CJI calls upon corporate sector to contribute to Juvenile Justice movement

Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi Friday called upon the corporate sector to contribute to the Juvenile Justice movement by taking part in the education and training of child inmates for their integration into the mainstream.

Speaking at the 2nd Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Memorial Lecture instituted by the ASSOCHAM here, he noted that the stakeholders associated with the movement across the country will welcome any such move on behalf of the corporate sector in selflessly contributing to the upliftment of this marginalised and vulnerable section of society.

He said corporate social responsibility (CSR) goes beyond charity and requires the companies and businesses to act beyond their legal obligations and to integrate social, environmental and ethical concerns into a company's business process.

"Therefore, corporates need to look beyond government-initiated development programs and take charge of initiatives aimed towards improving the health and standard of living of our people. Besides, even from a utilitarian point of view, corporate enterprises have to apply 'ethics as efficiency' as they cannot be ignorant to the fact that a growing number of people are concerned about social and environmental problems," he said.

The CJI said the Juvenile Justice movement revolves around efforts to shelter and look after abandoned or trafficked children, and to take care of their well-being, education and growth as individuals.

"However, one area that seeks more attention of the Juvenile Justice movement in our country is the education and training of the child inmates of shelter homes, with a view to prepare them for life, for integration with the mainstream society upon their attaining majority when they are required to step out of the shelter homes, and move beyond the purview and protection of the juvenile justice laws of the country," he said.

Justice Gogoi emphasised that businesses cannot survive without profits, but CSR is not philanthropy and is about the corporate sector reaching out from within the company to the society outside.

He said in order to achieve the goal of social justice in the best possible manner, it is necessary that CSR be integrated into the modern business strategy so as to make it "sustainable".

ASSOCHAM president Balkrishan Goenka, Senior Vice President Niranjan Hiranandani and Vice President Vineet Agarwal also spoke on the occasion.