Indian businesses are increasingly adopting the stakeholder value approach as also specific frameworks for operationalising and measuring their corporate social responsibility. Accordingly, the focus on empowerment manifests itself in implicit and explicit ways in their functioning. Five case studies, specially prepared for the study, throw some light on how Indian businesses practice the stakeholder value approach to enhance their business interests and the nature of empowerment in their business operations. Their relationship with one particular stakeholder – the community – has been studied in greater detail to understand how these businesses view empowerment of the community. The empowerment approaches in the business operations and community development initiatives of these organisations are analysed to highlight how they are facilitating empowerment in society at large. The following abstracts of these case studies (full forms appear as Appendix III to this volume) provide valuable insights.

Excel Industries Ltd.

Excel Industries Ltd., a leading manufacturer and exporter of agrochemicals and industrial chemicals, was established by C.C. Shroff in Mumbai in 1941. It started as a small laboratory in a kitchen at home. Today it has eight manufacturing plants in different parts of the country. It was the first agro-chemical company in India to get the ISO 9002 certification.

The Shroff family belonging to Kutch controls and manages Excel Industries Ltd. The Shroffs have been greatly influenced by Swami Vivekananda, Gandhiji, Vinobhaji, Jayaprakash Narayan and draw strength from the holy scriptures like the Gita and the Upanishads. They strongly believe in the values of equality and working and living together. The running of a business itself is a social activity in their view, because it enriches society, creates work opportunities, provides goods and services.