods

become cross-sectional due to the high drop-out rates observed after two rounds of calling and changes to programming strategies

A total sample size of 79165 trainees across three programmes was reached out to after five rounds of calls Of which close to a third of the trainees picked up and participated in the study 35449 did not pick up the call and 18266 picked up but dropped out of the study

2 Qualitative research In-depth interviews were conducted through multiple rounds of field visits to seven locations with a smaller subset of trainees to gain insights into their personal journeys motivations challenges and explore how the Godrej training had changed individual lives and whether the change was sustainable The qualitative research was semi-longitudinal and included two cohorts

1 Trainees under older training models (scheduled to be visited 4 times) Of the 160 trainees interviewed 22 per cent were successfully interviewed for all four rounds another 25 per cent were interviewed in three rounds and others were interviewed 2 or less times

2 Trainees under new training models introduced halfway through the evaluation (scheduled to be

visited 2 times) Of the 84 trainees interviewed 54 per cent were interviewed for both the rounds

The methodology was integrated and this report uses evidence from both quantitative and qualitative research to substantiate the themes

9

1 Enhancing human capitalTake a look at how training beyond domain skills adds meaningful dimensions to the skilling experience of the trainee

A combination of technical and life skills contributed to increased workforce participation and income generation for the bottom of the pyramid

In both sectors a small but significant proportion of trainees opted to study further after the training

The findings indicate not just an immediate improvement in work status after the training but also retention in work

+

+

+

--

-

-

Beauty training

Work participation rates increased threefold among trainees after the programme with 45 per cent participating in paid workBeauty traineesrsquo overall median earnings were reported to be ₹3000 per month

Construction training

Off-site trainees reported a 37 per cent increase in work participation rate after training with a marked change in the nature of work from ad hoc agricultural

labour during the farming season andor manual daily wage under MGNREGA to a full-time role on construction sites They reported a monthly median income of ₹10500 which is higher than the national average monthly earnings of a majority of contract workers and casual labour15

Key findings

10

Human capital defined as skills qualifications and behavioural characteristics is considered to be a key determinant in gaining employment or progressing in the workplace10 Skill building has therefore become one of the most critical national strategies along with improving levels of foundational education and creating decent work opportunities11

The need

Skill development in marginalised populations remains a challenge due to the low levels of literacy lack of awareness regarding onersquos aspirations and strengths a diminished perception of self that leads to low levels of motivation and confidence and conditioning through social circumstances12

The majority of trainees - 64 per cent in construction and 63 per cent in beauty and wellness - had dropped out during or after upper secondary education Similarly average family incomes were also very low ranging from ₹7000 - ₹20000 per month indicating a lack of adequate resources to invest in education or training that could make them employable International Labour Organisation research has revealed that transitions into the workforce are the smoothest when the demand for labour is met by individuals equipped with employability skills as well as when access to information is ensured13 Hence Godrejrsquos training programmes focused not only on technical skills and soft skills but also on rights and entitlements and linkages to job opportunities

Outcomes

1 Improved workforce participation and earnings There was considerable improvement in traineesrsquo work status and earnings after the programme as indicated by the graphs

BeautyWork participation rates increased threefold among beauty trainees although from a lower base Consequently the trainees also reported an increase in their earnings In the beauty industry traineesrsquo overall median earnings were reported as ₹3000 per month after training

ConstructionIn construction there was a 37 per cent increase in work participation rate among trainees in off-site

models as shown in the graph below Beforendashafter comparisons are not relevant to trainees from on-site models because all of them were working in their respective sites before and after training a small group (6 per cent) stopped working after training due to a combination of factors such as ill health family constraints and other reasons

Estimates from NSS 2007-08 showed that most of the ruralndashurban migrants in construction worked in agriculture (473 per cent) or construction-related activities (456 per cent) before they moved to urban areas14 Qualitative interviews indicated that this trend held true for trainees most of whom also shifted from ad hoc agricultural labour during the farming season andor manual daily wage under

MGNREGA to a full-time role in construction sites In the off-site cohort 23 per cent reported having received a promotion (such as increased roles accountability for fellow workers etc) since completing training Off-site trainees reported a monthly median income of ₹10500 which is approximately 30 per cent higher than the national average monthly earnings of the majority of contract workers and casual labour (66 per cent of contract workers and 88 per cent of casual labour earned less than ₹7500 per month15)

Among off-site workers who reported working before training the post-training income was 17 per cent higher than what they earned before Given that a significant proportion of trainees were

not in paid work before training the earnings after training were an infinite improvement in their financial situation On-site workers had a higher median income of ₹12000 per month owing to their higher levels of experience

2 Life skills and placement support as key enablers The success of the programmes was measured not just by an increase in work rates In both sectors a small but significant proportion of trainees opted to study further after training a likely output of the life skills components that aimed to motivate them and instil a sense of purpose among them Evidence from soft skills training initiatives in other developing countries has indicated that supporting the development of these transferrable

80

60

40

0

20

Before

Average work participation rates before and after the beauty training programme

100

After

86

14

45

55

35

NEET

20

Studying

23

Working from

homeself employed

16

In parlours

6 Non-beauty

80

60

40

0

20

Before

Average work participation rates before and after the off-site construction training programme

100

After

50

50

69

31

18

NEET

13

Studying

63

Working in

construction

5 Non-construction

Working Not working

NEET Not in Employment or Education NEET Not in Employment or Education

Working Not working

Godrejrsquos training programmes focused not only on technical skills and soft skills but also on rights and entitlements and linkages to job opportunities

11

increase in workforce participation rates among beauty trainees

increase in workforce participation rates among off-site construction trainees

3x

37

skills in the youth can be a key enabler for better employability outcomes16

Samhitarsquos CSR study17 showed that companies in India focused more on imparting vocational training and less on the post-training phase of facilitating pathways into the work force through either job placements or entrepreneurship Even when interventions included placements or entrepreneurship the support often did not extend to providing guidance to trainees once they were in employment leading to low work and retention rates

Linkages with employers emphasised and monitored by Godrejrsquos NGO partners could be one of the contributing factors for the programme outcomes In construction training another contributing factor (due to models implemented by two partners) was facilitating loans for trainees to pay for the cost of training ensuring adequate job opportunity while guaranteeing 100 per cent placements to enable loan repayment through pre-agreed arrangements with builders and realty developers

Similarly in the beauty training recognising the need for flexible work pathways for women Godrejrsquos NGO partners offered support in both job placements and self-employment resulting in a higher proportion of women participating in paid work on their own terms

Given that trainees were contacted 4-6 months after they completed their programs sometimes even later these findings indicate not only an immediate improvement in work status after training but also sustained retention in work However in line with the characteristics of the construction industry 59 per cent of trainees reported that they had changed their sites since training (ie within 4-6 months)

A study conducted among NCR construction sites18 showed similar findings most workers had a relatively short employment history with the current employer with 684 per cent of all workers reporting to being in continuous employment for less than a year

Linkages with employers emphasised and monitored by Godrejrsquos NGO partners could be one of the contributing factors for the programme outcomes

Sarina Banoo an 18-year old from Ahmedabad juggles

multiple jobs to be self-sufficient Allowed to study

only till Class 8 Sarina enrolled for the beauty

training programme She now runs a beauty parlour from home and supports her sister in her tailoring

enterprise while managing home chores She makes

between ₹3000 - ₹4000 and voluntarily contributes to her household expenses

and keeps aside money for herself making her

self-reliant

Stories behind the data

12

2 Improving agricultural productivity and reducing intermediation Explore how training farmers to be entrepreneurs can completely transform their prospects

The training programme evolved from an animal husbandry training to an agri-entrepreneurship approach with a focus on customized and adaptive support and an emphasis on market linkages reducing costs boosting output and improving incomes

+

+

+

94 per cent of farmers trained reported an increase in crop production (an average of 1-2 quintals per acre) with higher quantities of crops such as wheat chickpeas and vegetables such as tomatoes and cauliflower

A similar proportion reported that they had made improvements to their farming methods which contributed to cost saving for farmers in the range of ₹500 - ₹1000 per acre

Key findings

13

The need

Although agriculturersquos share in Indiarsquos economy has progressively declined to less than 15 per cent due to the high growth rates of industrial and services sectors19 the sectorrsquos importance in Indiarsquos economic and social development is still high Nearly three-quarters of Indiarsquos families depend on rural incomes20 and the majority of Indiarsquos poor (approximately 70 per cent) are found in rural areas21

Outcomes

During the study Godrejrsquos agriculture programme evolved to address some of these challenges - from a 15-day animal husbandry programme to a 2-year threefold integrated approach which focused on farming practices animal husbandry and market access This shift in the strategy was based on initial findings from this assessment as well as a body of evidence2223 that indicates unlike other industries where trainees are placed in jobs those working in agriculture are mostly self-employed and must facilitate their own entry and sustained participation in the workforce Hence enabling small and marginal farmers in making agriculture a viable livelihood requires building agri-entrepreneurship capabilities - that is assisting them in adopting good practices and accessing relevant and timely information to increase yields diversify to higher value crops and create market linkages

While the older animal husbandry training programme showed specific progress in production output it wasnrsquot necessarily contributing to higher income 94 per cent cattle-owning famers reported an increase in milk production (ranging from 100-ml to 1-l increases per day per cow depending on the breed) in the states of Uttar Pradesh (UP) MP and Karnataka Farmers in Karnataka owned cow breeds such as Jersey or Holstein Friesian due to commercial dairy farming practices whereas those in the North

owned a combination of buffaloes and desi cows The increase in production was partly attributed to improved hygiene and diet practices such as feeding cattle hay mixed with grain green fodder and oil fodder in appropriate proportions mixing calcium in the feed moistening feed with water for palatability providing drinking water 3-4 times per day bathing cows and buffaloes 3-4 times per week building sheds for the cattle and partly due to adequate rainfall during those years

With the move to the integrated model farmers showed measurable increase in production and income with reduced input costs The modified programme runs in Madhya Pradesh (MP) and Karnataka and farmers in both regions reported early signs of increased productivity 94 per cent reported an increase in crop production since receiving training (an average of 1-2 quintals per acre as reported in qualitative interviews) with higher quantities of crops such as wheat chickpeas and vegetables such as tomatoes and cauliflower On average farmers estimated that their income per acre per season increased from ₹20000 to between ₹25000 and ₹30000 Moreover 94 per cent of the farmers surveyed reported that they had made improvements to their farming methods which contributed to cost saving

Two programme elements could have contributed to these improvements (in addition to the amount of rainfall which continued to remain the single most critical exogenous factor) ndash

1 A customised and adaptive approach The integrated model involved long-term engagement with farmers over 2 years and providing them with guidance in improving their farming practices based on their unique needs and challenges Flexible timings set to suit farmersrsquo schedules demonstration of new agricultural practices on farmersrsquo own plots to help them see outcomes for themselves and blended learning using laptops and videos to bring alive training were a few aspects that were different from the old training model

2 Facilitating improved market linkages A significant part of improvements in income and cost savings could be due to the reconfiguration of backward and forward linkages attempted by the intervention To address the issue of limited funds cash flow and expensive agricultural inputs such as seeds and fertilisers the programme provided

farmers with cheaper seeds and taught them methods to make organic manure from materials easily available on the farm Through collectives such as farmer producer organisations (FPOs) and self-help groups (SHGs) farmers could also access affordable loans to purchase the inputs

In Karnataka Godrejrsquos NGO partner worked to minimise the presence of middlemen by directly procuring the produce from farmers and selling it to bulk consumers such as the hotel and hospitality industry in Bangalore who bought the vegetables at a premium as these were organic

This resulted in much higher rates for farmers - a quintal of cauliflower that would sell at ₹700 - ₹800 in the market was sold for ₹1500

Soma Shekhar from Bagepalli in Karnataka using

thelsquoJeevamrutamrsquo farming technique after his training

He combined cow dung cow urine jaggery and rice-water

(kanji) to create home-made fertiliser and pesticide

This played a significant role in reducing his farmrsquos input costs The estimates

indicated reduced expenses on pesticides of approximately

₹1000 per acre and on fertilisers in the range of

₹500 - ₹1000 acre


farmers trained in agriculture reported an increase in production

94

14

3 Enabling social capital Discover how training programmes can instill a sense of belonging

Interventions that help augment traineesrsquo social capital contribute to a sense of belonging and help improve retention+

Key findings

Establishing and participating in relevant networks and groups (such as SHGs and federations) and fostering a level of social trust can help solve issues related to access to capital especially in absence of assets and collaterals among those from economically weaker sections

+

15

I reached out to my trainer even though I had completed my training many months ago for advice on dealing with a difficult and exploitative workplace She not only helped me get out of there but helped me to find another job through her network She was responsible for convincing my in-laws to let me join the training in the first place and continues to be a pillar of strength

- Nimisha Ahmedabad ldquo

The need

Social capital defined by the extent to which individuals either contribute to or experience neighbourliness trust social networks or civic participation is a positive asset for those who are seeking to find work within the labour market24

Additionally the role of social capital in enabling access to formal credit and microfinance has been well documented2526 Establishing and participating in relevant networks and groups (such as SHGs and federations) and fostering a level of social trust can help solve issues related to access to capital especially in absence of assets and collaterals27 This assumes significance in India given that the largest group among informal workers in India is own-account workers (322 per cent28)

Godrejrsquos livelihood interventions included components aimed at developing social capital around trainees to equip them to build or participate in networks that they would need to sustain in work and enable them to access formal markets and the banking system

Outcomes

BeautyIn the beauty programme trainers played a key role in enhancing the womenrsquos social capital as they became their role models mentors and counsellors connecting them to jobs and helping them tackle conservative mindsets at homes that discouraged them from working

ConstructionAccording to NSSO estimates the construction sector is one of the most prominent employers of labour migrants The highest percentage of short-duration migrants work in the construction sector

(362 per cent) followed by the agriculture sector (204 per cent) and the manufacturing sector (159 per cent)29 Migration can be difficult to cope with and it leads to rejecting job offers or high drop-out rates after placement In Samhitarsquos other studies on average approximately 20 per cent of those not working quoted this as a reason explicitly In this study 47 per cent of those not working reported inability to find suitable work with suitable in some cases implying closer to home

One of Godrejrsquos NGO partner started a unique group placement model that enabled trainees from the same region to be placed on sites together All trainees hailed from Jharkhand and had become acquainted with one another during the residential training They grouped and then placed in Gurgaon and Dubai and helped each other to deal with the realities on the site and unexpected situations

Of the 24 trainees interviewed many reported that not only did they help each other at work but also there was a feeling of comradery in living together at the camp The workers in Gurgaon mentioned going out to eat and shop together as their pastime activity the Dubai trainees mentioned playing cricket and watching Bollywood movies during their leisure time This had a positive impact on their sense of security emotional well-being and feeling of belonging all of which aided higher retention

During interviews workers in the Noida and Gurgaon sites reported that Godrejrsquos attempt to build their awareness on their rights and entitlements assistance in claiming these as well as initiatives such as eye camps helped in easing job pressures and homesickness on sites and made them feel lsquocared forrsquo This was a critical enabler - five of twelve trainees who participated in indepth interviews reported that they would rather work at a site that made them feel lsquovaluedrsquo and earn slightly less than work at a site that provides only higher incomes

Access to documents such as PAN cards through the programme enabled individuals to open bank accounts buy SIM cards and transfer larger sums of money all of which were essential to mainstreaming from the informal to formal markets and contributed to holistic financial security beyond increased incomes

AgricultureFarmers in MP and Karnataka who benefitted from the integrated agriculture programme reported leveraging training not only to benefit their individual families but also the community Creating and strengthening collectives through SHGs and FPOs brought farmers together as a community They reported higher cohesion and interest in sharing knowledge This became an invaluable means to multiply reach farmers who were satisfied with the results of training joined the activators to mobilise more people for training and early adopters of cost-efficient organic practices championed these methods through making demonstration plots available so that their peers could see results first-hand

The role of SHGs as a crucial enabler in building social capital of rural women has been well documented30 Similar to other studies this assessment also found early evidence that being a part of the SHG helped women improve their personal and financial positions Many SHG members drew encouragement and motivation from group discussions to set up small enterprises within villages For example in Rehti women farmers were collecting and selling cow urine at ₹2-3 per litre to enable others to make organic pesticide Other new income streams included goatery agarbatti making and tailoring

The studyrsquos findings demonstrate the importance of including elements that help trainees connect to both formal and informal networks for livelihood programs These networks enable the trainee to access the market capital and other resources seek advice and sustain oneself in the workforce much after the training period

ldquo

Manesar Murmur a 19-year old was part of the off-

site construction training programme After training

he and his co-trainees started working in the

Gurgaon site While there he got the news of his only brother back home passing

away He was devastated but his co-trainees

comforted him and helped deal with the loss


Neelam Sahu from Rehti Madhya Pradesh was a shy

woman After her agriculture training she took on the role of secretary of the local Self

Help Group She gained a new found confidence with

the training exposure visits and working for the group

She is now an inspiring figure in her community and champions girlrsquos education


16

4 Womenrsquos empowerment Learn the key to success for women centric programmes

Women-centric programme design with a focus on life skills is instrumental in increasing womenrsquos participation in paid work and leveraging this to empower them within the context of their families and communities

+

Key findings

--

Beauty training

After training the proportion of women in paid work increased from 14 per cent to 45 per cent of which 78 per cent were first-time entrants in the workforce

Flexibility in hours and the location of work is an important enabler for women entering the workforce 60 per cent of beauty trainees chose to work from home

despite salaries at salons being higher on average

The median monthly salary for salon workers was ₹4000 and ₹2500 for those working at home

A beauty traineersquos salary constituted between 15 per cent - 50 per cent of her household income depending on nature of her work and metro or non-metro locations

A total of 40 of trainees reported to have started saving a part of their incomes after training

The studyrsquos findings are consistent with the widespread phenomenon of economic participation building womenrsquos confidence self-esteem and capability to navigate challenges at home and in the community

--

--

Photo credit Samhita Social Ventures

17

The need in workforce participation

Despite strong overall national growth Indiarsquos female labour force participation has been declining for years falling from 341 per cent in 1999-00 to 272 per cent in 2011-1231 and even further to 233 in 2017-1832 There are demand and supply side explanations for this

On the supply side societal expectations of womenrsquos role as caregivers and caretakers of the household lead to lower participation especially among married women Another factor is increasing family incomes as families become wealthier women are discouraged from working outside due to social stigmas and attitudes that perceive womenrsquos work and income generation as something born out of economic necessity and not aspiration3334 However demand for gainful employment does exist - 34 per cent and 28 per cent of rural and urban women respectively reported willingness to work if it was made available at their household35

On the demand side the nature of Indiarsquos economic growth in recent years has not been able to create large numbers of jobs in sectors that can readily absorb women and this is especially true in rural areas35 Indian labour laws and employers are not known to be women-friendly or sensitive and there the added gender stereotyping of jobs that women canrsquot do

Given this context this section describes the relationship between Godrejrsquos programme design and women empowerment

Outcomes

BeautyThe proportion of women in paid work increased from 14 per cent before training to 45 per cent after training of which 78 per cent were first-time

My husband picks fights with me all the time for no reason He beats me and throws away the food that I have cooked I canrsquot leave him because I need to take care of my children I had to borrow money from my trainer to join this training and hide it from my husband I loved the activities in training as it taught me to express myself to speak up I realized that I am worth something (main bhi kuch hoon) I now earn ₹2000 every month by working from home Though the situation at home has not changed drastically I am more confident now while speaking to him

- Sangeet Viswakarma Mumbai

ldquo

ldquo

entrants in the workforce There were no significant differences between work rates in Tier 1 cities Tier 2 cities and other areas

Of those working after the programme 60 per cent of women opted to work from home and the rest took on salaried work at a parlour Age was directly related to working from home - younger women were more likely to work at parlours This could be attributed to added household responsibilities due to marriage and children

Although the average salary for salon workers was higher - median monthly incomes of ₹4000 versus ₹2500 for those working at home - the flexibility of home-based work was critical in enabling women for whom societal norms or family obligations were an obstacle to earn an income for the first time A traineersquos salary constituted between 15 per cent and 50 per cent of her household income depending on the nature of her work (working from parlour or home) and metro or non-metro locations Moreover 40 per cent of trainees reported saving a part of their incomes for increased financial security and in some cases for the purchase of valuable assetsOf those working in parlours 87 per cent worked full time Of those working from home only 16 per cent worked full time another 13 per cent worked part time and 70 per cent worked on a seasonal basis

When asked about reasons for working part time or on a seasonal basis it was a conscious choice for almost half (49 per cent) of women - those who were studying and working (36 per cent) and those who had household responsibilities (23 per

Rizwana Sheikh from Ahmedabad started

working from home after completing the beauty

training programme She was able to fulfil her dream

of purchasing a two-wheeler with her savings This also enabled her to expand her

business by doing home visits


of beauty trainees are saving a part of their income for financial security and purchase of assets

40

cent) but a forced choice for 51 per cent women because of a lack of customers During interviews women complained about increasing competition in their local areas from other beauty services and the lsquostickyrsquo nature of the business where clients seldom changed their beauty service provider

Qualitative research revealed three post-training personas among trainees regarding their attitudes and approach towards societal norms and institutions These personas - Conformist Pacifist and Resolute - were indicative of the degree to which the programme and life skills training were able to empower and give rise to other types of impact for women Conformists were unable to challenge societal and familial expectations Pacifists used non-confrontational methods to strike a balance between constraints and their aspirations and work and home life and Resolutes confronted these constraints head-on

Conformists bullApproximately 33 per cent of the cohortbullUnable to navigate societal barriersbullLow motivation levelsbullMostly not working

PacifistsbullApproximately 50 per cent of the cohortbullMotivated and determinedbullFound subtle ways to challenge status quobullMost working from home incomes of ₹500 - ₹3000 month

ResolutesbullApproximately 17 per cent of the cohortbullMany experienced difficult circumstances such as abuse and separationbullVery ambitiousbullPushed back against the system bullMost working either in parlours or from home incomes of ₹6000 - ₹10000 month

The life skills component of the programme deserves a special mention here

Custom developed by an NGO partner and Godrej Consumer Products Ltd the life skills module aimed at creating space and opportunities for trainees (girls and women) to be able to come together and engage in a process of assessndashanalysendashact thereby honing their communication negotiation decision-making and critical thinking skills and building their agency The module was curated as a journey - valuing dignity and self-

esteem understanding the nuances of the beauty and wellness sector appreciating the lsquobeautyrsquo of learning skills together mapping onersquos dreams looking through the gender lens knowing about onersquos rights and entitlements (especially as a woman) and planning the way forward

Qualitatively the majority of the beauty trainees attributed a sense of self-worth and confidence to face challenges as a key benefit of training Trainees with difficult circumstances were more appreciative of the life skills curriculum Similarly the ability to deliver the curriculum was more prominent in trainers who themselves had gone through difficult circumstances or had experiences in working with trainees of similar backgrounds Trainers with certain personality traits such as patience maturity sensitivity and optimism were more suited for delivering life skills training

18

The need in agriculture

In rural India approximately 80 per cent of women depend on agriculture for their livelihoods and this is set to increase The 2017-18 Economic Survey stated that growing ruralndashurban migration trends predominantly in men is leading to increasing female representation in the agricultural workforce

However women farmers and agricultural labour are paid 22 per cent less than their male counterparts and their work is concentrated in drudgery and back-breaking production-related labour They often spend 16 hours per day in physically exhausting production whereas men in the sector are engaged in market-related decisions37 Women on the whole lack the opportunities and the confidence to take on roles that require more market interaction

Outcomes

AgricultureGodrejrsquos training programme ensured the involvement of women in all support activities in an integrated model As a result women reported having gained the confidence to voice their questions and concerns capability of cultivating a wider circle of influence and using their skills more effectively to earn their livelihood

These experiences have enabled women to feel they have the capability to contribute monetarily to their households participate in spending decisions and better the lives of their family members

It is widely acknowledged that when women are empowered they are able to multiply the impact of their own support across their families38 and communities and Godrej saw the evidence Some women farmers in Rehti have used their new-found

Manisha Bai from Rehti MP now collaborates with her husband on adopting

organic practices such as vermicomposting on their land and proudly makes joint decisions with her

husband on how to utilise their increased incomes


I feel confident about what I have learnt I engage with outsiders and talk with confidence (bolna chalna baithne uthne mein bahut parivartan hai) I am comfortable with initiating contact with the men staff at Vrutti (the NGO) to ask questions on cattle care

- Avanti Bai Rehti Madhya Pradesh

ldquo

ldquo

In rural India women work as farm labourers and on the whole lack the opportunities and the confidence to take on roles that require more market interaction

influence to champion the causes of self-reliance and education for girls and women in their villages

However opportunities for women to improve their lives and their familiesrsquo lives are encumbered by their concentration in informal work where there are myriad barriers to empowerment and fair compensation for labour It warrants further examination to shed light on the nature of their invisibility key obstacles and strategies to reverse this trend


19

5 The role of employers Find out how perceptions and actions of employers affect new trainees

Employers must be willing to pay a premium for skilled labour and navigate the challenges of upfront cost versus medium-term savings+

Key findings

Employersrsquo perceptions of productivity and skill certification play a role in the effectiveness of skills training to realise higher incomes+

Employersrsquo sensitivity to individual challenges and willingness to support new entrants is important in determining whether trainees stayed in work further reinforcing the importance of skilling programs incorporating thoughtful placement and post-placement support elements

+

20

ldquo

The need

Livelihood interventions often focus primarily on generating a supply of skilled workers and pay little attention to the role of the employer in determining the demand for skilled labour Employers can either be enablers or create barriers for new entrants to the workforce and therefore are an important external factor that influences the outcomes of any skilling programs

The study found instances of supportive as well exploitative employers in both construction and beauty industries both of which are characterised by a large presence of informal economy

Outcomes

ConstructionSince 1990-91 the construction sector has added almost as many new jobs as the next four top job-generating sectors39 While the construction boom has absorbed people seeking an alternative to farm jobs it is the only sector that has witnessed a decline in productivity over the past few years with a low level of labour quality (measured in terms of education and experience of workers)40 being one of the reasons Yet the study found some reluctance at the bottom of the recruitment hierarchy in hiring trainees who were certified as semi-skilled

Interviews with contractors subcontractors site managers and chief engineers in both Delhi and Mumbai suggested that the although these trainees may be certified as semi-skilled their productivity on day 1 was similar to an unskilled worker who had been on the site for 5 years due to lack of hands-on experience However due to their semi-skilled certification the wages demanded by these trainees were slightly higher than unskilled workers with experience The higher wages were cited as a reason for friction among workers on the sites

The interviewees agreed that trained workers were more dedicated disciplined and easier to manage than the unskilled workers and may have faster growth trajectories but yet seemed unconvinced of their value-add It also indicated the possibility that unlike lsquopedigreedrsquo certification at tertiary education levels certification in the blue collarinformal sector is meaningless to the employer

Within this context increased engagement between the Sector Skills Council NSDC and employers within the construction industry could begin to address attitudes around the value of these differentiators

Another aspect that is central to an employerrsquos role in the construction sector is the focus on safety on the site as well as in the labour camp Specifically 2 per cent of all workers receiving training reported the occurrence of any accident since the training with the majority losing less than a dayrsquos time because of the injury in 4-6 months since the training Usage of personal protective equipment was also high 94 per cent of workers reported wearing helmets 89 per cent reported wearing appropriate shoes and 80 per cent used gloves

Learnings from this study were incorporated in the Good Contractor programme design The contractors were made aware of the vulnerabilities of new workers their safety and dignity at work They are guided to become ethical employers that are willing to pay premium for trained workers to help get the right talent work for them and expand their business

BeautyIn beauty trainees reported facing myriad entry barriers when pursuing a job in a salon after the course High-end salons were reluctant to hire candidates with no work experience in the sector and deemed the content of the training too basic This either led to salons expecting women to work for free for the first few months or pressuring them to undertake yet another paid training from the salon itself

We were taught that before doing every task if we spend 5 minutes to think about how we can ensure maximum safety while doing the task then we are saving our lives

- Dushasan

ldquoldquo

The safety training is important because we are important our lives are important

- Ram Kishore ldquo

Many parlours turned me down but I did not give up hope Madam at Bonne Belle was very helpful as she trained me I felt so proud when all customers specifically ask for me

- Sangeet Halge Mumbai

ldquoldquo

A few trainees reported that salons preferred hiring women who were presentable (lsquowore western clothesrsquo as mentioned by one) The study also found examples of irregular pay long hours of work and lack of support from seniors in dealing with difficult situations

On the other hand the study found evidence of how supportive employers not only recruited fresh trainees but also trained them in advanced skills

In one case a parlour in Ahmedabad instituted a strict rule of pairing two employees together for all home visits to ensure safety As an example of local entrepreneurship creating safe and suitable employment the study covered a parlour set up with the help of a Tata Trust grant in one of the ghettos in Ahmedabad that offered local and safe employment opportunities to the women of the Chhara community (a denotifed tribe facing extensive discrimination)

Informal sector employment is characterised by higher insecurity and vulnerability to exploitation Protections typically afforded to formal sector employees such as a Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) committee are not enforced in informal sectors To mitigate these risks all

trainees in the beauty programme were made aware of their rights under such regulations

A key learning for a placement-based skilling initiative from this assessment was the role of strong relationships between trainees and their employers and the importance of engagement with both during and after the placement stages to ensure that both parties have adequate support to navigate some of these challenges

Construction trainees reported being more aware about safety procedures and increasingly used personal protective equipment


21

6 Focusing on the ecosystem Learn how expanding the programme approach can be more effective

Expanding the focus of interventions from addressing the needs of individuals towards enabling more inclusive practices in the ecosystem was more effective

+

Key findings

Comprehensive entrepreneurship-based models can be effective in increasing work rates and incomes and generating positive externalities for creating and formalising more jobs

+

22

The need

The initial iterations of Godrej programmes in both the agriculture and construction sectors focused on individualsrsquo needs Godrej eventually built a continuum towards an ecosystem approach with the individualrsquos well-being at the core but the means to achieving that were through deeper systemic solutions that addressed some of the entrenched market distortions and root causes of exclusion

Outcomes

1 Moving towards market integration

Agriculture As Godrej reflected and learnt from its journey and its implementation partners in agriculture its intervention evolved from individual-focused short-term one-off animal husbandry training (old model) to an integrated approach (new model) The older animal husbandry training programme yielded far lower returns as the impact diminished rapidly over time The training model was effective in improving traineesrsquo knowledge on cattle health and hygiene but it did not influence behaviours or practicesrsquo as the application of new knowledge was limited due to the lack of continuity or follow-up Moreover it was still vulnerable to market issues such as the unavailability of good fodder and the presence of middlemen that reduced the rate of milk

The integrated model was developed from the realisation that farm-based livelihoods are all interconnected and an optimum way to enhance these is through an integrated solution which is adaptive to farmersrsquo needs and explicitly focuses on market linkages

2 A move towards entrepreneurship

Similarly both the beauty and construction models resulted in an increase in work rates and income but the models were still subject to many challenges such as breaking the entry barriers and finding suitable work as well as industry constraints This was coupled with the growing realisation that adequate jobs were not being created in India in the formal market These two factors led to the model to shift in two fundamental waysmdashfrom job seekers to job creators and from individual empowerment to addressing issues in the wider industry yielding a much higher social return

Construction Although the off-site construction skill training programme for new entrants into the workforce was effective in increasing both work rates and incomes satisfaction and retention levels in the industry were generally found to be low due to factors related to the wider industrymdashlow and irregular wages no social security low upward mobility41 and the necessity for migration42

The move to Good Contractor model therefore sought to address these systemic issues by empowering subcontractors The objective was two-fold - show experienced workers a career progression and create more empathetic and sensitive employers for the future The intervention made available access to business training and soft loans for subcontractors wanting to start or scale up their business In turn it encouraged the subcontractors to comply with all regulatory requirements ensuring safety of their workers paying them on time and via bank transfers getting them insured and fulfilling Provident Fund (PF) and Employee State Insurance (ESI) compliances in an attempt to bring more formality to the sector

The qualitative research revealed early signs of changes

A dipstick survey of 11 subcontractors showed that 10 reported increased profits average monthly profits increased by 113 per cent (from a lower base) during the period 75 per cent of the subcontractors grew their teams by hiring more workers thereby creating employment and 38 per cent reported knowinng their CIBIL score

BeautyTowards the end of the study Godrej piloted a new model - lsquoBeauty-Preneurrsquo The programme aimed to incubate entrepreneurship in women in the area of beauty and wellness thereby enabling these women to start training other girls as well as empowering them through life skills and entrepreneurship The model of the Beauty-Preneur consisted of entrepreneurship with beauty and life skills as core components of the training

of construction subcontractors hired more workers after enrolling for the Good Contractor programme

75

Sandeep from Ahmednagar in Maharashtra ran a small

business of constructing household toilets in villages

Two years after being a part of the Good Contractor

programme he expanded his business and was managing

a large team with an even split of masons and helpers As his profits increased he had increased his workersrsquo

wages as well His employees also reported that they were

treated with respect and dignity


23

Inconclusion This report has summarised the key takeaways and learnings that the skills and livelihood development ecosystem in India can use to ensure that their policies and actions contribute to the eventual goal of enabling sustainable and remunerative livelihoods for millions of people in the country

The skills and livelihoods narrative so far has focused on enhancing the employability of underserved populations and linking them to jobs However Indiarsquos macroeconomic landscape and the current job crisis reveal that there are large numbers of entrants to the labour force every year but not enough good-quality jobs to accommodate them

Thus the sector needs to pivot towards a broader understanding of livelihoods While employability must remain a priority more support for self-employment and entrepreneurship could be transformational in creating new avenues for economic participation This is especially important when facilitating womenrsquos participation the option to work from home or part-time was a significant enabler in Godrejrsquos experience

The skills training sector needs to pivot towards a broader understanding of livelihoods While employability must remain a priority more support for self-employment and entrepreneurship could be transformational in creating new avenues for economic participation

In sectors such as agriculture where entrepreneurship capabilities are essential to realising the potential of a larger repertoire of skills built through training CSR should support uptake and application of these skills in the long term and facilitate market and capital access that is crucial to increasing incomes

When taking this approach it is essential to note that supporting entrepreneurship and self-employment requires a long-term approach one that provides mentorship guidance and access to resources at inflection points where individuals are at risk of dropping out of the workforce

Supporting this process takes longer and is more time and resource-intensive than classroom-based trainings but could have a much more significant pay-off in the long term

The move from employability to livelihoods also entails seeing the individual as part of a larger ecosystem providing more holistic support and working to strengthen the ecosystem Interventions need to constantly evolve to go beyond the individualrsquos capability and should also include his

her gatekeepers and influencers (families peers and communities) to address potential barriers that are hindering participation as well as institutions (employers especially in informal sectors) that may be posing structural barriers

In sharing these insights Godrej hopes to encourage sustainability practitioners to take a holistic and long-term approach to supporting sustainable livelihoods

24

End notes

1 httpswwwlivemintcomOpinionzgCdZ3GrDwtDpQWD95HenOOpinion--Indias-demographic-dividend-will-play-out-over-ahtml2 Thacker A (2019) India enters 37-year period of demographic dividend Available at httpseconomictimesindiatimescomnewseconomyindicatorsindia-enters-37-year-period-of-demographic-dividendarticleshow70324782cms3 Dewan S (2018) Only 475 Million Join Indiarsquos Workforce Annually Not 12 Million As Claimed Available at httpswwwindiaspendcomonly-4-75-million-join-indias-workforce-annually-not-12-million-as-claimed-705484 httpswwwiloorgwcmsp5groupspublic---dgreports---dcommdocumentspublicationwcms_626831pdf5 Samir Saran Vivek Saran (2018) The future of the Indian workforce A new approach for the new economy ORF Occasional Paper 6 Jack I (2018) India has 600 million young people ndash and theyrsquore set to change our world Available at httpswwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2018jan13india-600-million-young-people-world-cities-internet7 httpswwwgodrejcomResourcespdfCSR-skills-livelihoodspdf8 ibid9 httpsacumenorglean-data10 Labour Market Division Office for National Statistics (2005) Labour market participation the influence of social capital Available at httpwwwsocial-capitalnetdocslm_social_capitalpdf11 Ibid12 Menon S et al (2016) Enhancing Capabilities Empowering Lives Samhita Social Ventures Available at httpwwwsamhitaorgenhancing-capabilities-empowering-lives13 International Labour Office (2017) Global Employment Trends for Youth 2017 Paths to a better working future Available at httpswwwiloorgwcmsp5groupspublic---dgreports---dcomm---publdocumentspublicationwcms_598669pdf14 Nath Roy S amp NaikM (2017) Migrants In Construction Work Evaluating Their Welfare Framework (June 2017) Centre for Policy Research15 Fifth Annual Employment Unemployment Survey Labour Bureau Government of India 2015-1616 Annette N Brown Kristen Rankin Mario Picon and Drew B Cameron The state of evidence on the impact of transferable skills programming on youth in low- and middle-income countries available at www3ieimpactorg17 httpswwwgodrejcomResourcespdfCSR-skills-livelihoodspdf18 httpswwwsoasacukcdprpublicationsreportsfile111602pdf19 The World Bank (2012) India Issues and Priorities for Agriculture Available at httpwwwworldbankorgennewsfeature20120517india-agriculture-issues-priorities10 ibid21 ibid22 httpgapmaps3ieimpactorgevidence-mapsagricultural-innovation23 httpswwwnaturecomarticlesd41586-018-02792-724 ibid25 Bastelaer T (2000) Does social capital facilitate the poorrsquos access to credit A review of the microeconomic literature World Bank

26 Barroha B et al (2019) Improving and sustaining livelihoods through group-based interventions mapping the evidence 3ie Evidence gap map report 1327 Dowla A (2006) In Credit We Trust Building Social Capital by Grameen Bank in Bangladesh The Journal of Socio-Economics 35 28 India Labour Market Update ILO Country Office for India July 201729 Srivastava R and Sutradhar R (2016) Migrating out of poverty A study of migrant construction sectors workers in India Institute for Human Development Available at httpwwwihdindiaorg1pdf30 Nayak A (2015) Developing Social Capital through Self-help Groups Available at httpswwwresearchgatenetpublication324720248_Developing_Social_Capital_through_Self-help_Groups31 Chaudhury R and Verick S (2014) lsquoFemale labour force participation in India and beyondrsquo International Labour Organisation Available at httpswwwiloorgwcmsp5groupspublicasiaro-bangkoksro-new_delhidocumentspublicationwcms_324621pdf32 S Rukmini (2019) lsquoIndiarsquos workforce is masculinising rapidlyrsquo LiveMint Available athttpswwwlivemintcomnewsindiaindia-s-workforce-is-masculinising-rapidly-1560150389726html33 Klasen S (2017) Low stagnating female labour-force participation in India Live Mint Available at httpswwwlivemintcomOpinionvgO1ynMV6UMDnF6kW5Z3VJLow-stagnating-female-labourforce-participation-in-Indiahtml34 Fletcher Erin and Pande Rohini and Moore Charity Maria Troyer Women and Work in India Descriptive Evidence and a Review of Potential Policies (December 1 2017) HKS Working Paper No RWP18-004 Available at httpdxdoiorg102139ssrn311631035 Chaudhury R and Verick S (2014) lsquoFemale labour force participation in India and beyondrsquo International Labour Organisation Available at httpswwwiloorgwcmsp5groupspublicasiaro-bangkoksro-new_delhidocumentspublicationwcms_324621pdf36 ibid37 Pandey K (2018) Hard work but low wages for women farmers Available at httpswwwdowntoearthorginnewsagriculturehard-work-but-low-wages-for-women-farmers-6165638 Shetty S Revenga A (2012) Empowering Women Is Smart Economics International Monetary Fund Available at httpswwwimforgexternalpubsftfandd201203revengahtm39 Bhattacharya P (2018) Which are the top sectors that generate employment in India Live Mint Available at httpswwwlivemintcomPolitics7XXmUWyxkSEGKoWXJqUuHMWhich-are-the-top-sectors-that-generate-employment-in-Indiahtml40 ibid41 Srivastava R and Sutradhar R (2016) Migrating out of Poverty A study of migrant construction sector workers in India Institute for Human Development Available at httpwwwihdindiaorg1pdf42 Srivastava R and Sutradhar R (2016) Migrating out of Poverty A study of migrant construction sector workers in India Institute for Human Development Available at httpwwwihdindiaorg1pdf

Good amp Green Godrej One Pirojshanagar Eastern Express Highway Vikhroli East Mumbai - 400079

2

ForewordI am delighted to share this report on the impact assessment of the Godrej Industries CSR investments in employability and livelihoods It has been crafted by Samhita Social Ventures our impact assessment partners basis a two and half year study of our employability and livelihoods programmes We hope that these insights will encourage more investments in skill training initiatives in India and help build more impactful programmes that result in long-term tangible outcomes Today India has a population of 333 million young people with 475 million people joining the workforce every year There is however a lack of formal employment opportunities since fewer than 2 million jobs are created annually in the formal market In the last six years roughly 37 million workers shifted from agricultural jobs thereby adding to the workforce pressure At the same time the gender ratio in employment numbers is skewed with 25 million women leaving the workforce So the challenge is not just limited to the lack of jobs in the formal sector but also extends to the rising vulnerability of small farmers lack of employable skills and societal pressure on women to be primary caretakers among others In 2010 the Godrej Group committed to help create a more employable workforce by training 1 million young people by 2020 Since then the Godrej Group has trained over 640000 young people across India in beauty and wellness retail construction and agriculture among others Through our journey we have always tried to look at the bigger picture Will our programmes ensure sustained livelihood What will help facilitate more women joining the workforce What support will enable small farmers to reduce their vulnerabilities and risks

We have spent a lot of time on ground - talking to our trainees our implementation partners and employers - to understand how best to design and implement our programmes This resulted in the formulation of a multi-year impact assessment programme the results of which have shaped our approach For example we added life skills modules to the domain specific training programmes and developed financial literacy and entrepreneurship programmes to enable self-employment and nano entrepreneurship I would like to take this opportunity to thank Samhita Social Ventures for their guidance as well as all our NGO partners whose experience and leadership have shaped our programmes We look forward to your continued partnership as we scale up our efforts in the years ahead

Sumit MitraHead - Group Human Resources and Corporate ServicesGodrej Industries Limited and Associate Companies

3

Table of Contents











Analysis


13 23Conclusion

4











5
















6

Vision




























7



8






Methodology













9





+

+

+

--

-

-

Beauty training





Key findings

10


The need



Outcomes










80

60

40

0

20

Before


100

After

86

14

45

55

35

NEET

20

Studying

23

Working from

homeself employed

16

In parlours

6 Non-beauty

80

60

40

0

20

Before


100

After

50

50

69

31

18

NEET

13

Studying

63

Working in

construction

5 Non-construction

Working Not working


Working Not working


11



3x

37















self-reliant


12



+

+

+



Key findings

13

The need


Outcomes


















₹500 - ₹1000 acre



94

14



Key findings


+

15



The need




Outcomes











ldquo














16



+

Key findings

--

Beauty training








--

--


17






Outcomes




ldquo

ldquo












40










18




Outcomes










ldquo

ldquo





19



Key findings



+

20

ldquo

The need



Outcomes









- Dushasan

ldquoldquo


- Ram Kishore ldquo



ldquoldquo









21



+

Key findings


+

22

The need


Outcomes












75









23











24

End notes




3

Table of Contents











Analysis


13 23Conclusion

4











5
















6

Vision




























7



8






Methodology













9





+

+

+

--

-

-

Beauty training





Key findings

10


The need



Outcomes










80

60

40

0

20

Before


100

After

86

14

45

55

35

NEET

20

Studying

23

Working from

homeself employed

16

In parlours

6 Non-beauty

80

60

40

0

20

Before


100

After

50

50

69

31

18

NEET

13

Studying

63

Working in

construction

5 Non-construction

Working Not working


Working Not working


11



3x

37















self-reliant


12



+

+

+



Key findings

13

The need


Outcomes


















₹500 - ₹1000 acre



94

14



Key findings


+

15



The need




Outcomes











ldquo














16



+

Key findings

--

Beauty training








--

--


17






Outcomes




ldquo

ldquo












40










18




Outcomes










ldquo

ldquo





19



Key findings



+

20

ldquo

The need



Outcomes









- Dushasan

ldquoldquo


- Ram Kishore ldquo



ldquoldquo









21



+

Key findings


+

22

The need


Outcomes












75









23











24

End notes




4











5
















6

Vision




























7



8






Methodology













9





+

+

+

--

-

-

Beauty training





Key findings

10


The need



Outcomes










80

60

40

0

20

Before


100

After

86

14

45

55

35

NEET

20

Studying

23

Working from

homeself employed

16

In parlours

6 Non-beauty

80

60

40

0

20

Before


100

After

50

50

69

31

18

NEET

13

Studying

63

Working in

construction

5 Non-construction

Working Not working


Working Not working


11



3x

37















self-reliant


12



+

+

+



Key findings

13

The need


Outcomes


















₹500 - ₹1000 acre



94

14



Key findings


+

15



The need




Outcomes











ldquo














16



+

Key findings

--

Beauty training








--

--


17






Outcomes




ldquo

ldquo












40










18




Outcomes










ldquo

ldquo





19



Key findings



+

20

ldquo

The need



Outcomes









- Dushasan

ldquoldquo


- Ram Kishore ldquo



ldquoldquo









21



+

Key findings


+

22

The need


Outcomes












75









23











24

End notes




5
















6

Vision




























7



8






Methodology













9





+

+

+

--

-

-

Beauty training





Key findings

10


The need



Outcomes










80

60

40

0

20

Before


100

After

86

14

45

55

35

NEET

20

Studying

23

Working from

homeself employed

16

In parlours

6 Non-beauty

80

60

40

0

20

Before


100

After

50

50

69

31

18

NEET

13

Studying

63

Working in

construction

5 Non-construction

Working Not working


Working Not working


11



3x

37















self-reliant


12



+

+

+



Key findings

13

The need


Outcomes


















₹500 - ₹1000 acre



94

14



Key findings


+

15



The need




Outcomes











ldquo














16



+

Key findings

--

Beauty training








--

--


17






Outcomes




ldquo

ldquo












40










18




Outcomes










ldquo

ldquo





19



Key findings



+

20

ldquo

The need



Outcomes









- Dushasan

ldquoldquo


- Ram Kishore ldquo



ldquoldquo









21



+

Key findings


+

22

The need


Outcomes












75









23











24

End notes




6

Vision




























7



8






Methodology













9





+

+

+

--

-

-

Beauty training





Key findings

10


The need



Outcomes










80

60

40

0

20

Before


100

After

86

14

45

55

35

NEET

20

Studying

23

Working from

homeself employed

16

In parlours

6 Non-beauty

80

60

40

0

20

Before


100

After

50

50

69

31

18

NEET

13

Studying

63

Working in

construction

5 Non-construction

Working Not working


Working Not working


11



3x

37















self-reliant


12



+

+

+



Key findings

13

The need


Outcomes


















₹500 - ₹1000 acre



94

14



Key findings


+

15



The need




Outcomes











ldquo














16



+

Key findings

--

Beauty training








--

--


17






Outcomes




ldquo

ldquo












40










18




Outcomes










ldquo

ldquo





19



Key findings



+

20

ldquo

The need



Outcomes









- Dushasan

ldquoldquo


- Ram Kishore ldquo



ldquoldquo









21



+

Key findings


+

22

The need


Outcomes












75









23











24

End notes




7



8






Methodology













9





+

+

+

--

-

-

Beauty training





Key findings

10


The need



Outcomes










80

60

40

0

20

Before


100

After

86

14

45

55

35

NEET

20

Studying

23

Working from

homeself employed

16

In parlours

6 Non-beauty

80

60

40

0

20

Before


100

After

50

50

69

31

18

NEET

13

Studying

63

Working in

construction

5 Non-construction

Working Not working


Working Not working


11



3x

37















self-reliant


12



+

+

+



Key findings

13

The need


Outcomes


















₹500 - ₹1000 acre



94

14



Key findings


+

15



The need




Outcomes











ldquo














16



+

Key findings

--

Beauty training








--

--


17






Outcomes




ldquo

ldquo












40










18




Outcomes










ldquo

ldquo





19



Key findings



+

20

ldquo

The need



Outcomes









- Dushasan

ldquoldquo


- Ram Kishore ldquo



ldquoldquo









21



+

Key findings


+

22

The need


Outcomes












75









23











24

End notes




8






Methodology













9





+

+

+

--

-

-

Beauty training





Key findings

10


The need



Outcomes










80

60

40

0

20

Before


100

After

86

14

45

55

35

NEET

20

Studying

23

Working from

homeself employed

16

In parlours

6 Non-beauty

80

60

40

0

20

Before


100

After

50

50

69

31

18

NEET

13

Studying

63

Working in

construction

5 Non-construction

Working Not working


Working Not working


11



3x

37















self-reliant


12



+

+

+



Key findings

13

The need


Outcomes


















₹500 - ₹1000 acre



94

14



Key findings


+

15



The need




Outcomes











ldquo














16



+

Key findings

--

Beauty training








--

--


17






Outcomes




ldquo

ldquo












40










18




Outcomes










ldquo

ldquo





19



Key findings



+

20

ldquo

The need



Outcomes









- Dushasan

ldquoldquo


- Ram Kishore ldquo



ldquoldquo









21



+

Key findings


+

22

The need


Outcomes












75









23











24

End notes




9





+

+

+

--

-

-

Beauty training





Key findings

10


The need



Outcomes










80

60

40

0

20

Before


100

After

86

14

45

55

35

NEET

20

Studying

23

Working from

homeself employed

16

In parlours

6 Non-beauty

80

60

40

0

20

Before


100

After

50

50

69

31

18

NEET

13

Studying

63

Working in

construction

5 Non-construction

Working Not working


Working Not working


11



3x

37















self-reliant


12



+

+

+



Key findings

13

The need


Outcomes


















₹500 - ₹1000 acre



94

14



Key findings


+

15



The need




Outcomes











ldquo














16



+

Key findings

--

Beauty training








--

--


17






Outcomes




ldquo

ldquo












40










18




Outcomes










ldquo

ldquo





19



Key findings



+

20

ldquo

The need



Outcomes









- Dushasan

ldquoldquo


- Ram Kishore ldquo



ldquoldquo









21



+

Key findings


+

22

The need


Outcomes












75









23











24

End notes




10


The need



Outcomes










80

60

40

0

20

Before


100

After

86

14

45

55

35

NEET

20

Studying

23

Working from

homeself employed

16

In parlours

6 Non-beauty

80

60

40

0

20

Before


100

After

50

50

69

31

18

NEET

13

Studying

63

Working in

construction

5 Non-construction

Working Not working


Working Not working


11



3x

37















self-reliant


12



+

+

+



Key findings

13

The need


Outcomes


















₹500 - ₹1000 acre



94

14



Key findings


+

15



The need




Outcomes











ldquo














16



+

Key findings

--

Beauty training








--

--


17






Outcomes




ldquo

ldquo












40










18




Outcomes










ldquo

ldquo





19



Key findings



+

20

ldquo

The need



Outcomes









- Dushasan

ldquoldquo


- Ram Kishore ldquo



ldquoldquo









21



+

Key findings


+

22

The need


Outcomes












75









23











24

End notes




11



3x

37















self-reliant


12



+

+

+



Key findings

13

The need


Outcomes


















₹500 - ₹1000 acre



94

14



Key findings


+

15



The need




Outcomes











ldquo














16



+

Key findings

--

Beauty training








--

--


17






Outcomes




ldquo

ldquo












40










18




Outcomes










ldquo

ldquo





19



Key findings



+

20

ldquo

The need



Outcomes









- Dushasan

ldquoldquo


- Ram Kishore ldquo



ldquoldquo









21



+

Key findings


+

22

The need


Outcomes












75









23











24

End notes




12



+

+

+



Key findings

13

The need


Outcomes


















₹500 - ₹1000 acre



94

14



Key findings


+

15



The need




Outcomes











ldquo














16



+

Key findings

--

Beauty training








--

--


17






Outcomes




ldquo

ldquo












40










18




Outcomes










ldquo

ldquo





19



Key findings



+

20

ldquo

The need



Outcomes









- Dushasan

ldquoldquo


- Ram Kishore ldquo



ldquoldquo









21



+

Key findings


+

22

The need


Outcomes












75









23











24

End notes




13

The need


Outcomes


















₹500 - ₹1000 acre



94

14



Key findings


+

15



The need




Outcomes











ldquo














16



+

Key findings

--

Beauty training








--

--


17






Outcomes




ldquo

ldquo












40










18




Outcomes










ldquo

ldquo





19



Key findings



+

20

ldquo

The need



Outcomes









- Dushasan

ldquoldquo


- Ram Kishore ldquo



ldquoldquo









21



+

Key findings


+

22

The need


Outcomes












75









23











24

End notes




14



Key findings


+

15



The need




Outcomes











ldquo














16



+

Key findings

--

Beauty training








--

--


17






Outcomes




ldquo

ldquo












40










18




Outcomes










ldquo

ldquo





19



Key findings



+

20

ldquo

The need



Outcomes









- Dushasan

ldquoldquo


- Ram Kishore ldquo



ldquoldquo









21



+

Key findings


+

22

The need


Outcomes












75









23











24

End notes




15



The need




Outcomes











ldquo














16



+

Key findings

--

Beauty training








--

--


17






Outcomes




ldquo

ldquo












40










18




Outcomes










ldquo

ldquo





19



Key findings



+

20

ldquo

The need



Outcomes









- Dushasan

ldquoldquo


- Ram Kishore ldquo



ldquoldquo









21



+

Key findings


+

22

The need


Outcomes












75









23











24

End notes




16



+

Key findings

--

Beauty training








--

--


17






Outcomes




ldquo

ldquo












40










18




Outcomes










ldquo

ldquo





19



Key findings



+

20

ldquo

The need



Outcomes









- Dushasan

ldquoldquo


- Ram Kishore ldquo



ldquoldquo









21



+

Key findings


+

22

The need


Outcomes












75









23











24

End notes




17






Outcomes




ldquo

ldquo












40










18




Outcomes










ldquo

ldquo





19



Key findings



+

20

ldquo

The need



Outcomes









- Dushasan

ldquoldquo


- Ram Kishore ldquo



ldquoldquo









21



+

Key findings


+

22

The need


Outcomes












75









23











24

End notes




18




Outcomes










ldquo

ldquo





19



Key findings



+

20

ldquo

The need



Outcomes









- Dushasan

ldquoldquo


- Ram Kishore ldquo



ldquoldquo









21



+

Key findings


+

22

The need


Outcomes












75









23











24

End notes




19



Key findings



+

20

ldquo

The need



Outcomes









- Dushasan

ldquoldquo


- Ram Kishore ldquo



ldquoldquo









21



+

Key findings


+

22

The need


Outcomes












75









23











24

End notes




20

ldquo

The need



Outcomes









- Dushasan

ldquoldquo


- Ram Kishore ldquo



ldquoldquo









21



+

Key findings


+

22

The need


Outcomes












75









23











24

End notes




21



+

Key findings


+

22

The need


Outcomes












75









23











24

End notes




22

The need


Outcomes












75









23











24

End notes




23











24

End notes




24

End notes





Documents

Learnings from CSR programmes in skills and livelihoods ... · In 2010, the Godrej Group committed to help create a more employable workforce by training 1 million young people by