Viacom18 is one of the fastest growing and most successful networks in the country. However, we do this with a focus on the triple bottom line of social responsibility, economic value and environmental impact. We are aware of the power that the media wields and endeavor to grow with our values of giving back to the communities we serve.
As Viacom18 shaped its CSR policy in the year 2014, we identified WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) as one of our key focus areas. Being India’s fastest growing media & entertainment network, Viacom18 believes that sustained change in behaviour is at the helm of creating long term impact. Chakachak Mumbai was conceptualised to create a long-term impact in WASH – the sector of water, sanitation and hygiene.
In an industry first, India’s fastest growing media and entertainment company Viacom18, has partnered with the world’s largest philanthropic organization, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and development communications specialists, BBC Media Action to create a general entertainment fiction series with an underlying behaviour change message on sanitation.
The 26-episode finite series ‘Navrangi Re!’ started airing from 2nd February bi-weekly for 13 weeks on Viacom18 network’s Hindi General Entertainment Channel – Rishtey, its regional language channels – COLORS Gujarati and COLORS Odia.
The show is the first original production on Rishtey and is also available on the network’s OTT platform VOOT. A maiden effort for Indian satellite television, this is an initiative to bring real development issues to the masses in an entertaining format – issues that are otherwise packaged in typical research or data reports, which oftentimes do not reach the mass audience. ‘Navrangi Re!’ is a drama series that tells a powerful story to address the urgent issue of Fecal Sludge Management faced by urban India. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has funded BBC Media Action to create and develop ‘Navrangi Re!’.
Through sustained multi-fold messaging, we aimed to initiate conversations around cleanliness among residents of Mumbai across age-groups and social standing. With projects such as Hamara Station Hamari Shaan, we beautified local railway stations, created the largest mural in the city dedicated to Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan on the Jogeshwari Flyover and used outer walls of community toilet blocks as spaces for creative behaviour change communication.
15 community toilet blocks across 4 slum clusters in the SEEPZ-MIDC area in Andheri were renovated and reconstructed. Art-inspired community themed portable toilet blocks were installed across 13 locations in the city.
As a natural extension of our work in the space of providing education for the underprivileged, we have partnered with The/Nudge to facilitate job skilling amongst India’s underprivileged youth, to open new worlds of economic independence and dignity for them.
The/Nudge is a collective of some of India’s best leaders and entrepreneurs, with a dream to see a poverty-free India within our generation, basis a shared goal of pulling 1 million people sustainably out of poverty.
According to the Global Hunger Index (GHI), India is in the top five of the index with serious ‘hunger’ levels. Malnutrition and classroom hunger is rampant and requires urgent attention in the country. Unfortunately, most people aren’t even aware of this pressing issue in our country. The Akshay Patra Foundation, a not-for-profit organization, strives to provide nutritious food to underprivileged children so that their education is not hampered.
Viacom18, being a leading media and entertainment network in India, partnered with the Akshay Patra Foundation to launch the Feed The Future Now movement which aims to provide 5 billion meals by the year 2020, so that no child is deprived of quality education due to malnutrition.
The core objective of the movement was to highlight the importance of nutrition among school going children, put nutrition back on India’s national agenda while leveraging support and generating funds to achieve the goal of feeding 5 million children by 2020.
Viacom18 has a unique engagement program where employees are encouraged to run once a month with Mr. Sudhanshu Vats, Group CEO, Viacom18 who is an avid marathon runner. Donate a Mile enables employees to lend their support to a cause close to our Group CEO’s heart – girls’ education.
As a part of Donate a Mile, employees train along with Mr. Sudhanshu Vats to run the Mumbai Marathon. Proceeds from this initiative go to Akanksha Foundation, a non-profit organisation working to education of underprivileged children.
On Teachers’ Day, we partnered with Akanksha Foundation for a unique initiative. Our Group CEO Sudhanshu Vats and COO, Raj Nayak switched places with two children from schools under the foundation’s care. While our leaders went to their school to teach, these two kids came to our office to fill in for them. This initiative aims to encourage young people to come and teach in classrooms and Viacom18 partnered with Akanksha Foundation to spread this message.
With sustained efforts to preserve India’s cinematic heritage, Viacom18, has been partnering with the Film Heritage Foundation (FHF) for the annual Film Preservation & Restoration Workshop India for the past three years. The Film Preservation & Restoration Workshop India aims to train an indigenous pool of film archivists and restorers, as well as, to create awareness about the urgent need to save India’s cinematic heritage.
Viacom18’s adoption of the documentary “Daughters of Mother India” is another such disruption in its journey towards influencing and impacting lives of every Indian. The award-winning film showcases the true heroes that work tirelessly in the background to enable 1.2 billion adjust to social changes and adapt to new societal challenges and address issues in a positive and progressive manner.