· The Mahatma Awards is one of the prestigious awards in India for social impact across the public, private, and development sectors
· Smita Sharma, Global Program Manager, CSR, UST, has been recognised for the ‘Mahatma Award 2024 for Young Change Makers
Mumbai, India, October 29, 2024: UST, a leading digital transformation solutions company, has won the Mahatma Award for CSR Excellence for the third consecutive year for its unwavering commitment to large-scale community and societal impact through its CSR initiatives. Moreover, the Delhi ceremony honoured Ms. Smita Sharma, Global Program Manager-CSR at UST, with the ‘Mahatma Award 2024 for Young Change Makers’. The ‘Mahatma Award’ honours individuals and organisations that leverage their resources, expertise, and talent to make a positive impact for the greater good. Presented by the Aditya Birla Group on Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary, the award recognised the widespread and significant impact of UST’s initiatives across the areas of education, health, livelihood, environment, and disaster relief.
UST has dedicated itself to the mission of “Transforming Lives” by creating a boundless impact since its inception in 1999. Guided by its mission of transforming lives, UST has implemented 127 projects in nine states across India, touching over 1 lakh people in the last 25 years. Notably, through its education initiatives, UST has positively impacted nearly 64,000 lives, supporting over 245 schools under its Adopt-a-School program and promoting access to quality education for all. By focusing on building infrastructure and medical equipment through its welfare foundation, UST aims to expand public healthcare facilities and offer critical care support to both chronic and terminally ill patients. The organization also helps people with disabilities by providing customized wheelchairs, assistive devices, and livelihood opportunities.
As part of its commitment to environmental conservation, UST has initiated and delivered several projects, including tree and medicinal sapling plantation drives, as well as forest and lake restoration projects. These efforts employ advanced science-based techniques that enhance the wellbeing of both the native ecosystem and local communities. In addition to these initiatives, UST has undertaken various relief efforts during natural disasters, including the floods in Telangana, Noida, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and the most recent Wayanad landslide. The UST CSR focus areas align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals 2030 at both the national and global framework levels.
Commenting on this recognition, Sunil Balakrishnan, Chief Values Officer, UST, said, “We are truly honoured to have received the Mahatma Award for CSR Excellence. This consecutive win is a testament to the unwavering commitment UST has maintained over the past 25 years to creating a substantial societal impact through its CSR initiatives, especially as we celebrate the company’s 25th anniversary this year. Deep commitment to transforming lives drives our work, and this recognition reaffirms our dedication to uplifting the communities we serve. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to Ms. Smita Sharma for receiving the Mahatma Award 2024 for Young Change Makers. We take immense pride in this award as we continue to believe in creating a boundless positive impact supported by our values, along with the unwavering support of our CSR volunteers whose contributions have been instrumental in these transformative projects.”
“UST is leveraging volunteering efforts community alongside its CSR budget to create an impact in the community. UST’s passion for CSR is truly visible in the need-based initiatives implemented in the community,” said Amit Sachdeva, Chairman, Mahatma Foundation.
Speaking about the award, Smita Sharma, Global Program Manager, CSR, UST, said, “This recognition inspires me to keep pushing boundaries and making an even greater impact. I’m grateful for the unwavering support from UST, which allows me to turn ideas into action.”
UST CSR has established itself as an industry leader in creating sustainable impact, winning several coveted titles over the years. Prominent accolades include the NIPM Kerala CSR Award 2022–23 by the National Institute of Personnel Management—Kerala Chapter in 2024; the 2024 CSR Award for Education by the Kerala Management Association Awards; the Indian Social Impact Awards—Best Women’s Livelihood Initiative and Best Environment-Friendly Initiative for 2024; and the Business Culture Awards for CSR in 2023, to name a few. Additionally, UST employees Smita Sharma and Prasanth Subramanian have also been recognised by other esteemed platforms as changemakers for their individual contributions in 2023 and 2024, respectively.
To learn more about UST’s social commitment, please visit:
https://www.ust.com/en/who-we-are/ust-social-commitment.
