The mission of Signify as a lighting organization is to unleash the amazing power of light for happier lives and a better future. Light is a vital component of our lives. This turns darkness into spaces where people can work, study and develop, just with a push of a button. Signify Foundation seek to allow underprivileged populations to have equitable access to the light. The CSR projects aim to promote the use of renewable technology- lighting systems which tackle a community's entire range of lighting needs.

The CSR initiatives at Signify show the tremendous effect that lighting can have on people's lives. It can improve a community's employment, wellbeing, protection and overall health. And this perfectly fits with the aim of the organization which is to harness the incredible power of light to build happier lives and a healthier planet. By allowing the customers to have affordable access to lighting, Signify is executing on the long-term goals of their business. They have carefully identified CSR systems for the organization and are guiding it through tangible measures.

Signify has defined strategy for the company’s CSR programmes and it is determined through the following indicators: -

1.  Access to Lighting – The aim is to provide solar lighting to the off-grid area, which could be home lighting where solar lanterns or home lighting systems are provided; it could be street lighting where street lights are provided.

2. Creating Entrepreneurship / Capacity Building- under which Electricians & Entrepreneurs are trained, who help install and maintain the solar lights.

3. Humanitarian Aids- Solar lighting is provided in a disaster area or at humanitarian settings.

^{Young women electricians doing practical session}

Signify Foundation, a not-for-profit, green enterprise of SignifyInnovation, produces economical, manufacturing, and solar-related lighting technologies. The application of CSR interventions is done by distribution where the business partners with social organizations does installation, commissioning, supply chain, consumer activation etc. For Consumer Financing, the company is partnered with MFIs that lend and recover loans. The company selects MFIs with a recovery rate of 95 per cent. To carry these out, the organization hires electricians & businessmen to help reuse, restore & recycle solar lights and function them.

The greatest task as a base is to find the well-intentioned individual and genuine social enterprise that will guarantee handholding and survival of the initiative, and when it is turned back to the local group, there is an exit clause.

At 1st place, the challenge is to keep on innovating, maintain the importance and minimize the costing. The second task of the foundation is that social organizations have to educate local self-groups and local government. Corporates, these days tend to get an impact report performed to ensure that the beneficiaries receive full support. Therefore, little funding is left for improving the potential of the social enterprise. Another challenge is to ensure that all such MFIs minimizes their operating expenses until the creditworthiness is established. Skill building and transfer of ownership is also one of the major challenges faced.

^{Donation of Solar life light} 

Signify Innovation is driving towards zero waste to landfill program, making progress toward a zero-injury work environment, and are drawing in providers for sustainable supply network. For the second year in a row, Signify is awarded as Industry Leader in the Electrical Components and Equipment class of the 2018 Dow Jones Sustainability Index.

In 2019, the company completed ten CSR projects spread across six states in India, positively affecting 54,000 lives. The company illuminated 37 schools, 6 playgrounds and 32 villages through solar-powered lighting. Additionally, the company provided skill-based training to 3,395 youth to train them as electricians, including a pilot batch of women electricians.

Planning their CSR initiatives for 2020, the hope is to pivot towards agile testing and a “fail fast” approach to optimize the resources being mobilized towards bridging the energy access gap. They are playing the lead role in providing better light to the world and to help bring in a sustainable future. This motto is carried out by delivering light which is energy efficient, saves resources, and improves lives.

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Impact-Story is a series on development and CSR interventions leading to some impacts on the ground. If you have a project, innovation or intervention that has changed the lives of a few people or a community, please share a brief note at csr@ngobox.org. Our Team will get back to you after validating the information for a detailed coverage.