Brief

Satyam bags Asian CSR award

Satyam Computer Services Ltd. has won the Asian Corporate Social Responsibility Award under Poverty Alleviation category. The company was honored for its GramIT (Rural BPO) program, a key initiative of the Byrraju Foundation, a NGO founded by Satyam Chairman and Founder B Ramalinga Raju. The Byrraju Foundation is dedicated to rural transformation and has significantly enhanced the quality of life of over two million people in 180 villages in Andhra Pradesh by offering high quality services such as healthcare, education, livelihoods, sanitation and drinking water. The key differentiators of Byrraju Foundation are application of knowledge and technology, backed up by a metrics driven project management approach. Satyam is a major alliance partner and the technology driver for the Rural BPO initiative.

Satyam representative Harsh Vardhan accepted the prestigious award at a function held on 28th September 2007 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

The GramIT initiative spurs dramatic transformation in rural areas by leveraging the capabilities of educated, unemployed villagers, who are given special training by Byrraju Foundation and are hired to work in rural business process outsourcing facilities, where they manage a broad range of critical business processes for numerous clients, including Satyam, which has outsourced several internal processes to GramIT facilities through a unique technology platform developed internally.

The GramIT initiative also focuses on continuous improvement. Apart from computer and English training, rural BPO employees are also given Six Sigma training. The program prevents rural migration to cities and gives a major economic boost to the villages by creating many livelihoods. In a short time, three rural BPO centers have been set up employing more than 300 villagers whose productivity levels have surpassed city BPO norms.

The Asian CSR Awards Program recognizes and honors Asian companies for outstanding, innovative and world-class products, services, projects and programs in five categories: Best Workplace Practices, Concern for Health, Environmental Excellence, Poverty Alleviation, and Support and Improvement of Education.

“As responsible corporate citizen, Satyam aims to act as a catalyst towards sustainable rural and urban transformation,” said Harsh Vardhan. “GramIT addresses issues of sustainable wealth creation in villages through the twin channels of employment and technology.”