India’s largest global flexible packaging company UFlex Limited has been honoured with ABP News CSR Leadership Award 2016 for its outstanding contribution through the intervention “Sports for Growth” for the benefit of underprivileged children and youth of the country.
Quite before CSR became mandatory through the enforcement of Companies Act 2013, UFlex has been supporting this integrated and multifaceted intervention “Sports for Growth” to promote rural, nationally recognised, paralympic and olympic sports for the under privileged children and youth upholding the Universal Right of every child to play freely and get equal opportunities to grow irrespective of gender, caste, creed, religion or socio-economic status.
For a systematic roll out of its CSR activities in various geographies, UFlex has partnered with a non-profit organization Society for Transformation, Inclusion and Recognition through Sports (STAIRS). UFlex supports STAIRS to create multiple platforms for children across India to play with best possible equipment in best possible fields and grounds, without having to pay for any of those. This is seamlessly integrated with proper mentoring, coaching and training so that children can be honed and groomed to showcase their talent not only in India but globally, so much so that they could even choose sports as a ‘Lucrative Career Opportunity’. In doing this, special emphasis is laid upon inclusion and participation of girls to square up the gender diversity. UFlex regularly monitors the progress of the CSR interventions rolled out by the implementation agency STAIRS with an objective to continually evolve and improve the efficacy and impact.
The interventions UFlex Khelo Dilli, Khelo Himachal, Khelo Haryana and Khelo Uttar Pradesh provide an accessible platform for the not so privileged children and youth to exhibit their talent and sportsmanship. Tens of thousands of children play several sports like volleyball, sepak takraw, cricket, kabaddi, athletics, wrestling and many more every day at various STAIRS centres that are supported by UFlex. In Uttar Pradesh, UFlex also supports STAIRS for ABILITY program that reaches out to the specially-abled youth. The overarching objective of this intervention is to assist and empower people with disabilities and their families to acquire new skills and knowledge to become fully participating members of the society and gain equal access to inclusive education, employment, recreation and sports. Through STAIRS, UFlex also supports cricket championships and offers scholarships to the budding cricketers of tomorrow.
STAIRS School Football League (SSFL) is the newest and by far the largest initiative by STAIRS that started earlier in 2014. SSFL is solely meant for the children under 14 years and under 17 years of age and exactly follows the FIFA World Cup format. This intervention is being supported by UFlex. SSFL has created a platform to identify football talent right at early adolescence and subsequently provide the best possible support to nurture this talent further. Several national and international clubs and associations keep a close watch on SSFL matches to identify the budding football champions. After the overwhelming success of the Delhi Chapter of SSFL for the second consecutive year, UFlex has additionally pledged support to the Ahmedabad Chapter of SSFL for the next five years.
Notably SSFL is looked up to as the tournament for spotting talent for Under-17 (U-17) FIFA World Cup that will be hosted by India in 2017.
In addition to promoting sports, UFlex has also been supporting STAIRS to sensitize children and youth against drugs and substance abuse and channelize their energies constructively.
In an official statement released soon after the Company was conferred with the ABP News CSR Leadership Award, Mr. Ashok Chaturvedi, Chairman and Managing Director, UFlex Limited said, “This award is a big win for each and every child who regularly plays at the STAIRS centres supported by UFlex. It is a truly gratifying moment for us to have been acknowledged for the “Sports for Growth” initiative and gives us the enthusiasm to further progress towards bringing a meaningful difference in the lives of many more children who deserve to play and shape their personalities. Nothing bonds people better than sports – is what I have always believed in, and my conviction has only grown stronger by the days. Sports serve as an effective vehicle to promote national integration for a physically fit and mentally alert India and UFlex that has come a long way to become ‘A part of your daily life’ remains committed to the cause.
